Zebra RFID Plugin for Flutter #

A comprehensive Flutter plugin for integrating Zebra RFID SDK with support for tag reading, writing, locationing, and real-time event streaming. Designed for RFD40XX, RFD90XX, MC33XXR, RFD8500, and other Zebra RFID readers.

✨ Features #

🏷️ RFID Operations #

• Tag Reading: Real-time tag inventory with RSSI tracking
• Tag Writing: Write to EPC, USER, TID, and RESERVED memory banks
• Tag Locationing: Track and locate specific tags with distance measurement
• Batch Operations: Handle 25K+ tags efficiently

📡 Device Management #

• Auto-Discovery: Automatically detect available RFID readers
• Connection Management: Connect/disconnect with status monitoring
• Battery Monitoring: Real-time battery level for handheld readers
• Trigger Support: Hardware trigger button integration

⚙️ Configuration #

• Antenna Power: Adjustable power levels (0-300)
• Beeper Control: Enable/disable audio feedback
• Session Management: S0, S1, S2, S3 session configuration
• Tag Population: Optimize for expected tag count
• Dynamic Power: Automatic power optimization

📊 Real-Time Events #

• Tag read events with count tracking
• Connection status updates
• Trigger press/release events
• Battery level notifications
• Operation status events

📱 Supported Devices #

📋 Requirements #

Android #

• Minimum SDK: 26 (Android 8.0)
• Target SDK: 34 (Android 14)
• Zebra RFID SDK: 3.x (included)

Permissions #

Automatically handled by the plugin:

• ✅ Bluetooth (for Bluetooth readers)
• ✅ Location (required for Bluetooth scanning)
• ✅ USB Host (for USB readers)

🚀 Installation #

Step 1: Add Dependency #

Add to your pubspec.yaml:

dependencies:
  zebra_rfid_plugin: ^1.0.0

Run:

flutter pub get

Step 2: Android Configuration #

Update android/app/build.gradle:

android {
    compileSdkVersion 34
    
    defaultConfig {
        minSdkVersion 26
        targetSdkVersion 34
    }
}

Step 3: Initialize #

import 'package:zebra_rfid_plugin/zebra_rfid_plugin.dart';

// Initialize for USB readers (RFD40XX)
await ZebraRfidPlugin.initialize(transportType: 'SERVICE_USB');

// Or for Bluetooth readers
await ZebraRfidPlugin.initialize(transportType: 'SERVICE_SERIAL');

That's it! ✅ The Zebra RFID SDK AAR is included in the plugin.

📖 Quick Start #

Basic Tag Scanning #

import 'package:zebra_rfid_plugin/zebra_rfid_plugin.dart';

class RfidScanner {
  Future<void> scanTags() async {
    // 1. Initialize SDK
    await ZebraRfidPlugin.initialize(transportType: 'SERVICE_USB');
    
    // 2. Get available readers
    List<ReaderDevice> readers = await ZebraRfidPlugin.getAvailableReaders();
    
    // 3. Connect to first reader
    if (readers.isNotEmpty) {
      await ZebraRfidPlugin.connect(readers.first.name);
    }
    
    // 4. Listen to tag reads
    ZebraRfidPlugin.tagReadStream.listen((event) {
      print('📍 Tag: ${event.tagId}');
      print('📶 RSSI: ${event.rssi} dBm');
      print('🔢 Count: ${event.count}');
    });
    
    // 5. Start scanning
    await ZebraRfidPlugin.startInventory();
    
    // 6. Stop when done
    await Future.delayed(Duration(seconds: 5));
    await ZebraRfidPlugin.stopInventory();
  }
}

💡 Common Use Cases #

1. Retail Inventory #

class InventoryManager {
  final Map<String, int> inventory = {};
  
  Future<void> performInventory() async {
    inventory.clear();
    
    ZebraRfidPlugin.tagReadStream.listen((event) {
      inventory[event.tagId] = (inventory[event.tagId] ?? 0) + 1;
    });
    
    await ZebraRfidPlugin.startInventory();
    await Future.delayed(Duration(seconds: 10));
    await ZebraRfidPlugin.stopInventory();
    
    print('Found ${inventory.length} unique items');
  }
}

2. Tag Cloning #

Future<void> cloneTag(String sourceTag, String targetTag) async {
  // Extract EPC data (skip PC and CRC)
  String epc = sourceTag.substring(8);
  
