Is this possible

[darthpaul]

I am going to present to Management at my job, the positives of having some type of employee recreation to boost moral and to let me build a MAME Cabinet for the employee lunchroom.
I pretty much have the cabinet design done as well as the control panel and some rough artwork.
Here is my question, all permanent employees use an ID card with a UPC bar code on it to access software needed to complete their jobs. I would like to be able to use a bar code scanner to read that bar code and use it the same way as you would by entering a coin or token. Is there a way to get MAME to recognize that scanned card as a coin key press?

   

[CoryBee]

I love this idea, and yes there is a way. I did something a couple years back with a combination of joytokey.

[darthpaul]

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

[paigeoliver]

You absolutely do not want to install a bootleg game cabinet at your place of employment if it is someplace large enough to have upc bar code IDs. Install a Pac-man on free play.

[MTPPC]

First, Why do you want to bring your personal interest to work?Second, do you think employees want to be "logged" playing videogames? 3rd, Why do you want to bring your personal interests to work?

This is a bad idea all around.

[P-chan]

You absolutely do not want to install a bootleg game cabinet at your place of employment if it is someplace large enough to have upc bar code IDs. Install a Pac-man on free play.

This.

Get a 60in1 cabinet for $3k and call it a day.

[Haze]

You absolutely do not want to install a bootleg game cabinet at your place of employment if it is someplace large enough to have upc bar code IDs. Install a Pac-man on free play.

This.

Get a 60in1 cabinet for $3k and call it a day.

So avoid installing a bootleg game cabinet, by installing a bootleg game cabinet?

Anyway, basics are simple, you can't legally operate a MAME cabinet in a commercial environment, a workplace would count as this.  Likewise you can't legally operate a bootleg board (38-in-1, 60-in-1 etc.)

Your employer would have to be comfortable in running pirated software without any of the required licenses for any scenario except running a single game original cab for your intended market.  Is your employer comfortable with that?

[ark_ader]

You absolutely do not want to install a bootleg game cabinet at your place of employment if it is someplace large enough to have upc bar code IDs. Install a Pac-man on free play.

This.

Get a 60in1 cabinet for $3k and call it a day.

So avoid installing a bootleg game cabinet, by installing a bootleg game cabinet?

Anyway, basics are simple, you can't legally operate a MAME cabinet in a commercial environment, a workplace would count as this.  Likewise you can't legally operate a bootleg board (38-in-1, 60-in-1 etc.)

Your employer would have to be comfortable in running pirated software without any of the required licenses for any scenario except running a single game original cab for your intended market.  Is your employer comfortable with that?

I think you are safe there.  If this was such a problem Nintendoh would have pulled the plug on MAME years ago. Last time I looked the PBHF had a 60-1. 

Nobody cares any more.  Stick whatever you want in the lunch room, just make sure it is on free play and there is no coin box.

[darthpaul]

You absolutely do not want to install a bootleg game cabinet at your place of employment if it is someplace large enough to have upc bar code IDs. Install a Pac-man on free play.

This.

Get a 60in1 cabinet for $3k and call it a day.

So avoid installing a bootleg game cabinet, by installing a bootleg game cabinet?

Anyway, basics are simple, you can't legally operate a MAME cabinet in a commercial environment, a workplace would count as this.  Likewise you can't legally operate a bootleg board (38-in-1, 60-in-1 etc.)

Your employer would have to be comfortable in running pirated software without any of the required licenses for any scenario except running a single game original cab for your intended market.  Is your employer comfortable with that?

You are correct about running a MAME cabinet in a commercial environment, it's right on the MAME site.
Q. Can I put an arcade cabinet running MAME in a public location?
A. No. This is a commercial use of MAME and is prohibited by the license. Even if you don't charge money, putting a machine in a public location is "operating" an arcade machine and falls under commercial rules in most locations.
Thanks guys, now I have time to start planning the Jukebox.