Post by thread:[OT] SoftWire is now free

Anyone using VB6 or VB.Net may want to take a peek at this. http://www.softwire.com/index.html No affiliation with them. I've used SoftWire to create a ton of VB applications. It includes an o-scope, data-logging, digital & analog meters, strip charts, and tons of additional activex controls. Here's the link to the VB6 version. http://www.softwire.com/swdownload/softwiredownload.htm I'm not sure whay they're giving it away, but it's awesome software. Regards, -Bruce spam_OUTtechTakeThisOuTrentron.com http://www.rentron.com ____________________________________________

At 09:11 AM 12/15/2004, Bruce wrote: >Anyone using VB6 or VB.Net may want to take a peek >at this. http://www.softwire.com/index.html Hi there, Bruce. Thanks for the heads-up! Do you know if works with VB.NET? I see reference to VisualSudio.NET but not to VB.NET. As is obvious from this question - I don't work with the .NET stuff yet and am not familiar with the differences between the packages. dwayne -- Dwayne Reid <.....dwaynerKILLspam@spam@planet.eon.net> Trinity Electronics Systems Ltd Edmonton, AB, CANADA (780) 489-3199 voice (780) 487-6397 fax Celebrating 20 years of Engineering Innovation (1984 - 2004) .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .-. .- `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' `-' Do NOT send unsolicited commercial email to this email address. This message neither grants consent to receive unsolicited commercial email nor is intended to solicit commercial email. ____________________________________________

> VB.NET is part of Visual Studio.NET. With this revision they went to a > single user interface. There is no longer a separate VB product, AFAIK. > > John Hansen Bill Kennedy the VP of Sales and Support for Measurement Computing Corporation sent me this when I inquired on updating my license for V3.1 for VB6. Also sent me the full unlock code. (one quick note, SoftWIRE runs on both VB6 and Visual Studio.NET. Visual Basic 5 is not supported.) VB.Net is included with Visual Studio.NET, so it works on both. I doubt one could find a comparable package of "free" activex controls like the ones included in SoftWire anywhere else. Not a bad deal at all. Regards, -Bruce techKILLspamrentron.com http://www.rentron.com ____________________________________________

Hi Dwayne, > Thanks for the heads-up! > > Do you know if works with VB.NET? I see reference to VisualSudio.NET but > not to VB.NET. Yes. > As is obvious from this question - I don't work with the .NET stuff yet and > am not familiar with the differences between the packages. I don't use VB.Net either. I've been using SoftWire 3.1 for VB6 for over one year, and it's pretty nice. Went to register "and pay again", and noticed it's free now. Regards, -Bruce .....techKILLspam.....rentron.com http://www.rentron.com ____________________________________________

> >Do you know if works with VB.NET? I see reference to VisualSudio.NET but > >not to VB.NET. > > VB.NET is part of Visual Studio.NET. With this revision they went to a > single user interface. There is no longer a separate VB product, AFAIK. > > John Hansen Actually, one still can get VB.net as an individual package, or at least, Microsoft was giving it away for free if you watch some of their online instructional videos. I have a copy which I as yet haven't installed. They may have been giving those away free because the VB.net package wasn't selling, and they hope to get people hooked and then get them to upgrade to the full Visual Studio that does VC++,etc. Mike H. ____________________________________________

Are the freebies still available? If so, do you have a link? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mike Hord" <EraseMEmike.hordspam_OUTTakeThisOuTgmail.com> To: "Microcontroller discussion list - Public." <piclistspam_OUTmit.edu> Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 12:54 PM Subject: Re: [OT] SoftWire is now free > > >Do you know if works with VB.NET? I see reference to VisualSudio.NET but {Quote hidden}> > >not to VB.NET. > > > > VB.NET is part of Visual Studio.NET. With this revision they went to a > > single user interface. There is no longer a separate VB product, AFAIK. > > > > John Hansen > > Actually, one still can get VB.net as an individual package, or at least, > Microsoft was giving it away for free if you watch some of their online > instructional videos. I have a copy which I as yet haven't installed. > > They may have been giving those away free because the VB.net > package wasn't selling, and they hope to get people hooked and > then get them to upgrade to the full Visual Studio that does VC++,etc. > > Mike H. > ______________________________________________

