Post by thread:SERIAL COMMS...

This may not be the answer your looking for, but why not just use a comm program like Procomm or Crosstalk if your in DOS or one of the simple terminal programs that comes with Windows. After all your just testing, why write more code to debug. Cheers. At 07:13 PM 5/31/97 GMT, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>Hi everyone, > >I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an >LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do >you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to >read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := >whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on >this? >Thanks >-Dave > * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 558 * RoboMail -- The ultimate QWK compatible message man >ger. > > ****************************** Richard Katezansky Tangent Electronics Ltd. Montreal, Canada ******************************

David Howey wrote: > > Hi everyone, > > I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an > LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do > you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to > read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := > whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on > this? > Thanks > -Dave > * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 558 * RoboMail -- The ultimate QWK compatible message man > ger. Yes, You can 'bash' the hardware if you wish (I have done many times in the past) but for a small sum of cash there are a number of good Pascal comms libraries, in the UK the Grey Matter catalogue lists a few. If you realy want to Do It Yourself I'm sure I can dig out some example code that will work with Turbo Pascal 5 (or higher). Paul Fletcher.

David Howey wrote: > > Hi everyone, > > I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an > LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do > you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to > read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := > whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on > this? Try these ftp sites: oak.oakland.edu (or http://www.acs.oakland.edu) and ftp.funet.fi. Both have good Pascal archives. I'm pretty certain youi can just download a Turbo pascal "unit" that has everything you want. If not, check their C archives. There are definitely C routines available that you could read and use as the basis of your code. Darren

part 0 745 bytes I'd also be interested in seeing your code for your servo controller. Hope this helps. Bye for Now Eric At 07:13 PM 5/31/97 GMT, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>Hi everyone, > >I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an >LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do >you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to >read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := >whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on >this? >Thanks >-Dave > * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 558 * RoboMail -- The ultimate QWK compatible message man >ger. > Attachment converted: wonderland:Serial#.txt (TEXT/MSIE) (00002421)

part 0 869 bytes Ignore that last attachment. That was something I thought had to do with a serial port comm. but turned out to be Ser #. I just haven't gotten around to clear some of the garbage out. Sorry. This attachment should work. Bye Now Eric At 07:13 PM 5/31/97 GMT, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>Hi everyone, > >I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an >LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do >you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to >read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := >whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on >this? >Thanks >-Dave > * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 558 * RoboMail -- The ultimate QWK compatible message man >ger. > Attachment converted: wonderland:Serv.bas (TEXT/MSIE) (00002422)

In message <spam_OUT97060107300835355TakeThisOuTshades.nildram.co.uk> .....PICLISTKILLspam@spam@MITVMA.MIT.EDU writes: > I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an > LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do > you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to > read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := > whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on > this? You just need to either write, or download (there are LOTS out there), a serial comms unit. Then its a simple matter to do serial comms from Turbo Pascal. If you can't find anything suitable, E-Mail me direct and I'll send you a suitable unit. BTW, what exactly are you wanting to do at the PC end?. Nigel. /--------------------------------------------------------------\ | Nigel Goodwin | Internet : nigelgKILLspamlpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Lower Pilsley | Web Page : http://www.lpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Chesterfield | | | England | | \--------------------------------------------------------------/

Thanks for the serial numbers. it isn't the stuff we're used to on this mailing list, but is was a big help for me. There were a few serial numbers that i didn't have, Thanks. Greetings Eric Martens *************************** * Eric Martens * * .....emarKILLspam.....knoware.nl * ************************** ---------- | From: eric naus <EraseMEbinespam_OUTTakeThisOuTIDIRECT.COM> | To: PICLISTspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU | Subject: Re: SERIAL COMMS... | Date: zondag 1 juni 1997 18:50 | | Hi, again | | Ignore that last attachment. That was something I thought had to do | with a serial port comm. but turned out to be Ser #. I just haven't gotten | around to clear some of the garbage out. Sorry. | This attachment should work. | | Bye Now | | Eric | At 07:13 PM 5/31/97 GMT, you wrote: | >Hi everyone, | > | >I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an | >LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do | >you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to | >read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := | >whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on | >this? | >Thanks | >-Dave | > * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 558 * RoboMail -- The ultimate QWK compatible message man | >ger. | > |