  // Write to target tag
  bool success = await ZebraRfidPlugin.writeTag(
    tagId: targetTag,
    data: epc,
    memoryBank: 'EPC',
    offset: 2,  // Write EPC only
  );
  
  if (success) {
    print('✅ Tag cloned successfully!');
  }
}

3. Asset Tracking #

Future<void> trackAsset(String assetTag) async {
  // Start locationing
  await ZebraRfidPlugin.startLocationing(assetTag);
  
  // Monitor distance
  ZebraRfidPlugin.tagReadStream.listen((event) {
    if (event.locationInfo != null) {
      double distance = event.locationInfo!;
      print('Distance: ${distance.toStringAsFixed(2)}m');
      
      if (distance < 1.0) {
        print('🎯 Asset found!');
      }
    }
  });
}

4. Batch Tag Writing #

Future<void> writeProductCodes(List<String> tagIds, List<String> productCodes) async {
  for (int i = 0; i < tagIds.length; i++) {
    try {
      await ZebraRfidPlugin.writeTag(
        tagId: tagIds[i],
        data: productCodes[i],
        memoryBank: 'EPC',
        offset: 2,
      );
      print('✅ Tag ${i + 1}/${tagIds.length} written');
    } catch (e) {
      print('❌ Failed to write tag ${i + 1}: $e');
    }
  }
}

📚 Documentation #

Essential Guides #

• Tag Writing Guide - Comprehensive guide for writing data to RFID tags, including:

  • Memory bank structure
  • Offset usage
  • Tag cloning
  • Troubleshooting

• API Reference - Complete method documentation

• Example App - Full working application

Key Concepts #

Memory Banks

Writing Offsets

🔌 API Reference #

Core Methods #

Initialize & Connect

// Initialize SDK
static Future<bool> initialize({required String transportType})

// Get available readers
static Future<List<ReaderDevice>> getAvailableReaders()

// Connect to reader
static Future<bool> connect(String readerName)

// Check connection
static Future<bool> isConnected()

// Disconnect
static Future<bool> disconnect()

Inventory Operations

// Start tag scanning
static Future<bool> startInventory()

// Stop tag scanning
static Future<bool> stopInventory()

Tag Operations

// Write to tag
static Future<bool> writeTag({
  required String tagId,
  required String data,
  required String memoryBank,  // EPC, USER, TID, RESERVED
  required int offset,
})

// Start tag locationing
static Future<bool> startLocationing(String tagId)

// Stop tag locationing
static Future<bool> stopLocationing()

Configuration

// Configure reader
static Future<bool> configureReader(ReaderConfig config)

// Get current configuration
static Future<ReaderConfig> getReaderConfig()

// Set antenna power (0-300)
static Future<bool> setAntennaPower(int level)

// Control beeper
static Future<bool> setBeeper(bool enabled)

// Get battery level
static Future<int> getBatteryLevel()

Event Streams #

// Tag read events
static Stream<TagReadEvent> get tagReadStream

// Status events
static Stream<StatusEvent> get statusEventStream

Models #

TagReadEvent

class TagReadEvent {
  final String tagId;          // Tag EPC
  final int rssi;              // Signal strength (-100 to 0 dBm)
  final int count;             // Number of times read
  final String memoryBank;     // Memory bank name
  final String? memoryBankData;// Memory data
  final int? pc;               // Protocol control
  final double? locationInfo;  // Distance (when locationing)
  final DateTime timestamp;    // Event timestamp
}

StatusEvent

class StatusEvent {
  final StatusEventType type;
  final String message;
  final Map<String, dynamic>? data;
  final DateTime timestamp;
}

enum StatusEventType {
  TRIGGER_PRESSED,
  TRIGGER_RELEASED,
  INVENTORY_STARTED,
  INVENTORY_STOPPED,
  READER_CONNECTED,
  READER_DISCONNECTED,
  BATTERY_LOW,
  BATTERY_CRITICAL,
  WRITE_SUCCESS,
  WRITE_FAILED,
  // ... more types
}

ReaderConfig

class ReaderConfig {
  final int? antennaPower;          // 0-300
  final bool? beeperEnabled;        // true/false
  final String? session;            // S0, S1, S2, S3
  final int? tagPopulation;         // Expected tag count
  final bool? dynamicPowerEnabled;  // Auto power optimization
}

⚠️ Troubleshooting #

Reader Not Found #

Problem: getAvailableReaders() returns empty list

Solutions:

