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Serial Port

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    #1

    Serial Port

    Does Alpha5 V8 support read/write data from/to serial port (RS232)? If does, how?

    Thanks.

    Ming
    Tags: None
    #2
    Re: Serial Port

    Take a look towards the bottom of this page for similar threads. Lots of info already on the forum about this.

    Comment

      #3
      Re: Serial Port

      I've looked the following 5 threads. Most of them refers to a Eltima serial port ActiveX control. I knew most development programs support ActiveX, but it doesn't mean those programs support serial port or the data transfered via serial port.

      My question here is Does Alpha5 V8 have any built-in serial port control?

      BTW, if I can find a SQL database ActiveX works on Alpha5 V8 Profession edtion, do I need to buy Alpha5 v8 Enterprise edition?

      Comment

        #4
        Re: Serial Port

        Originally posted by ming47 View Post
        I've looked the following 5 threads. Most of them refers to a Eltima serial port ActiveX control. I knew most development programs support ActiveX, but it doesn't mean those programs support serial port or the data transfered via serial port.
        You can download a Eltima trial version and test if it works as you expect.

        My question here is Does Alpha5 V8 have any built-in serial port control?
        No, A5 does not have native serial port support. But you can use the Windows API commands under Xbasic to do the job.

        BTW, if I can find a SQL database ActiveX works on Alpha5 V8 Profession edtion, do I need to buy Alpha5 v8 Enterprise edition?
        I do not have the knowlwdge to answer this.
        Marcel

        I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
        ---- Confusius ----

        Comment

          #5
          Re: Serial Port

          That's interesting regards the Windows API via xbasic for serial port access. Can you give an example please?

          Comment

            #6
            Re: Serial Port

            If you want to do it all yourself don't hold your breath. First download the old WIN32API. You will find the communications API's there.

            The problem is that you have to build all the stuff yourself. Nothing is done for you and you are all alone. I always look at some VB stuff and try it to translate. And further you need a good understanding of the serial communications. I have a 'commercial' sleeping project where I will show you one function from.

            At first an API function example and it's translation. In this case the write() API function and a structure.

            Code:
            Type OVERLAPPED
        Internal As Integer
        InternalHigh As Integer
        offset As Integer
        OffsetHigh As Integer
        hEvent As Integer
End Type

' Declare Function WriteFile Lib "Kernel32" _
'    (ByVal hFile As Long, ByVal lpBuffer As String, _
'    ByVal nNumberOfBytesToWrite As Long, lpNumberOfBytesWritten As Long, _
'    lpOverlapped As OVERLAPPED) As Long

declarestruct _lpNumberOfBytesWritten L1Value
declare kernel32 WriteFile LLCL(_lpNumberOfBytesWritten)(OVERLAPPED)
            And the CommWrite() function I wrote:
            Code:
            'Date Created: 18-Jul-2004 05:14:39 PM
'Last Updated: 13-Oct-2006 01:44:30 PM
'Created By  : Marcel Kollenaar
'Updated By  : marcel

'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'
' CommWrite - Output data to the serial port.
'
' Parameters:
'   strData     - Data string
'
' Returns:
'   Error Code  - 0 = No Error. -1 = Error
'
'--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
'
' The next members of the gComm structure must be set before CommWrite() is called.
'
' Parameters:
' gComm.CommPort    as C             'Name of the COM port: "COM1" or "COM2"
' gComm.InQueue     as N             'default buffersize = 1024 bytes
' gComm.OutQueue    as N             'default buffersize = 1024 bytes
' gComm.DevCntrlStr as C             '"9600,N,8,1,P" of "9600,N,8,1,X" of "9600,N,8,1"
'
' The next members of the gCommTimeOuts can be set. The next values are the default
' values for CreateFile().
'
' gCommTimeOuts.ReadIntervalTimeout         = -1
' gCommTimeOuts.ReadTotalTimeoutMultiplier  = 0
' gCommTimeOuts.ReadTotalTimeoutConstant    = 1000
' gCommTimeOuts.WriteTotalTimeoutMultiplier = 0
' gCommTimeOuts.WriteTotalTimeoutConstant   = 1000
'
' Returns:
' gComm.Success as L                 'Successfull execution = .T.
'
'-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FUNCTION CommWrite AS N (strData as C)    
Dim i As N
Dim lngStatus As N

dim lngNumberOfBytesToWrite As N
dim pNumberOfBytesWritten as {_lpNumberOfBytesWritten}

dim lngWrStatus As N
debug(1)    
    On Error GoTo Routine_Error
    
    ' Get the length of the data.
    lngNumberOfBytesToWrite = Len(strData)

	' Get a pointer to the lng buffer.
	'lpNumberOfBytesWritten is declared in XmodINIT as 1L.
	'lngWrSize.lpNumberOfBytesWritten = 0

    ' Output the data.
    lngWrStatus = WriteFile(gComm.CommHandle, \
                            strData, \
                            lngNumberOfBytesToWrite, \
                            pNumberOfBytesWritten, \
                            gCommOverlap)
        
    XDoEvent()
    
    If lngWrStatus = 0 Then
        lngStatus = GetLastError()
        If lngStatus = 0 Then
            GoTo Routine_Exit
        ElseIf lngStatus = ERROR_IO_PENDING Then
        
            
            While GetOverlappedResult(gComm.CommHandle, \
            	                      gCommOverlap, \
            	                      pNumberOfBytesWritten, \
            	                      .T.) = 0
                                
                lngStatus = GetLastError()
                                    
                If lngStatus <> ERROR_IO_INCOMPLETE Then
                    lngStatus = SetCommErrorEx("CommWrite (GetOverlappedResult)", gComm.CommHandle)
                    GoTo Routine_Exit
                End If
            Wend
        Else
            ' Some other error occurred.
            pNumberOfBytesWritten.Value = -1
                    
            lngStatus = SetCommErrorEx("CommWrite (WriteFile)", gComm.CommHandle)
            GoTo Routine_Exit
        
        End If
    End If
    
    'Give the system time to process messages.
    For i = 1 To 10
        XDoEvent()
    Next

Routine_Exit:
    'Return the number of bytes that has been written to the buffer.
    CommWrite = pNumberOfBytesWritten.value
    Exit Function

Routine_Error:
    pNumberOfBytesWritten.Value = -1
    gComm.Success = SetCommError("CommWrite()")
    Resume Routine_Exit

END FUNCTION
            JFG, I'll give you an advice. Buy a COMM ActiveX and use that. :) It will cost you too much time or programming must be a leisure.
            Marcel

            I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
            ---- Confusius ----

            Comment

              #7
              Re: Serial Port

              Have you take a look at the new serial API in .NET framework 4.0?

              Comment

                #8
                Re: Serial Port

                Originally posted by jorgecardenas1 View Post
                Have you take a look at the new serial API in .NET framework 4.0?
                I Looked at vb.net. You cannot use .net function classes directly from xbasic or there must be a big enhancement made in Alpha Five xbasic I didn't noticed. It is possible to create a dll which acts as a wrapper around the serial class.

                There is a better option at the moment http://www.moxa.com/product/download_pcommlite_info.htm
                Marcel

                I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
                ---- Confusius ----

                Comment

                  #9
                  Re: Serial Port

                  In case someone finds this thread the following terminal program realterm has a ActiveX programming interface. This terminal program is well suited to embedded use and is free.
                  http://realterm.sourceforge.net/

                  Comment

                    #10
                    Re: Serial Port

                    You can now use the serial port class from .net see the wiki.
                    Marcel

                    I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.
                    ---- Confusius ----

                    Comment

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