Hi, Once again Sorry, it shouldn't have been posted. Bye Now Eric At 08:40 PM 6/1/97 +0200, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>Thanks for the serial numbers. it isn't the stuff we're used to on this mailing > list, but >is was a big help for me. There were a few serial numbers that i didn't have, > Thanks. > >Greetings Eric Martens > >*************************** >* Eric Martens * >* @spam@emarKILLspamknoware.nl * >************************** > >---------- >| From: eric naus <KILLspambineKILLspamIDIRECT.COM> >| To: RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU >| Subject: Re: SERIAL COMMS... >| Date: zondag 1 juni 1997 18:50 >| >| Hi, again >| >| Ignore that last attachment. That was something I thought had to do >| with a serial port comm. but turned out to be Ser #. I just haven't gotten >| around to clear some of the garbage out. Sorry. >| This attachment should work. >| >| Bye Now >| >| Eric >| At 07:13 PM 5/31/97 GMT, you wrote: >| >Hi everyone, >| > >| >I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an >| >LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do >| >you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to >| >read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := >| >whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on >| >this? >| >Thanks >| >-Dave >| > * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 558 * RoboMail -- The ultimate QWK compatible message > man >| >ger. >| > >| >

Hi, I have included a short text file that describes the ports of the UART on the PC. It comes from a utility program called HelpPC. The basic steps for using the UART in polled mode is to: 1. Set DLAB bit in LCR 2. Set Baud Rate divisor low byte and high byte (Divisor=115200/BRWanted) 3. Clear DLAB and set up other bits in LCR Now simply write to the data register to transmit or look at the receive flag in the lsr for receiving. Ask if the above is a bit cryptic! Niki At 07:13 PM 5/31/97 GMT, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>Hi everyone, > >I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an >LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do >you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to >read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := >whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on >this? >Thanks >-Dave > * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 558 * RoboMail -- The ultimate QWK compatible message man >ger.

> From: Matt Calder <spamBeGonecalderspamBeGoneSTAT.COLOSTATE.EDU> > To: TakeThisOuTPICLISTEraseMEspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU > Subject: Re: SERIAL COMMS... > Date: Monday, 2 June 1997 10:21 > > On serial comms, > > I didn't see anybody else mention it so, under the Win32 API > serial ports are accessed using CreateFile(), ReadFile(), and WriteFile() > where the 'file' is COM1, COM2, etc... I've never done this mind you and > am just looking at "About Communications" in the Win32 SDK. > Thats one way of doing it - and it works well. I'm currently working on some c++ classes that encapsulate all of the handles, DCB's and other junk you need to track when going this route. If you don't need to send NULL's down the line, you can use the OCX solution(MSCOMM16.OCX; MSCOMM32.OCX) - it's really easy to implement, apart from that one glaring omission - if you use ascii it isn't even a problem. MikeS <RemoveMEmikesmith_ozTakeThisOuTrelaymail.net> PS BTW that is *embedded* nulls - nulls at the end of a string are OK - in fact, it's because it uses null-terminated strings as its input that its a problem for binary.

In message <97060107300835355EraseME.....shades.nildram.co.uk> EraseMEPICLISTMITVMA.MIT.EDU writes: > Hi everyone, > > I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive two RC servos and an > LCD display and talk to the PC via RS232. Question is, how the heck do > you talk to the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know how to > read/write to the parallel port - just simply do a "Port[$***] := > whatever". But how's about the serial port? Can anyone help me out on > this? Dave, Check out the SWAG archives - available from many places including the demon ftp site in the UK. (ftp.demon.co.uk) I don't have the full URL to hand, but if you can't find it, e-mail me and I'll dig it out for you. Regards, Mike Watson

part 0 641 bytes Sorry it's taken so long. Enjoy. This is something we did and have used in several apps under DOS. There was a bug at one point when you had multiple ports open, but I think this is the fixed version. Also available in C. Andy Attachment converted: wonderland:Serialco.pas (TEXT/MSIE) (000024CB) ================================================================== Andy Kunz - Montana Design - 409 S 6th St - Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 Hardware & Software for Industry & R/C Hobbies "Go fast, turn right, and keep the wet side down!" ==================================================================

TT> This may not be the answer your looking for, but why not just use a TT> comm program like Procomm or Crosstalk if your in DOS or one of the TT> simple terminal programs that comes with Windows. After all your TT> just testing, why write more code to debug. Um, it's not the answer I was looking for.. I've already tried this. Works fine as long as you're not trying to send b'00000000' [ie. <alt>- 0] which my terminal emulator seems to not like - must be a special control code or something. I've programmed the PIC to recognize 0, 1, and 2 incoming and branch to various servo test routines respectively.. I can get the "1" and "2" routines to work (they just drive the servos to a specified position) but the "0" routine (which cycles the servos back and forth between extremes) is just waiting to be sent a zero! I tried running Microsoft Diagnostics (yes, an old program) which told me the com port I was using was at $02F8 (I think), so I then wrote a Pascal program to send a zero to this address, and it worked intermittently, but I don't really know what I'm doing, so I'd better find out exactly how the serial port works! Thanks to everyone else who helped out. -Dave * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 559 * RoboMail -- Version 1.2 -- Available now!

