Receive keypress and ignore 'tab' in MVC 4 c# web site

Question

I want my website to be shown on a 'kiosked' computer (i.e. the site is the only thing visible on the screen). And I have a card reader that sends a string to whatever text field is active when a card is shown to it. After the string the card reader sends a tab-key.

Now how could I receive the string each time the card is shown and at the same time keep the website active at all times. When the tab-key is sent it should not tab to the address bar or anywhere else, if it would then I wouldn't receive the next string as the site wouldn't be active any longer.

Also, the received string should never be visible on the the screen, I just want to receive it in the code behind.

How might I solve this?

Answer 1

You could handle the change event of the textbox and post the data via AJAX to your controller then re-focus the field.

Also, the received string should never be visible on screen

Few ways of doing that, make the field blend into the page (e.g. change the background/fore colour) or hide it by putting a div over it etc.