12f675_fuse_about_to_blow!

[LEDave]

Does it have comms built in?

I don't know

I did find these headings though:

How to: Show Available Serial Ports in Visual Basic
Demonstrates how to show available serial ports.

How to: Dial Modems Attached to Serial Ports in Visual Basic
Demonstrates how to dial a modem attached to the serial port of a computer.

How to: Send Strings to Serial Ports in Visual Basic
Demonstrates how to send a string to a computer's serial port.

How to: Receive Strings From Serial Ports in Visual Basic
Demonstrates how to receive a string from a computer's serial port.

[mackrackit]

If all of that is from VB08 then I would say you have what you need.
Sounds like you will be writing a test terminal soon

[LEDave]

Sounds like you will be writing a test terminal soon

Mmm.

How about:

Something like this maybe (a VB example)......?

Function ReceiveSerialData() As String
    ' Receive strings from a serial port.
    Dim returnStr As String = ""

    Using com1 As IO.Ports.SerialPort = _
            My.Computer.Ports.OpenSerialPort("COM1")
        Do
            Dim Incoming As String = com1.ReadLine()
            If Incoming Is Nothing Then
                Exit Do
            Else
                returnStr &= Incoming & vbCrLf
            End If
        Loop
    End Using

    Return returnStr
End Function

[mackrackit]

VB 5 was the "in thing" the last time I used it.
So...
Does it work?

[LEDave]

So... Does it work?

I don't know. I'm not even sure what application to use, is it a:

1/ Windows Form Application

2/ Class Library

3/ WPF Application

4/ WPF Browser Application

5/ Console Application

I know less about VB than I do PIC_Basic.........(a lot less)

Also the serial port is on a turn of the Century Compaq pc so I'd have to transfer the application over I guess.

Dave

[mackrackit]

My guess would be
1/ Windows Form Application

Have you ever tried a serial to USB converter?

PC code... Being that you do not mind a learning curve and not all that familiar with VB, you could start learning Python or something like that. In my opinion there is something to be said about cross platform comparability. Linux, MAC OS, Windows, in the back ground on a server, Droids, broken iPhones...

[LEDave]

Being that you do not mind a learning curve and not all that familiar with VB, you could start learning.......

I was just thinking the same thing over tea. It would be really neat to have a complete project that gathers the data, rfpic's it over then stores it in an application / program.

So PYTHON v's VB how similar or which is best / more suited?


Is this the sort of thing, serial to USB?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/USB-RS232-Co.../dp/B00077DJIQ

[Darrel Taylor]

Here's some good info on VB over at rentron.
http://www.rentron.com/VisualBasic.htm

Check out the Receiving Data From A Microcontroller and Sending Data To A Microcontroller sections. (but read the others too)


And no, I'm not a machine ...
By definition, a machine does "work".
I'm too busy playing for that.