At 09:09 PM 6/1/97 GMT, you wrote: {Quote hidden}>TT> This may not be the answer your looking for, but why not just use a >TT> comm program like Procomm or Crosstalk if your in DOS or one of the >TT> simple terminal programs that comes with Windows. After all your >TT> just testing, why write more code to debug. > >Um, it's not the answer I was looking for.. I've already tried this. >Works fine as long as you're not trying to send b'00000000' [ie. <alt>- >0] which my terminal emulator seems to not like - must be a special >control code or something. I've programmed the PIC to recognize 0, 1, >and 2 incoming and branch to various servo test routines respectively.. >I can get the "1" and "2" routines to work (they just drive the servos >to a specified position) but the "0" routine (which cycles the servos >back and forth between extremes) is just waiting to be sent a zero! I >tried running Microsoft Diagnostics (yes, an old program) which told me >the com port I was using was at $02F8 (I think), so I then wrote a >Pascal program to send a zero to this address, and it worked >intermittently, but I don't really know what I'm doing, so I'd better >find out exactly how the serial port works! > >Thanks to everyone else who helped out. David, I cannot claim any experience with PIC devices yet, but have programmed serial comms in Clipper quite a bit. Could I suggest, even if it is late in your development cycle, that you consider sending your commands in plain old ASCII format instead of binary. The major reason is that during testing you can type it at the port directly from your keyboard or via a file or even the terminal programs like Telix, Procomm etc. Whats more you can capture the command data stream later by evesdropping on the comms line with Telix also. What is the difference you say? Well, nothing really. You are still sending an 8 bit command string. Your all zeros binary "0" ( 00Hex) is actually the NULL character which most comms programs choke on. ASCII 0 is binary 00110000 or 30Hex. Same number of bits transmitted, but far less hassles during trouble shooting. "1" is 31Hex etc, so should only involve a few minor masking changes to your incoming data checking code. Grab yourself a copy of the ASCII code table and have a look. PS Sorry if you are already aware of the above but have good reasons for doing what you are. Regards, Ross McKenzie Melbourne Australia

part 0 553 bytes The missing parts are self-explanatory. I'd have to send you the whole thing... Andy Attachment converted: wonderland:Rs232.c (TEXT/MSIE) (000024CF) Attachment converted: wonderland:Rs232.h (TEXT/MSIE) (000024D0) ================================================================== Andy Kunz - Montana Design - 409 S 6th St - Phillipsburg, NJ 08865 Hardware & Software for Industry & R/C Hobbies "Go fast, turn right, and keep the wet side down!" ==================================================================

In message <RemoveME97060107300835355EraseMEEraseMEshades.nildram.co.uk>> RemoveMEPICLISTspam_OUTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU writes: > Hi everyone, > > I've just got a PIC program up and running to drive > two RC servos and an LCD display and talk to the PC > via RS232. Question is, how the heck do you talk to > the serial port from the PC (eg. in Pascal). I know > how to read/write to the parallel port - just simply > do a "Port[$***] := whatever". But how's about the > serial port? Can anyone help me out on this? I always use a program library called RTK (Real Time Kernal) which I just link in with my normal C programs. This kernel takes over all the overheads and give you a nice clean interface to you serial ports. To use it you only have to link in one small library, and you've got easy access to the serial port. RTK also offers a whole range of other usefull real time features. Rgds Werner -- Werner Terreblanche http://www.aztec.co.za/users/werner RemoveMEwterrebTakeThisOuTspamplessey.co.za (work) OR EraseMEwernerspamspamBeGoneaztec.co.za (home) Plessey SA, PO Box 30451,Tokai 7966, Cape Town, South Africa or at home : Suite 251, PostNet X5061, Stellenbosch, 7599 Tel +27 21 7102251 Fax +27 21 7102886 Home +27 21 8872196 ------------------------------------------------------------

NN> You just need to either write, or download (there are LOTS out NN> there), a serial comms unit. Then its a simple matter to do serial NN> comms from Turbo Pascal. If you can't find anything suitable, E-Mail NN> me direct and I'll send you a suitable unit. Yeah, loads of people have told me this (thanks to everyone else too).. I'm gonna check out some stuff on the web as soon as I can. NN> BTW, what exactly are you wanting to do at the PC end?. .. well (sheepish grin) I'm actually just using the PC as a glorified keypad <ha ha ha>.. since I couldn't be asked to add some switch inputs to my PIC circuit and the credit card sized PIC board that I've built already has a serial port.. But the stupid terminal emulation program that I was using (Norton Commander's, I think) just WON'T send b'00000000'. Must be a special control code or something. I tried a couple of other programmes too, but to no avail. See ya -Dave * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 560 * RoboMail -- Version 1.2 -- Available now!

