Read weight of package from a Fedex scale within web application?

Question

I've been asked if I can read the weight from a scale, connected via RS232, and dump it into a web application. Reading the weight of the scale from the local machine isn't bad (this SO question gives an explanation: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/2038387/rs232-question-how-to-read-weight-to-pc), but...

How do I then get that data to paste into a box in my web application...? Ideas?

I'm running into a similar-but-reverse situation with Fedex and UPS labels. I can get the label data within the web application, but I need to send that data via a raw printer socket (i.e. I can't just File > Print) to the local printer... how?

Answer 1

Usually web applications are unable to communicate directly with a PC unless there's a full trust between the server and the client. Even then, web pages lack the ability to talk to peripheral devices for myriad security reasons. For a problem like this, you'd almost have to run some kind of client/service background application on the PC.