Getting Propeller to communicate with VB.NET using SEROUT (BS2_Functions OBJ)

Comments

• Hugh Posts: 362

  2013-06-05 03:48 edited 2013-06-05 03:48

  Do you have to use SEROUT? If you can cope with different objects I can probably find some VB.net code that I know works...
• Bean Posts: 8,129

  2013-06-05 04:16 edited 2013-06-05 04:16

  If you run serial terminal does that receive correctly ? If it does, then the problem in in the VB.NET code.
  
  I've not used the BS2 functions, so I'm wondering what the "5" parameter is for ?
  
  BS2.Serout_Str(5,string("Hello World!"),9600,1,8)
  
  Also, you might need to send a carriage return after the string.
  
  Bean
• Mike G Posts: 2,702

  2013-06-05 07:00 edited 2013-06-05 07:00

  Try adding a CON block with the appropriate settings. The following is the "standard" setup.
  

    CON
    _clkmode = xtal1 + pll16x     
    _xinfreq = 5_000_000
    
  OBJ BS2 : "BS2_Functions"
  
  PUB main
              
    BS2.start(31,30)
  
  
    pause(1000)
  
  
    BS2.Serout_Str(30,string("Hello World!"),9600,1,8)
  
  
  PUB pause(ms)
    waitcnt(clkfreq/1000 * ms + cnt)
  

  
  Also, this is bad in a Win Form...

      Private Sub COMPort_DataReceived(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs) Handles COMPort.DataReceived
          TextBox1.Text = COMPort.ReadLine
      End Sub
  

  
  You need a method like the on below to write to the UI from a secondary thread. Your method will work for the most part but it can cause unexpected results from time to time.
  

          private void SetText(String message)
          {
              try
              {
                  if (txtStatus.InvokeRequired)
                  {
                      SetTextCallback del = new SetTextCallback(SetText);
                      this.Invoke(del, message);
                  }
                  else
                  {
                      txtStatus.AppendText(message);
                  }
              }
              catch (Exception ex)
              {
                  throw ex;
              }
          }
  
• ryfitzger227 Posts: 99

  2013-06-05 13:48 edited 2013-06-05 13:48

  Thanks guys for your responses. I ended up using the Full Duplex Serial object instead and it worked fine. I also changed up my vb.net code (I found an example that I used a while back with the BS2). Everything is working as it should.
• groggory Posts: 205

  2013-06-05 16:15 edited 2013-06-05 16:15

  ryfitzger227 wrote: »

  Thanks guys for your responses. I ended up using the Full Duplex Serial object instead and it worked fine. I also changed up my vb.net code (I found an example that I used a while back with the BS2). Everything is working as it should.

  
  Serial comms in vb.net are a bit funky in my experience. Would you mind sharing your vb.net code?
• ryfitzger227 Posts: 99

  2013-06-05 16:48 edited 2013-06-05 16:48

  Not at all. This will work with BS2 and Propeller.
  

      Private readBuffer As String = String.Empty
      Private CharToRead As String = String.Empty
      Private Bytenumber As Integer
      Private ByteToRead As Integer
      Private byteEnd(2) As Char
      Private comOpen As Boolean
      Private counter As Integer = 0
  
  
      Private Sub Form1_Load(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs) Handles MyBase.Load
  
  
          With comPort
  
  
              .ParityReplace = &H3B
              .PortName = "COM7"
              .BaudRate = 9600
              .Parity = IO.Ports.Parity.None
              .DataBits = 8
              .StopBits = IO.Ports.StopBits.One
              .Handshake = IO.Ports.Handshake.None
              .RtsEnable = False
              .ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1
              .NewLine = vbCr
              .ReadTimeout = 10000
  
  
          End With
  
  
          Try
  
  
              comPort.Open()
              comOpen = comPort.IsOpen
  
  
          Catch ex As Exception
  
  
              comOpen = False
              MsgBox(ex.Message)
  
  
          End Try
  
  
      End Sub
  
  
      Public Sub DoUpdate(ByVal sender As Object, ByVal e As System.EventArgs)
  
  
              TextBox1.Text = readBuffer
  
  
      End Sub
  
  
      Private Sub comPort_DataReceived(ByVal sender As System.Object, ByVal e As System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs) Handles comPort.DataReceived
  
  
          If comOpen Then
  
  
              Try
                  Threading.Thread.Sleep(250) 'This pause can be removed. Just wanted to make sure that everything in the string was being read.
                  byteEnd = comPort.NewLine.ToCharArray
                  Bytenumber = comPort.BytesToRead
                  readBuffer = comPort.ReadExisting
                  Me.Invoke(New EventHandler(AddressOf DoUpdate))
  
  
              Catch ex As Exception
  
  
                  MsgBox(ex.Message)
  
  
              End Try
  
  
          End If
  
  
      End Sub