In message <RemoveME97060418003435555KILLspamshades.nildram.co.uk> PICLISTSTOPspamspam_OUTMITVMA.MIT.EDU writes: > NN> BTW, what exactly are you wanting to do at the PC end?. > .. well (sheepish grin) I'm actually just using the PC as a glorified > keypad <ha ha ha>.. since I couldn't be asked to add some switch inputs > to my PIC circuit and the credit card sized PIC board that I've built > already has a serial port.. > But the stupid terminal emulation program that I was using (Norton > Commander's, I think) just WON'T send b'00000000'. Must be a special > control code or something. I tried a couple of other programmes too, but > to no avail. A b'00000000' is an EOF (end of file) code, so in order to send it the output must be opened as a binary file, as a normal text file it signifies the end of the file. Any of the usual serial units overcomes this problem by driving the hardware directly, bypassing the usual DOS routines. Nigel. /--------------------------------------------------------------\ | Nigel Goodwin | Internet : spamBeGonenigelgSTOPspamEraseMElpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Lower Pilsley | Web Page : http://www.lpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Chesterfield | | | England | | \--------------------------------------------------------------/

At 11:37 PM 6/4/97 GMT, you wrote: >In message <KILLspam97060418003435555spamBeGoneshades.nildram.co.uk> EraseMEPICLISTEraseMEMITVMA.MIT.EDU > writes: >> NN> BTW, what exactly are you wanting to do at the PC end?. >> .. well (sheepish grin) I'm actually just using the PC as a glorified >> keypad <ha ha ha>.. since I couldn't be asked to add some switch inputs >> to my PIC circuit and the credit card sized PIC board that I've built >> already has a serial port.. >> But the stupid terminal emulation program that I was using (Norton >> Commander's, I think) just WON'T send b'00000000'. Must be a special >> control code or something. I tried a couple of other programmes too, but >> to no avail. > >A b'00000000' is an EOF (end of file) code, Bzzzt. Wrong! The b'00000000' is the NULL. EOF is 1AHex, 26Dec, b'00011010'. Refer to any Peter Norton book on DOS if you need to see it in another print form. If you have a file containing the NULL, it can be copied from the keyboard via the DOS command COPY TEST.FIL /b > COM1 The /b invokes a binary copy mode thereby allowing the NULL to be sent/copied where ever. The MODE command will set up the com port for bits, baud etc. Regards, Ross McKenzie Melbourne Australia

> If you have a file containing the NULL, it can be copied from the keyboard > via the DOS command COPY TEST.FIL /b > COM1 The /b invokes a binary copy > mode thereby allowing the NULL to be sent/copied where ever. The MODE > command will set up the com port for bits, baud etc. On both the PC BIOS and DOS, a null character code is used to flag special keys. In the case of the BIOS, a key such as an arrow will return a char- acter code of 0 and a scan code indicating what key was pressed. DOS will normally ignore scan codes, but if a key's character code is zero, the key will be registered as a zero byte followed by the scancode byte. The "null" key (ctrl-2) has a character code of 0 and a scan code of 3. A terminal program which is specifically set to look for this key will be able to process it, but without special coding the key will not work. DOS copy CON: won't work with ^@ (it will be placed in the file as ^@^C).

In message <@spam@2.2.32.19970605063513.00720ffc@spam@spam_OUTzephyr.ses.bom.gov.au>> spamBeGonePICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU writes: > >A b'00000000' is an EOF (end of file) code, > > Bzzzt. Wrong! The b'00000000' is the NULL. EOF is 1AHex, 26Dec, b'00011010'. > Refer to any Peter Norton book on DOS if you need to see it in another print > form. Oops!, sorry, I typed that after I came back from the pub :-). Nigel. /--------------------------------------------------------------\ | Nigel Goodwin | Internet : .....nigelgspam_OUTlpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Lower Pilsley | Web Page : http://www.lpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Chesterfield | | | England | | \--------------------------------------------------------------/

Hi, RR> What is the difference you say? Well, nothing really. You are still RR> sending an 8 bit command string. Your all zeros binary "0" ( 00Hex) RR> is actually the NULL character which most comms programs choke on. RR> ASCII 0 is binary 00110000 or 30Hex. Same number of bits RR> transmitted, but far less hassles during trouble shooting. "1" is RR> 31Hex etc, so should only involve a few minor masking changes to RR> your incoming data checking code. Good idea to get around the comms program 'choking' (he he), although I was just using a bit of 'quick and dirty' code on the PIC that simply checked whether the file register where the inputted data byte (from the PC) was stored equalled zero (this is really easy to do on the PIC). I can modify the code to subtract 30hex off it first I guess :-) However I've had loads of people send me useful snippets of Pascal (and whole units..) which is great (thanks again to all) so I think I'll just use that for now. Thanks for your suggestion though.. See ya -Dave * RM 1.2 * Eval Day 562 * RoboMail -- The ultimate QWK compatible message man ger.