Open files on PC with Piicodev RFID Module?

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1

Hi, I am a novice hoping to use NTAG213 tags with the RFID module to open files on a PC, similar to how one would use a command line preferably.

I looked at URIs but, unfortunately, while there is a write URI capability there seems to be no respective read function.

Is there some way I’d be able to do what I’m after?

Thanks

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2

Hi there, @A308011, and welcome to the forum. Glad to have you here.

May I ask what kind of computer and programming language that you’re using?

The simplest way is with python. If you the file path of the object into the tag, then in your code you can use the os library to write a command to open a file:

import os

def openingFile():
    
    rfidTag = myRFIDProgram()

    # Uncomment out for your system.
    #os.system(f'xdg-open {rfidTag}') #For Linux
    #os.system(f'start {rfidTag}') #For Windows

Some things to consider:

  • The method above is fast but unsafe as it will open any tag that it reads. You can make it more safer by using a function to check that the tag is formatted correctly for a file path so that you’re not opening random URLs someone hands you.
  • File Paths can be a nightmare. The program will crash if things are not where they should be and you could theoretically reveal the file structure of your PC if a hacker started testing this (although if this is a home system, the bigger concern would be that a stranger is in your house :P). The best way to get around this is by having your files in a known folder, with the filepath being a known variable. That way your tags can have less on them, it’s more secure, and your program can just combine the rfid path with the directory path on the fly like so:
os.system(f'xdg-open {directorypath}/{rfidTag}')