In a message dated 12/15/04 2:31:21 PM Eastern Standard Time, @spam@gisskeKILLspamoffex.com writes: > Are the freebies still available? If so, do you have a link? > They don't intend to begin selling it again, at least not for a while. http://www.softwire.com and just download it. Don't even have to register it. Now the version there only works with the .NET Visual Studio, Visual Basic.net, etc. If you can get to it, the older V3.1 is still available, also for free but you have to request an unlock code for each computer on which you want to install it. They will let you put it on as many as you want. But you will need to request the link to the site where it is located. Hope this helps Randy Abernathy 4626 Old Stilesboro Road NW Acworth, GA 30101 Ph / Fax: 770-974-5295 E-mail: KILLspamcnc002KILLspamaol.com I furnish technical support, repair, and other related services for your industrial woodworking machinery. My background as Senior Service Engineer for the SCMI Group for nearly fifteen years with factory training, combines with my extensive background in electronics, mechanics, pneumatics, electrical and CNC machinery to offer you needed support for your machinery. ____________________________________________

Thanks for this link Bruce it looks really nice but I have some questions. I've tried using the built-in comm blocks in softwire which seem to work but I have to keep polling the comms to get my data which seems very kludgy. How do I mix normal VB with softwire i.e. how do I pass variables? Can I use things like "MSComm1_OnComm()" Alternatively has anyone seen any other nice GUI components to add-in to VB projects like LED's knobs graphing/scope displays. ps I can only use VB5 or VB.NET Richard {Quote hidden}> Anyone using VB6 or VB.Net may want to take a peek > at this. http://www.softwire.com/index.html > > No affiliation with them. I've used SoftWire to create a ton > of VB applications. It includes an o-scope, data-logging, > digital & analog meters, strip charts, and tons of additional > activex controls. > > Here's the link to the VB6 version. > http://www.softwire.com/swdownload/softwiredownload.htm > > I'm not sure whay they're giving it away, but it's awesome > software. > > Regards, > > -Bruce > RemoveMEtechTakeThisOuTrentron.com > http://www.rentron.com

> Thanks for this link Bruce it looks really nice but I have some questions. > > I've tried using the built-in comm blocks in softwire which seem to work but > I have to keep polling the comms to get my data which seems very kludgy. > > How do I mix normal VB with softwire i.e. how do I pass variables? > Can I use things like "MSComm1_OnComm()" Here's the VB source for a project I did with SoftWire using the MCSomm control with VB6 http://www.rentron.com/PicBasic/AD_Log.htm > Alternatively has anyone seen any other nice GUI components to add-in to VB > projects like LED's knobs graphing/scope displays. > > > ps I can only use VB5 or VB.NET SoftWire runs on both VB6 and VB.NET. I haven't used it with .Net. -Bruce http://www.rentron.com

> Thanks Bruce, I did look your page before but unfortunately it wont import > into either VB5 or VB.NET so I cant get a feeling of what to do. > I'll have a look at your files with a text editor to see if I can glean > anything from your files. You can mix VB/SoftWire controls all you want. SoftWire throws up "Warning this is not a SoftWire supported control", but it's simple to make them all work together. I simply dropped the MSComm control on the form, and added my own code. Private Sub MSComm1_OnComm() CLed3.Value = True ' Ping the LED to indicate serial activity If MSComm1.CommEvent = comEvReceive Then sData = MSComm1.Input ' Grab inbound serial data If Right$(sData, 2) <> vbCrLf Then ' Look for CR, LF sData = vbNullString Else CAnalogMeter1.Value = Left$(sData, 5) ' Grab 5 bytes before CR LF Counts = Counts + 1 ' Increment sample counts Me.Caption = " Sample Count [ " & Counts & " ]" End If End If Pause 5 CLed3.Value = False End Sub > any other suggestions? I would try to get VB6 unless you prefer to go with .Net. I've tried .Net, and I'll stick with VB6. -Bruce http://www.rentron.com

