[Christoph]

Alright, been trying to figure this out (many searches) and for the life of me I just can't seem to get it. I've never done any type of serial communication before so this is really beyond me.

I've got my serial device connected to a serial to USB cable, on the device sits two files, one is the 16bit dos app which is the main application, and the other is the plain text file that stores data.

I basically (if I can) want to move that file from the device to the PC, this is what I cannot figure out. Can someone please point me in the right direction?

[coultertech]

In Short you want to use System.IO.Ports and SerialPort Object. Try this link that explains in more depth some serial communication stuff.

CodeProject Serail Communication

[Christoph]

Well I've been through that site and the MSDN, I've got them talking to each other. I just don't know how to get that file from the device to the PC.

[Curtis Rutland]

That link is broken, missing a : after the http.

Here's a working one:
http://www.codeproje...munication.aspx

[tlhIn`toq]

WE have a tutorial for this


Serial port communication

[Christoph]

Yeah, that's the tutorial I pretty much went by.

But still.... confused on how to get this file over.

[tlhIn`toq]

Quote

I've got my serial device connected to a serial to USB cable, on the device sits two files, one is the 16bit dos app which is the main application, and the other is the plain text file that stores data.

What kind of device is this? A serial port hard drive?

Connecting to a USB<->Serial adapter doesn't magically take away the need to talk to the device in its own protocol. It just gives you a virtual COM port to do it through.

If your device is expecting a command like "DIR:" so it can respond with the directory entries then you still have to give it that command. If your device wants to send data in packets of 196 bytes with a 3 byte header and 4 byte checksum then you still have to handle that protocol.

[Christoph]

Maybe I'm looking right at it and I don't even realize it, my brain is just fried I guess.

tlhIn, on 14 September 2010 - 02:02 PM, said:

Quote

I've got my serial device connected to a serial to USB cable, on the device sits two files, one is the 16bit dos app which is the main application, and the other is the plain text file that stores data.

What kind of device is this? A serial port hard drive?

Connecting to a USB<->Serial adapter doesn't magically take away the need to talk to the device in its own protocol. It just gives you a virtual COM port to do it through.

If your device is expecting a command like "DIR:" so it can respond with the directory entries then you still have to give it that command. If your device wants to send data in packets of 196 bytes with a 3 byte header and 4 byte checksum then you still have to handle that protocol.

I know it doesn't take away the need to talk the device in it's own protocol I was just adding that info in case.

There really isn't much information about this scanner. The only documentation I have is a programming guide that is just an list of example functions to send commands to the scanner by way of a 16bit dos application that is run on it.

[tlhIn`toq]

Quote

There really isn't much information about this scanner. The only documentation I have is a programming guide that is just an list of example functions to send commands to the scanner by way of a 16bit dos application that is run on it.

your serial scanner has its own operating system and has a 16bit application that is running on it?
I seriously doubt that.

More likely that is a sample application of what you are supposed to write and how you talk to the scanner.

This post has been edited by tlhIn'toq: 14 September 2010 - 03:13 PM

[Christoph]

System
Operating System Proprietary DOS system
CPU 16-bit 80188 Processor
Memory 256K Flash ROM
512K / 2.5MB / 4.5MB RAM
(Stores over 17,000 24-character records per 500K / 0.5MB)
Keypad 26 alphanumeric keys plus one scan trigger
Display 128 x 64 pixels

[tlhIn`toq]

Most likely you give it a command.
It scans.
It returns a structure or byte stream that is the image it scanned.
You turn that into a bitmap.

[Christoph]

Oh, this is a barcode scanner Forgot to mention that.

[tlhIn`toq]

Christoph, on 14 September 2010 - 02:15 PM, said:

System
Operating System Proprietary DOS system
CPU 16-bit 80188 Processor
Memory 256K Flash ROM
512K / 2.5MB / 4.5MB RAM
(Stores over 17,000 24-character records per 500K / 0.5MB)
Keypad 26 alphanumeric keys plus one scan trigger
Display 128 x 64 pixels

PROPRIETORY disk operating system.
So its unlikely you can do anything with the application anyway. It's not MS DOS. The application is most likely assembly language for the 80188 processor. Do you speak assembly language?

I have to guess this is some kind of RFID or barcode scanner based on the idea it has a scan trigger. I'm not into interrogating someone asking for help, for information they should have volunteered in the first question post. If you don't want to answer a simple question like "what kind of device is this"... then it must be you need a Non Disclosure Agreement for the work you're doing. Since all this is so secretive I guess I can't help.

But I would expect you quit worrying about getting the application or the file and concentrate on the functions that answer your request for a given record. It probably returns a structure of some kind.

Quote

The only documentation I have is a programming guide that is just an list of example functions to send commands to the scanner by way of a 16bit dos application that is run on it.

What more documentation were you looking for than a programming guide with examples? That's a luxury compared to some SDK's

[Christoph]

Sorry I forgot to mention it, just a slip.

It's not the scanner part I'm worried about, that's good to go. I just don't know how to retrieve that file from the scanner on the PC side.

Am I just asking a stupid question? Maybe I should go have a drink.

[tlhIn`toq]

I assume the programming guide is a PDF - hopefully in English.
Email it to me and I'll see what I can see.
tlhintoq@dreamincode.net