• ✅ Ensure device is powered on
• ✅ Check USB connection (for RFD40XX)
• ✅ Verify Bluetooth pairing (for Bluetooth readers)
• ✅ Check Android permissions
• ✅ Restart reader device

Tags Not Reading #

Problem: No tags appear when scanning

Solutions:

• ✅ Check antenna power (increase if needed)
• ✅ Verify inventory is started
• ✅ Ensure tags are in range (< 5 meters)
• ✅ Check tag orientation
• ✅ Verify reader is connected

Write Failures #

Problem: writeTag() returns false or throws error

Solutions:

• ✅ Stop inventory before writing
• ✅ Keep tag close to reader (< 30cm)
• ✅ Verify data format (hex string, multiple of 4)
• ✅ Check tag is writable (not locked)
• ✅ Use offset 2 for EPC writes

Example Fix:

// ❌ Wrong
await ZebraRfidPlugin.writeTag(
  data: '300',  // Not multiple of 4!
  offset: 0,    // Too complex!
);

// ✅ Correct
await ZebraRfidPlugin.stopInventory();  // Stop first!
await Future.delayed(Duration(milliseconds: 500));
await ZebraRfidPlugin.writeTag(
  data: '3008',  // 4 chars ✅
  offset: 2,     // EPC only ✅
);

Connection Issues #

Problem: connect() fails

Solutions:

• ✅ Use correct transport type:
  • SERVICE_USB for RFD40XX
  • SERVICE_SERIAL for Bluetooth
• ✅ Close other RFID apps
• ✅ Restart reader
• ✅ Check permissions

📱 Platform Support #

🎯 Best Practices #

1. Resource Management #

// ✅ Good
class RfidService {
  StreamSubscription? _tagSubscription;
  StreamSubscription? _statusSubscription;
  
  void start() {
    _tagSubscription = ZebraRfidPlugin.tagReadStream.listen(...);
    _statusSubscription = ZebraRfidPlugin.statusEventStream.listen(...);
  }
  
  void dispose() {
    _tagSubscription?.cancel();
    _statusSubscription?.cancel();
    ZebraRfidPlugin.dispose();
  }
}

2. Error Handling #

// ✅ Good
try {
  await ZebraRfidPlugin.writeTag(...);
} on RfidException catch (e) {
  // Handle RFID-specific errors
  showError('RFID Error: ${e.message}');
} catch (e) {
  // Handle unexpected errors
  showError('Unexpected error: $e');
}

3. Tag Validation #

// ✅ Good
bool isValidHex(String data) {
  return RegExp(r'^[0-9A-Fa-f]+$').hasMatch(data) && 
         data.length % 4 == 0;
}

Future<void> safeWrite(String tagId, String data) async {
  if (!isValidHex(data)) {
    throw Exception('Invalid hex data format');
  }
  await ZebraRfidPlugin.writeTag(
    tagId: tagId,
    data: data.toUpperCase(),
    memoryBank: 'EPC',
    offset: 2,
  );
}

4. Performance #

// ✅ Good - Batch processing
final Set<String> uniqueTags = {};

ZebraRfidPlugin.tagReadStream.listen((event) {
  uniqueTags.add(event.tagId);
  
  // Update UI every 100 tags
  if (uniqueTags.length % 100 == 0) {
    updateUI(uniqueTags.length);
  }
});

🤝 Contributing #

Contributions are welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

Development Setup #

git clone https://github.com/logicpixel31/zebra_rfid_plugin.git
cd zebra_rfid_plugin
flutter pub get
cd example
flutter run

📄 License #

This plugin is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

Important: This plugin uses the Zebra RFID SDK which is property of Zebra Technologies Corporation. Users must comply with Zebra's SDK license terms.

🆘 Support #

Plugin Issues #

• 📝 Open an issue
• 💬 Discussions

Zebra SDK #

• 🌐 Zebra Developer Portal
• 📚 Zebra TechDocs
• 📧 Zebra Support

Community #

• 💙 Flutter Discord
• 📱 Stack Overflow

📊 Changelog #

See CHANGELOG.md for version history.

🙏 Acknowledgments #

• Zebra Technologies for the RFID SDK
• Flutter team for the excellent framework
• Contributors and users for feedback and support

🌟 Star History #

If this plugin helped you, please consider giving it a ⭐️ on GitHub!

Made with ❤️ for the Flutter community