Bindings over pcsclite to access Smart Cards. Starting with version 0.4.0 it works in Linux, OS X and Windows.

You'll need a node version installed in the system. You have several options:

• Download and install it from the node website

• Install it from your own distro. For the Debian users:

  apt-get install nodejs nodejs-legacy

• Use nodesource repository for different distros.

• Use tools like nave or nvm

In order to install the package you need to have installed in the system the pcsclite libraries. For example, in Debian/Ubuntu:

apt-get install libpcsclite1 libpcsclite-dev

Once they are installed just run:

npm install pcsclite

To run any code you will also need to have installed the pcsc daemon:

apt-get install pcscd

var pcsc = require('pcsclite');

var pcsc = pcsc();
pcsc.on('reader', function(reader) {

    console.log('New reader detected', reader.name);

    reader.on('error', function(err) {
        console.log('Error(', this.name, '):', err.message);
    });

    reader.on('status', function(status) {
        console.log('Status(', this.name, '):', status);
        /* check what has changed */
        var changes = this.state ^ status.state;
        if (changes) {
            if ((changes & this.SCARD_STATE_EMPTY) && (status.state & this.SCARD_STATE_EMPTY)) {
                console.log("card removed");/* card removed */
                reader.disconnect(reader.SCARD_LEAVE_CARD, function(err) {
                    if (err) {
                        console.log(err);
                    } else {
                        console.log('Disconnected');
                    }
                });
            } else if ((changes & this.SCARD_STATE_PRESENT) && (status.state & this.SCARD_STATE_PRESENT)) {
                console.log("card inserted");/* card inserted */
                reader.connect({ share_mode : this.SCARD_SHARE_SHARED }, function(err, protocol) {
                    if (err) {
                        console.log(err);
                    } else {
                        console.log('Protocol(', reader.name, '):', protocol);
                        reader.transmit(new Buffer([0x00, 0xB0, 0x00, 0x00, 0x20]), 40, protocol, function(err, data) {
                            if (err) {
                                console.log(err);
                            } else {
                                console.log('Data received', data);
                                reader.close();
                                pcsc.close();
                            }
                        });
                    }
                });
            }
        }
    });

    reader.on('end', function() {
        console.log('Reader',  this.name, 'removed');
    });
});

pcsc.on('error', function(err) {
    console.log('PCSC error', err.message);
});

The PCSCLite object is an EventEmitter that notifies the existence of Card Readers.

• err Error Object. The error.

• reader CardReader. A CardReader object associated to the card reader detected

Emitted whenever a new card reader is detected.

It frees the resources associated with this PCSCLite instance. At a low level it calls SCardCancel so it stops watching for new readers.

The CardReader object is an EventEmitter that allows to manipulate a card reader.

• err Error Object. The error.

Emitted when the card reader has been removed.

• status Object.
  • state The current status of the card reader as returned by SCardGetStatusChange
  • atr ATR of the card inserted (if any)

Emitted whenever the status of the reader changes.

• options Object Optional
  • share_mode Number Shared mode. Defaults to SCARD_SHARE_EXCLUSIVE
  • protocol Number Preferred protocol. Defaults to SCARD_PROTOCOL_T0 | SCARD_PROTOCOL_T1
• callback Function called when connection operation ends
  • error Error
  • protocol Number Established protocol to this connection.

Wrapper around SCardConnect. Establishes a connection to the reader.

• disposition Number. Reader function to execute. Defaults to SCARD_UNPOWER_CARD
• callback Function called when disconnection operation ends
  • error Error

Wrapper around SCardDisconnect. Terminates a connection to the reader.

• input Buffer input data to be transmitted
• res_len Number. Max. expected length of the response
• protocol Number. Protocol to be used in the transmission
• callback Function called when transmit operation ends
  • error Error
  • output Buffer

Wrapper around SCardTransmit. Sends an APDU to the smart card contained in the reader connected to.

• input Buffer input data to be transmitted
• control_code Number. Control code for the operation
• res_len Number. Max. expected length of the response
• callback Function called when control operation ends
  • error Error
  • output Buffer

Wrapper around SCardControl. Sends a command directly to the IFD Handler (reader driver) to be processed by the reader.

It frees the resources associated with this CardReader instance. At a low level it calls SCardCancel so it stops watching for the reader status changes.