Bluetooth Scan

Pair two REDENES devices over Bluetooth by scanning a QR code, then exchange messages directly.

Bluetooth Scan links two REDENES devices to each other over Bluetooth with no internet involved. Your device shows its own QR code and advertises itself; you join another device by scanning the code on its screen. Once linked, the screen shows a running connection status, a timestamped log of everything received, and tools to send a typed message or a large bundled file with a progress ring.

Overview

Control	What it does
QR code image	Your device's pairing code, generated as soon as the screen opens
Status label	Not Connected, or Connected with the other person's name and agency
Connect / Disconnect	One button; its label flips with the connection state
Received text area	A timestamped log of messages received, newest at the bottom
Send field	Where you type a message
Send button	Sends the typed message and clears the field
Large-data send button	Streams a bundled text file in chunks
Progress ring	Hidden until a large transfer starts, then fills as data moves
Progress label	Reads Sending data or Receiving data

Your QR code carries four pieces of information: that this is a Bluetooth pairing code, the identifier the other device should look for, your full name, and your current agency name. That is why, once linked, the other device can greet you by name.

Getting Here

1. Open the Account tab.
2. Open App Settings.
3. Choose Bluetooth Scan.

note

This row is only shown for certain agencies. If you do not see Bluetooth Scan in App Settings, it is not enabled for the agency you are currently in.

Connecting to Another Device

1. On both devices, open Bluetooth Scan. Each one now shows its own QR code and is advertising.
2. On the device that will do the scanning, tap Connect.
3. The app checks Bluetooth first. If it is off, an alert appears.
4. Grant camera access if prompted.
5. Point the camera at the other device's QR code. As soon as it reads, the status changes to Connected followed by the other person's name and agency, and the button becomes Disconnect.
6. The other device also flips to Connected, adds a line to its received log, and shows Disconnect — you only scan in one direction.

The Bluetooth Off Alert

Element	Text
Title	Bluetooth Off
Message	"Please turn on Bluetooth to use this feature."
First button	Open Settings — opens your device's settings
Second button	Cancel — closes the alert and does nothing

caution

Turning Bluetooth off while connected drops the link. Your device shows a Device disconnected message, the status returns to Not Connected, the button becomes Connect again, and the progress ring is hidden.

Sending a Message

1. Type your text in the Send field.
2. Tap the send button. The keyboard closes, the message goes out, and the field clears.
3. If nothing is connected, a Device not connected message appears and the field keeps your text.
4. An empty field sends nothing.

Every message you receive is added to the log prefixed with the date and time in dd-MM-yyyy HH:mm:ss form.

Sending Large Data

1. With a device connected, tap the large-data send button.
2. The app reads a bundled text file and sends it in chunks with a short pause between each one.
3. The progress ring appears, the label reads Sending data, and the ring fills as the chunks go out. It hides again when the transfer completes.
4. The receiving device shows its own ring with Receiving data, sized to the total it was told to expect.

Stage	What each side sees
Transfer starts	Ring appears at zero, scaled to the total size
In progress	Ring fills chunk by chunk
Transfer ends	Ring hides and resets
Connection lost mid-transfer	Sending stops at the current chunk; the ring hides

info

Small messages also announce their size before they are sent, so the ring may flash briefly even for a short message. That is expected.

When to Use This Screen

Bluetooth Scan is the tool for the situation where nothing else works.

Situation	Why this screen suits it
No cell coverage and no usable network	Bluetooth needs neither
A rural or wilderness scene	Works entirely between two devices in range
You need to hand a block of text to someone nearby	The large-data send moves a bundled file across
A network exists but blocks device-to-device traffic	Bluetooth sidesteps the network completely

Situation	Use instead
Both devices are on the same station or vehicle Wi-Fi	Wi-Fi Scan
You are connecting to a sensor or adapter, not a person	Bluetooth Terminal
You want the message kept as a real chat	Messages, once you have a connection

caution

Nothing exchanged here is recorded. If the content matters — a patient detail, a decision, a location — write it down or send it again through Messages once you have coverage. Leaving the screen destroys the log.

Range and Reliability

Factor	Effect
Distance	Ordinary Bluetooth range. Walking away ends the link
Obstacles	Vehicle bodies, walls and water all shorten range
Bluetooth switched off mid-session	The link drops and a Device disconnected message appears
Leaving the screen	Disconnects immediately, on either side
Screen locking	Ends the session, so keep the screen on during a transfer

Disconnecting

1. Tap Disconnect. The app tells the other device you are leaving, ends the link, and resets the status to Not Connected.
2. Leaving the screen with the back button disconnects automatically — you do not have to tap Disconnect first.
3. If the other side disconnects, your device tears the link down as soon as it is told, so both screens end up showing Not Connected.

How This Connects

• Where the data comes from. Nothing on this screen touches your agency's servers. Messages travel directly between the two devices, and the received log lives only in the text area until you leave the screen.
• What identifies you. Your name comes from the profile loaded at sign-in and your agency name from the agency you are currently in, so switching agencies elsewhere in the app changes what the other device sees in your QR code.
• Nothing is saved. Messages here are not chat messages. They do not appear under Messages, are not logged as notifications, and are gone when you leave the screen.
• Not the paired-display flow. Pairing an IntelliScreen uses an eight-character code on Connection Settings, not this screen.
• Permissions. Bluetooth and camera access must both be granted on the device. You can confirm what a device has granted from the detail card on Devices.
• Offline and reconnect. This is the one connectivity tool designed for no internet at all — it works fine with data off. There is no automatic reconnect: if the link drops you must tap Connect and scan again.
• Serial hardware. For talking to Bluetooth serial hardware rather than another REDENES device, use Bluetooth Terminal instead.

Troubleshooting

If this happens	What to do
"Bluetooth Off — Please turn on Bluetooth to use this feature."	Tap Open Settings and switch Bluetooth on, then come back and tap Connect again.
The camera does not open when you tap Connect	Camera access was denied. Grant camera permission for REDENES in your device's settings, then retry.
The scanner reads the code but nothing connects	Both devices must have this screen open so both are advertising. Close and reopen the screen on the other device and scan again.
Device not connected when you send	Nothing is linked. Connect first — the status label must show the other person's name.
The status shows the name but messages never arrive	The link went down without telling your side. Tap Disconnect, then Connect and scan again.
A large transfer stops part way	The connection dropped. Reconnect and resend; transfers do not resume where they stopped.
The progress ring appears for a one-line message	Expected — every send announces its size first.
The received log is empty after you come back	The log is not saved. Leaving the screen clears it and disconnects.
Bluetooth Scan is not in App Settings	The row is limited to certain agencies. Switch to an agency where it is enabled, or use Bluetooth Terminal.
Both devices show Not Connected after one disconnected	Correct behavior. Either side disconnecting ends the link for both.

Related Pages

• Bluetooth Terminal
• Wi-Fi Scan
• Devices

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