>> Thanks Bruce, I did look your page before but unfortunately it wont >> import >> into either VB5 or VB.NET so I cant get a feeling of what to do. >> I'll have a look at your files with a text editor to see if I can glean >> anything from your files. > > You can mix VB/SoftWire controls all you want. SoftWire throws up "Warning > this is not a SoftWire supported control", but it's simple to make them > all work > together. I simply dropped the MSComm control on the form, and added my > own > code. > I must be missing something, or its a dotnet thing. if i add a button and led and dont wire them up and then add in vb manually Private Sub Button1_PostRunBlock(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles_ Button1.PostRunBlock led1.value = true end sub if I then run it, nothing happens but if i manually add a wire between control_out of the button and the control_in of the led it will work. so i seem to be having some kind of event handeling problem. any ideas? {Quote hidden}> Private Sub MSComm1_OnComm() > CLed3.Value = True ' Ping the LED to indicate serial activity > If MSComm1.CommEvent = comEvReceive Then > sData = MSComm1.Input ' Grab inbound serial data > If Right$(sData, 2) <> vbCrLf Then ' Look for CR, LF > sData = vbNullString > Else > CAnalogMeter1.Value = Left$(sData, 5) ' Grab 5 bytes before CR LF > Counts = Counts + 1 ' Increment sample counts > Me.Caption = " Sample Count [ " & Counts & " ]" > End If > End If > Pause 5 > CLed3.Value = False > End Sub > >> any other suggestions? > > I would try to get VB6 unless you prefer to go with .Net. I've tried .Net, > and I'll > stick with VB6. I've tried that before as i also disliked .Net but it means buying another copy of visualstudio.net plus 4 other microsoft products (i was told it could be a mouse driver) through an "autorised microsoft reseller" and then applying to microsoft for a version downgrade to VB6 this is a very expensive option.. On the upside the Softwire controls for .Net look much much nicer.... Richard

In a message dated 2/13/05 1:32:16 PM Eastern Standard Time, spamBeGonetechspamBeGonerentron.com writes: > You can mix VB/SoftWire controls all you want. SoftWire throws up "Warning > this is not a SoftWire supported control", but it's simple to make them all > work > together. I simply dropped the MSComm control on the form, and added my own > code. > You can also put one of SoftWIRE's "User Function" controls on the diagrammer and write any custom code you might want in it. Or, as you say above just put the regular VB control on the form and use it. You can even turn off that warning, or at least I was told you could. Randy Abernathy 4626 Old Stilesboro Road NW Acworth, GA 30101 Ph / Fax: 770-974-5295 E-mail: TakeThisOuTcnc002EraseMEspam_OUTaol.com I furnish technical support, repair, and other related services for your industrial woodworking machinery. My background as Senior Service Engineer for the SCMI Group for nearly fifteen years with factory training, combines with my extensive background in electronics, mechanics, pneumatics, electrical and CNC machinery to offer you needed support for your machinery.

In a message dated 2/13/05 8:08:05 AM Eastern Standard Time, RemoveMEspacecatTakeThisOuT450se.co.uk writes: > Alternatively has anyone seen any other nice GUI components to add-in to VB > > projects like LED's knobs graphing/scope displays. > > > ps I can only use VB5 or VB.NET > > Richard > If you go to SoftWIRE's ftp site you should be able to download SoftWIRE V3.1, that works with VB 6.0 Pro. SoftWIRE has LED's, graphs, bar graphs, scopes, and a lot more GUI controls for VB. Some of those may not be avialable unless you load in the Data Aquisition controls, they are not in the base SoftWIRE installation but are also free on the FTP site. Randy Abernathy 4626 Old Stilesboro Road NW Acworth, GA 30101 Ph / Fax: 770-974-5295 E-mail: cnc002EraseME.....aol.com I furnish technical support, repair, and other related services for your industrial woodworking machinery. My background as Senior Service Engineer for the SCMI Group for nearly fifteen years with factory training, combines with my extensive background in electronics, mechanics, pneumatics, electrical and CNC machinery to offer you needed support for your machinery.