pcsc_scan improved user interface

Version 1.7.4 of pcsc-tools provides an enhanced version of the pcsc_scan tool.

Problem

The program waits for card and reader events and reports any smart card events. If no reader or card is inserted or removed, nothing happens.

Since version 1.6.0 (New version of pcsc-tools: 1.6.0) the program has included an animation (cycling \|/- characters) to indicate that it is waiting. However, this was not obvious to users who did not know how to stop the program or what to do.

Solution

Now when the program is waiting for an event it displays a message such as:

Waiting for the first reader...   \  (use Ctrl-C to exit)

or

Insert or remove a card or a reader... /  (use Ctrl-C to exit)

I hope this makes it clearer what the user is expected to do.

Demo

The animation was recorded and played using asciinema.

The sequence in the animation below correspons to:

  1. Connect a reader

  2. Insert a card

  3. Remove the card

  4. Disconnect the reader

  5. Exit pcsc_scan

Windows

The program is also available for Windows. You can download the Windows binary from the project page https://pcsc-tools.apdu.fr/#windows

https://pcsc-tools.apdu.fr/pcsc_scan_windows.gif

Conclusion

I hope you find pcsc_scan usefull for you. This tool is intended for initial debugging purposes. For example see Level 1 smart card support on GNU/Linux.