The IBWedge package is installed by launching the JRTS_IBWedge.msi installation package. This package is signed by JRTwine Software, LLC and you should confirm the signature before allowing installation to proceed.

Be sure to enter relevant information into the installation program. Remember any information entered here can be changed later in the Configuration interface. Once installation is complete, you may need to restart your system for installation of IBWedge to complete.

IBWedge is installed as a Windows (Win32) service. This allows it to be managed by the system automatically. It will automatically start when Windows starts and will shutdown when Windows shuts down.

While it is running, you can use the IBWedge Agent to start, stop, and configure the behavior of IBWedge. Note that the IBWedge Agent does not need to be running for the wedge to operate.

Of course!

Here are the currently supported data formats with details on how they work.

First a quick overview... An iButton's ROM ID is shown on the face of the iButton. This ROM ID data consists of 8 bytes of data: A 1 byte Family Code, a 6 byte unique identifier, and a 1 byte checksum.

These 8 bytes of data can be treated in two different ways, as 8 bytes of raw binary data, or "cooked" into a printable 16 character hexadecimal string. If you look at the data as shown on an iButton, you are basically seeing the 8 bytes of binary data shown as 16 hexadecimal characters (two digits/letters per raw byte).

This binary data is usually not suitable for use without some kind of conversion taking place. Since IBWedge is a keyboard-based wedge, it makes no sense to use the raw binary data, as some binary characters cannot be input via the keyboard without side effects.

Now, lets cover the differences between Native and Presentation format. As an example, assume that we are using an iButton with the following ROM ID: 01 23456789ABCD EF (family code of 01, unique ID of 23456789ABCD, and a checksum of EF).

Native: when you read an iButton's ROM ID using a computer, the data is returned in a different order than that shown on the face of the device - it is returned in "reverse byte order". This data format perserves that native ordering. So for our example iButton, the following data would be input through the wedge: EFCDAB8967452301.

Presentation: this format reorders the data so that it matches the ordering as presented on the front of the iButton device. So for our example iButton, the following data would be input through the wedge: 0123456789ABCDEF.

MD5 Raw: this format reads the data (in Native or Presentation mode) and calculates an MD5 hash value from the 8 raw data bytes. This 128-bit hash value is converted into a 32-character hexadecimal string and is input through the wedge.

MD5 Cooked: this format reads the data (in Native or Presentation mode) cooks it into 16 characters of printable data, and then calculates an MD5 hash value from the cooked data. This 128-bit hash value is converted into a 32-character hexadecimal string and is input through the wedge.

Tiger Raw: this format reads the data (in Native or Presentation mode) and calculates an Tiger hash value from the 8 raw data bytes. This 192-bit hash value is converted into a 48-character hexadecimal string and is input through the wedge.

Tiger Cooked: this format reads the data (in Native or Presentation mode) cooks it into 16 characters of printable data, and then calculates an Tiger hash value from the cooked data. This 192-bit hash value is converted into a 32-character hexadecimal string and is input through the wedge.

Password: The Password format takes the cooked iButton data (in Native or Presentation mode) and converts it to an 8 or 16 character string suitable for use as a password.

The hash-based data formats produce a result that only consists of digits and the letters 'a' through 'f'. The Password format uses a mix of digits, uppercase and lowercase letters.

Each data format allows for additional options to be set. You can force the output to be uppercase or lowercase, contain only digits or letters, and even simulate an <ENTER> keypress after the data is input.

Remember: all of the data formats produce a result that is specific to a particular iButton. In other words, if you reapply a particular data format to a particular iButton, you will get the same result. Changing the data format or the iButton yields a different result.

As new data formats are developed, or if custom ones are developed specifically for you, they are deployed as signed DLLs.

These DLLs are to be placed into the "DFormats" subdirectory in the location where IBWedge is installed. Once these DLLs are deployed, they can be selected from the IBWedge Configuration Interface.

Custom formats are non-standard data formats that are developed on a pay-per-format basis. In other words, you pay a single price for the custom development of the format, and then you are free to use the DLL containing the implementation of that format in any way you see fit.

