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Last Updated Mar 2011

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Serial Software

What is the best software to use to communicate with a serial product? What is available. Below is a collection of alternatives that can be used for serial communication -- all free. Some are general purpose and others are specific to a particular device. The main reason for this page is that there are so many options. This page brings all of the options together.

BV-Term

The ByVac terminal written in Delphi does not need installation, just drop the exe file into a directory and run it. This can be used as a general purpose terminal but was really designed to be used alongside the BV511 and Forth Download. There is an older simpler version of this software. Download.

BV-Com

This is also written in Delphi and is also a general purpose terminal program. It works very well with most of the serial devices and the BV513. Download.

Scom

Currently version 3, this is a script to serial text interpreter with free C source code. Download including source code. Related examples and articles:

• Scom - All about how to use it and some examples of scripts

Visual Basic

There is a free version for non-commercial use that can be downloaded from here http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-gb/vbasic/ms789072.aspx?WT.srch=1 There are some example programs:

• ASI - VB program examples for driving ASI type devices
• I2C - VB program example for interfacing the USB to I2C device and then driving I2C devices.

VB Script (Browser)

Yes it is possible to use the serial port through a browser but it is not without problems. For a start "MSCommLib.MSComm" needs to be installed and registered on your PC. You need to allow blocked content, it only works some of the time and then only on a Microsoft Browser with COM port vales of 5 or less.

Having said all that it is quite impressive and I have done a lot of work round this subject and it seems a shame to waste it.

• VBS Site - This is a section of the web site that is dedicated to VBScripts, have a look at the code at the top of each page to see how the script works. It is old work now and there is no intension to update it.
• vbsweb.zip - This is a copy of the site but it also contains some 'vbs' files, this could be useful information if you ever intend to do any vbs programming with serial communication.

Just Basic

This is a great, simple programming language and it is free, it can be obtained from http://www.justbasic.com/ I have some examples of using the COM port side of things.

• BV4221 - A zip file that has some JB programs for controlling the USB to I2C device.
• JB-Term - A terminal program written in JB.
• JB-Mscl - A collection of programs written in JB for various devices, these will probably be for the old IASI protocol but the examples may be useful.