Shop OBEX P1 Docs P2 Docs Learn Events
Pbasic to php here — Parallax Forums

Pbasic to php here

Jimi FreemanJimi Freeman Posts: 46
edited 2009-01-09 01:57 in BASIC Stamp
Hello everyone, I was searching for an easy method to read data in, and send data out of my serial communication ports under windows. I usually would do this with /dev/ttyX in linux, but am starting to use Windows more often for programming. I found a program at http://www.activexperts.com/activcomport/ , its a 30 day trial, but its worth it. I installed it yesterday, its a nice bridge to from your programming language, like PERL or PHP (php in my case) to interface with your serial ports. I have a boe-bot kit, and just completed building an application that can chat on IRC through php->serial->boe bot, and my boe-bot can answer back! [noparse]:)[/noparse]

Comments

  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2009-01-08 02:27
    Jimi Freeman

    Congratulations You made it up to the mid 1990s. I'd say 1995-96. If You can get the hang of windows You should be up to 2006/2007 in no time. I like free ware but some times You just need to spend the $2.00 to keep pace with whats going on

    _____________$WMc%___________

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    The Truth is out there·········································· E=$WMc%2
  • Jimi FreemanJimi Freeman Posts: 46
    edited 2009-01-08 02:58
    $WMc%, do you know of any other programs for interfacing with the serial ports in windows? I grew up on Linux and BSD, so havent really spent much time programming in Windows.
  • bdbbdb Posts: 30
    edited 2009-01-08 16:53
    Hello Jimi,

    I'm in the middle of learning Python and it seems to have some nice Serial Port Modules. Of course, If you want GUI, you can easily interface with TCL/TK. Of course, the various flavors of C have Serial Modules also. (Not to mention that C is the underlying language for so many of the other languages. It all depends on how close you want to get to the hardware layer and if you want to address your work to the underlying code or to the interface.)
  • Jimi FreemanJimi Freeman Posts: 46
    edited 2009-01-08 21:53
    I would really like to use an AVR microcontroller in my next project, so that I can write it in C. What kind of program have you built, that would interface w/ your bot in python? That is really neat.
  • bdbbdb Posts: 30
    edited 2009-01-08 22:34
    Hi Jimi,

    I am polishing it off my first project at this point - using Python to access the Serial Port to use with the RFID reader (fairly simple loop). So far the big problem is that I have to manually determine the port (as I'm using a serial to USB convertor showing up as a virtual COM port - so I can only determine the presence of the FTDI chip in the GUID and not necessarily what is on the serial port side. Part of my problem is using Windows and may be eaier in Linux and its scheme to differentiate different devices)
  • bdbbdb Posts: 30
    edited 2009-01-08 22:39
    Oh, should have added, in Python for Serial Communications, I'm using PySerial as the extension. their SVN repository has several example programs to get started with.
  • $WMc%$WMc% Posts: 1,884
    edited 2009-01-09 01:57
    Mr.Freeman
    I could not begain to list all the programs that would interface a simple RS232 com port with windows. I recommend a Goggle search.

    I'm not in to all the free ware stuff. Most of it is Beta or really old and dated.If You where a programmer, could You put food on the table writing free ware?

    Take a look at Power Basic 3.5
    Theirs a lot of other low dollar software out there that will out perform all of this GUI/freeware software.

    You have to try it to see what Your missing out on.

    _______________$WMc%__________

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    The Truth is out there·········································· E=$WMc%2
Sign In or Register to comment.