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Looking for Windows serial terminal that allows graphics — Parallax Forums

Looking for Windows serial terminal that allows graphics

BeanBean Posts: 8,129
edited 2012-07-16 18:17 in General Discussion
Does anyone know of any free windows terminal software (like Hyperterm) that allows you to do graphics ?
I mean like set pixels and/or draw lines (not ascii graphics).
I imagine it would have some kind of sequence like ESC,254,x,y,color to plot a point.

Bean

Comments

  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-07-13 11:12
    I have a Windows-based Basic that uses those graphic parameters. Now if it only had a serial port input, you would have the whole enchilada.

    As I recall, I bought the cheapest version to play with. They had Bronze, Silver, and Gold versions and I needed to upgrade to get a serial port. I did not like it enough to want to upgrade.

    You might find a better Basic with the serial port to do what you want. Terminal software is serial based ASCII or maybe even EBDIC to text. Linux offers PUTTY which is great and even available in a Windows port. But strings of data to pixels and colors is rather exotic.
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2012-07-13 11:13
    Hello,

    As I recall some of the DEC Terminals supported graphics modes so if you can find a feww Windows based terminal emulator that fully emulates the DEC Terminals then perhaps you can use that. I found a few links that may help. If nothing else they may work for another Propeller Project!

    http://www.cityu.edu.hk/csc/netcomp/net2/pc240.htm

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ReGIS

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sixel

    http://www.freedownloadscenter.com/Network_and_Internet/Terminals_and_Telnet_Clients/KoalaTerm.html

    Robert
  • RobotWorkshopRobotWorkshop Posts: 2,307
    edited 2012-07-13 11:15
    Linux offers PUTTY which is great and even available in a Windows port. But strings of data to pixels and colors is rather exotic.

    You can download versions of PuTTY for Windows as well. I've never tried graphics with it but I'm pretty sure you can at least change font colors in some of the emulation modes.

    Robert
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-07-13 11:29
    I use PUTTY for everything these days - BasicStamp, Propeller, and so on. Linux users are always helpful and you can actually get fancy and tunnel with SSH.


    TRUE Basic Bronze is what I have. You can set up a box of any size and then program to a grid as you like. They had some pretty good game demos that did prove the graphics were multi-colored and scale-able. I am thinking that pixel-to-pixel might be too small to start with. This will allow you to adjust an icon size to suit.

    Bronze $39USD
    Silver $139 USD
    Gold $499 USD

    The thing is that you might have to buy the Gold to get the serial port. Look elsewhere.
  • BitsBits Posts: 414
    edited 2012-07-13 13:04
    What about VB? There is a free version of VB that has an object you could use to plot things with.
    You would also have to use the com object in VB to connect to the device you want to communicate with.
  • Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi)Phil Pilgrim (PhiPi) Posts: 23,514
    edited 2012-07-13 13:37
    There's Ariba's PropTerminal: http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?94310

    -Phil
  • prof_brainoprof_braino Posts: 4,313
    edited 2012-07-13 14:47
    ... DEC Terminals supported graphics modes ...

    I've not used graphics modes (in this century), but TeraTerm emulates VT100 through VT382, and its free; maybe this can do it?.
  • CircuitsoftCircuitsoft Posts: 1,166
    edited 2012-07-13 14:55
    Install Cygwin, with the X server, then start an X terminal and open the "Tek" Tektronix 1401 emulation window. (Ctrl-Middle-Click, Switch to Tek Mode).

    From there, "cat -u /dev/com3 & cat -u > /dev/com3"
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-07-14 02:12
    PuTTY emulates VT100 without any additions.

    Seyon is the Linux package that emulates a Textronix 4014, DEC VT02, and ANSI.

    Xterm is another Linux package that emulates a Textronix 4014 and other graphic terminals.

    http://vt100.net/tektronix/4014-um/4014-um.pdf

    http://rpm.pbone.net/index.php3/stat/45/idpl/2391297/numer/1/nazwa/seyon

    I am not surprised that the Tektronix 1401 emulation is available in Linux/Unix. Thus the installation of Cygwin to port over from Linux to Windows. It should work. But starting from scratch with VB might be less of a learning curve for Windows user.

    http://www.faqs.org/docs/Linux-HOWTO/Text-Terminal-HOWTO.html

    Of course, if you just install Linux as a second boot - the Tektronix 1401 or 4 emulation would be directly available. Or you could build a LiveCD with the terminal support in Linux and not mess with the underlying machine.

    Knoppix Linux may already have Seyon and Xterm installed in a LiveCD. This would be the easiest way to go if you don't need Windows in the background. Ubuntu can be created to boot on a USBstick and have both installed.
  • LoopyBytelooseLoopyByteloose Posts: 12,537
    edited 2012-07-14 02:43
    And all roads always lead back to Wikipedia....

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_terminal_emulators
  • UnsoundcodeUnsoundcode Posts: 1,532
    edited 2012-07-14 06:59
    Bean, if it's just something simple your wanting I can do a Visual Studio terminal fairly quickly.

    Jeff T.
  • MicrocontrolledMicrocontrolled Posts: 2,461
    edited 2012-07-14 10:03
    I agree with Phil, PropTerminal fits the bill pretty well.
  • ZootZoot Posts: 2,227
    edited 2012-07-14 13:54
    Use Processing, and then it will work on any platform.
  • stamptrolstamptrol Posts: 1,731
    edited 2012-07-14 16:08
    Bean,

    Go with Jeff T (Unsoundcode). He did Quiktrol for me several years ago and something similar may meet your needs.

    Cheers,
  • UnsoundcodeUnsoundcode Posts: 1,532
    edited 2012-07-14 20:03
    Tom thanks for the recommendation. Its been a rainy day here so I have had time to play around with the idea of serial controlled graphics a little.

    I have attached a sample plus a spin file to create a graphic, I don't know how it compares to other such terminals as I have never used one but it's nice to have the option to customize.

    The example contains several functions, set pixel,draw line,draw elipse, draw filled elipse, draw rectangle and functions for color/size of pens and brushes.

    The colors are referenced by numbers corresponding to the resistor color code 0 through 9.

    The coordinates are limited to values of 255 at the moment as I am still using byte values for the testing and the application is set up for Win 32bit.

    Jeff T.
  • stamptrolstamptrol Posts: 1,731
    edited 2012-07-15 04:59
    Sorry folks,

    I forgot to add the link to see the Quicktrol software in action in my previous post.

    http://youtu.be/JvG6TBVrh8c

    Cheers,
  • BeanBean Posts: 8,129
    edited 2012-07-16 03:54
    Thanks for all the good suggestions.
    I'll have to evaluate how some of these work.

    Bean
  • UnsoundcodeUnsoundcode Posts: 1,532
    edited 2012-07-16 18:17
    Hi, I took the graphics terminal to a workable application, thats not to say its in anyway perfect.

    Elipse,FilledElipse,Rectangle,Line and Set_Pixel are all usable using one function to which parameters are passed. This version allows for plotting graphics anywhere on the 800 x 500 pixel canvas.

    All the graphics objects take 6 parameters, function,color,x1,y1,x2,y2 with the exception of Set_pixel which takes function,color,x1,y1

    The data transmitted is 14 bytes 4 for the header and 10 for graphics information.

    There are a couple of other things to play with, a function to alter pen size an erase function and thrown in at the last minute a DrawText function.

    The zip contains a small example that should get you going with all the current features.

    Jeff T.
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