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COM port- DEBUG- Any way to communicate to VB? — Parallax Forums

COM port- DEBUG- Any way to communicate to VB?

akula7akula7 Posts: 2
edited 2006-10-25 17:38 in BASIC Stamp
I need to communicate with a BS2 or BS1USB using Visual Basic 2005 Express. I know there are some OCX commands you can use with VB6 but I only have the Express Edition (free) since I can't spend $600 on VB6.

There was some talk on the fourms about using the DEBUG command·to get the state of the Pins, but that also used VB6...

There must be some way to communicate with a stamp through a com port via VCP\FTDI into Visual Basic 2005 Express-- please let me know.

Comments

  • Tom WalkerTom Walker Posts: 509
    edited 2006-10-24 20:10
    Whether it is via VCP or the FTDI adapter, you will still need a way of talking to the serial port hardware. This is normally accomplished using the MSCOMM control (with its associated .dll, .ocx, .vbx, .mouse <g>) and this is the piece that is missing from the VB Express package but is included in the Pro. IIRC, there is a free "functionally equivalent" control available, but I don't remember any of the details. Google is your friend.

    ▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔
    Truly Understand the Fundamentals and the Path will be so much easier...
  • Kevin WoodKevin Wood Posts: 1,266
    edited 2006-10-24 20:31
    Check out this thread:

    http://forums.parallax.com/showthread.php?p=607328
  • akula7akula7 Posts: 2
    edited 2006-10-25 13:37
    That is amazing- it works great using VB 2005 Express. I used a USB to serial adaptor (http://sewelldirect.com/usbtoserial.asp) that works great which comes with VCP drivers and allows this code to work through USB. It is pretty amazing to be able to simply create a beautiful windows form in VB then simply "plug and play" your own BS2 with 24 IOs. I have a feeling that if people knew how easy and cheap it was to link VB to their BS there would be a lot more really cool gadgets around =) Thanks a million- you really saved my skin on this one.
  • UnsoundcodeUnsoundcode Posts: 1,532
    edited 2006-10-25 17:38
    I have to agree with you akula, I have read Kevin’s posts and am impressed with his VB interface and I have even written similar projects. The fact that the stamp and VB are both the Basic programming language makes for a very short learning curve. Not only is it a good graphical interface for the Stamp micro, replacing·hardwired·indicators and switches,·it can also be used to process math, logic functions and data tables·taking away some of the work load from the Stamp. Even if the final project does not require having a PC attached VB still·has it's uses·as a proto type testing tool.

    Jeff T.
    ·
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