Using PocketPC serial port

I'm not very familiar with VB (I work with C#) but the solution seems simple.
First at class level
Delegate Sub AddTimeMessage(myByte as Byte)
Public myDel as AddTimeMessage

Then at FormLoad:
myDel = New AddTimeMessage(AddressOf MyNewSub)

Then in your Comms_GotTimeMessage replcace the code with
Invoke(myDel,New Object() {bData})

And finally add a sub
Sub MyNewSub(bData as Byte)
TextBox1.Text = Str(Val(TextBox1.Text) + 1)
end sub

This should work!

Here a simple C# example that works for me (I get data from a GPs device)
Assume you have two Buttons on your form and one Textbox.
Further a SerialPort with the DataReceived Event handled in the form.

public class Form1 : Form { public delegate void SetText(string strPar); public SetText myDelegate; public Form1() { InitializeComponent(); } private void Form1_Load(object sender, EventArgs e) { myDelegate = new SetText(SetTheText); serialPort1.BaudRate = 4800; serialPort1.Handshake = System.IO.Ports.Handshake.None; } private void serialPort1_DataReceived(object sender, System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e) { string strErg=serialPort1.ReadExisting(); this.Invoke(this.myDelegate, new object[] { strErg }); } private void SetTheText(string strText) { textBox1.Text=strText; } private void btnOpen_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { serialPort1.Open(); } private void btnZu_Click(object sender, EventArgs e) { serialPort1.Close(); }

HTH

Manfred

ManniAT at 2007-8-21 >

you are welcome.
Also a word about forums in gernal.

I moderate a forum about fishes - and there most of the problems are solved.
Why? Because a lot of people are sharing their knowledge.
The special thing here is, that the "manufacturer" himself reads and answers the posts.
So forums (or any kind of such communities) are great.
But the thing with the "manufacurer" gives this community a big extra!

Cheers

Manfred

ManniAT at 2007-8-21 >

Hi,

Can I Ask you a question. Looks that I have a problem with the physical directions of the serial ports. COM1 goes to physical COM2 loosing my physical COM1 because a can′t call it. (I can′t call the COM0) so...

Do you know whats happenig?
Thanks

Antonio.

AntonioCa?averal at 2007-8-21 >

Hi, thanks for respond me,

I’m going to tell you my entire problem.

The original application was made in Embedded BV. I did use the msCommCe.dll library and everything Works well, because y call the ports by the number (port=1). But when I migrated the application to .NET 2005 CF. I encountered the ports problem, because when I call “COM1” I open the COM2 and when I call “COM2” don’t know what’s opening, I plugged a device in COM1 and I had not response. I tried everything. Using the open source serial library, frameworks 1.1, 2, 2 SP1, just Java and Embedded works with the serial ports.
I don’t understand why .Net can’t work with that.
The PDA show me COM1, COM2, COM3, COM4 & COM5. But no one is the real COM1.
The PDA is a Unitech 950 with dock station (1USB, 2Serial, 1IR, 1BarsReader). PPC 2003.

Exits any library or something that I can use to call the address (0x0E8) or the port number?

Thanks Antonio

AntonioCa?averal at 2007-8-21 >

Hi. I was experimenting

with code ManniAT posted and have some problems with debugging it. serialPort1

is, I guess, some object that should be in System.IO.Ports however I get

serialPort1 does not exist in current context. Can you please help me

understanding this code.

MaciejJedryszek at 2007-8-21 >

Hi,

I simply dragged a Serialport from the toolbox on my form.

This (as well as the name used) is common when creating a simple sample.

Anyhow - if you want to do it by hand like Aneo you have to instantiate the port!

In Form.Load add the line:

serialPort1=new SerialPort.......

Regards

Manfred

ManniAT at 2007-8-21 >

I guess this is some event handler so I should add it by some kind

of clicking :) and all I didn't was just type in the code. If so can someone

help me locate where to click :P

private void serialPort1_DataReceived(object sender, System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
{
string strErg = serialPort1.ReadExisting();
this.Invoke(this.myDelegate, new object[] { strErg });
}

Aneo at 2007-8-21 >

Manfred you

are Mother Teresa of all developers (big one as BigBoom and small one as I) Now

I just have to interpret the code received. I'm getting something like

5213.2375,N02100.4153,E,0,,,,

If anyone have any tips I will be glad to hear

but hopefully I solve this soon :) and post my Idea ASAP.

cheers
Aneo

Aneo at 2007-8-21 >

cheers
Aneo

Aneo at 2007-8-21 >

Hi,

it depends on what you want to achive.
One way is to handle the serial port via events.

In such an event you can than simply buffer the data or make some "first level processing".

For an example we have built a NMEA handling class. Such NMEA (a form of GPS data) starts wiht a $ sign and ends with a CR.

So we have some intelligent buffer which consumes the data from the serial port.
The reveice handler can than simply take the bytes from serial port and enter it into the buffer.

The buffer trigger for start / stop of a sentence - and if a complete sentence is found is parsed and a special event (XXXXSentenceGot) is fired.

If you don't want to handle events - or simply want to have a component which does the handling "in the background" you just start a thread which opens the port and does the rest.

One thing to consider:
Eventhandling is pretty easy but thread alow more isolation.
So you main up just instanciates the component, this registeres the event and starts a thread for handling the data.
If you get constant data (like in GPS) such a component can also check if the device is alive or.....

But don't forget about the two most essential things wiht threads:
Locking of shared data!!
And if you deal with the UI - use Control.Invoke if needed.

Regards

Manfred

ManniAT at 2007-8-21 >