For example, assume that you have 5 systems with IBWedge installed. You request that a custom format be created for your use. This custom format is implemented and then paid for. After that, you own the DLL containing the custom format and are free to use it on/with the 5 systems that hae IBWedge installed.

You are also free to make that format freely available if you wanted to. However, note that if you do so, you are then responsible for handling any issues that arise involving its use. Since we developed the DLL for you, you are the only point of contact we would accept for issues partaining to that DLL.

If you need a custom format, please send an email to custserv@jrtwine.com requesting a starter kit. We will send you some templates that we would need you to fill out detailing the format/algorithm/behavior that you require. After receving this information, we will get back to you with a contract including a flat price to implement it, and if you agree, development will commence. Prices for these generally start at about $250.

Turnaround time is typically two ot four weeks. The development cost includes bug fixes, but not reworking of the algorithm. A situation is considered a bug if the results of the DLL do not match the algorithm provided, or the DLL causes application errors. Once accepted by you, no further changes will be made by us. You will then take ownership of the DLL we have created for you. Source code will also be provided, but note that it requires the SDK (see below) which is not included in the price.

If you would prefer to not share your algorithm with us, you can purchase the IBWedge Custom Format SDK, which will allow you to implement your own custom format DLLs. The SDK includes a working examplesand everything required to build the DLLs. The cost of the SDK is $250 and includes rights to build as many custom format DLLs as you wish.

DLLs created with this SDK are subject to a few restrictions. Please contact us for specifics.

A hardware wedge is a physical unit that connects between a device and your computer. For devices designed to input data as keyboard data, the wedge would connect in-between your keyboard and the device (iButton reader, Bar Code scanner, etc.). It simulates keyboard input so that your system sees the data from the wedge just as if it was entered on the keyboard. For example, using a Bar Code scanner wedge, if you scanned a Bar Code with a value of 12345ABC, then your computer would "see" 12345ABC being typed into the keyboard,

A software wedge is a computer application that runs on your computer and interacts with a device connected directly to the computer, like an iButton reader. It checks for data from the device and when data is available, it is input into your computer via simulated keystrokes. IBWedge offers more advanced functionality and flexible configuration options over a normal hardware wedge.

That depends on what you need to use the iButton data for. The IBWedge application, which runs on Windows(R), only works when it is running. This means that if you have a computer that is not running Windows (e.g. DOS, Mac or Linux), you would not be able to use IBWedge.

Additionally, due to security restrictions in Windows, IBWedge cannot be used to enter Window login information. This means that you cannot use it to log into or unlock a Windows session. IBWedge can be used for all other application-level uses, such as logging into a database, an application, or a web site, and data entry.

The best way to see if IBWedge would work for your purposes is to download the unregistered/trial version and see if data can be entered in all of the places where it is required.

The most limiting factor of a hardware iButton wedge is that they can usually only input data in a single format. If you have a software application that already uses iButton data, it may be configured to accept data in a format that is incompatable with your hardware wedge.

IBWedge supports many different ways of inputting data from an iButton device. It ships with a collection of formats that will suit most needs. If you have a custom fomat requirement, a custom format can be developed and easily deployed to you. You can even purchase an SDK that allows you to create your own custom formats in-house.

IBWedge is also intelligent, in that it is capable of handling multiple devices, and multiple device types. It can also be configured to ignore specific devices or specific device types on the bus allowing for even greater flexibility when integrating it into an existing iButton environment.

Lastly, IBWedge can be configured to generate sound events whenever it successfully detects a device, ignores a device, or discovers a configuration problem. These sounds events can help you troubleshoot problems and also provide positive confirmation that the wedge is doing something.

As of the time of this writing, there are no known applications that are incompatable with IBWedge. As any are found/reported, they will be listed here. If you purchase a license for IBWedge and find that it will not work correctly with your software, we will gladly refund your order.

As mentioned in a previous FAQ, the IBWedge application will not work with the standard Windows Login or Locked Workstation interfaces.