SerialPort and SerialDataReceivedEventHandler

S

Seb

Hello,

I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.

I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?

The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.

The code I tried is :

using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;

namespace SerialPortExample
{
class SerialPortProgram
{
// Create the serial port with basic settings
private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);

[STAThread]
static void Main(string[] args)
{

new SerialPortProgram();
}

private SerialPortProgram()
{
port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
port.DtrEnable = false;
port.RtsEnable = false;

// Instatiate this class
Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");

// Begin communications
port.Open();

port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);

Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
System.Console.ReadKey();

port.Close();
}

private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
{
// Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
Console.WriteLine("Character received");
Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
}


private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
{
Console.WriteLine("Error");
}
}
}

I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.

Sebastien.
 
B

Ben Voigt [C++ MVP]

Isn't the port closing inside the constructor with the "port.Close()"
OOPS! Sorry, I just noticed the blocking ReadKey() preceding the
port.Close().

Frank
Click to expand...

That's still potentially a problem, since the message dispatch loop is
blocked waiting for ReadKey, one can't expect events to run.
 
P

Peter Duniho

That's still potentially a problem, since the message dispatch loop is
blocked waiting for ReadKey, one can't expect events to run.
Click to expand...

It's a console application. There's no message dispatch loop.

Now, whether the lack of a message dispatch loop is in fact a problem for
the SerialPort class, I don't know. I suspect not, but don't have enough
experience with the class to know for sure. But in the given code
example, there's not a message dispatch loop to get blocked.

Pete
 
S

Seb

It's a console application.  There's no message dispatch loop.

Now, whether the lack of a message dispatch loop is in fact a problem for 
the SerialPort class, I don't know.  I suspect not, but don't have enough  
experience with the class to know for sure.  But in the given code  
example, there's not a message dispatch loop to get blocked.

Pete
Click to expand...

Thanks for your comment,

I had already try different configuration. Replace the
System.Console.ReadKey(); by

for (; ; )
{
if (port.BytesToRead > 0)
{
Console.WriteLine(port.BytesToRead);
port.Write("1");
}
}

I tried also to change the size of the ReadBufferSize, the value of
the ReceivedBytesThreshold, but the results were the same.
I will try to test the same program with a true serial port RS232 to
see if I will have the same results.
 
R

Rick Lones

Seb said:
Hello,

I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.

I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?

The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.

The code I tried is :

using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;

namespace SerialPortExample
{
class SerialPortProgram
{
// Create the serial port with basic settings
private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);

[STAThread]
static void Main(string[] args)
{

new SerialPortProgram();
}

private SerialPortProgram()
{
port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
port.DtrEnable = false;
port.RtsEnable = false;

// Instatiate this class
Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");

// Begin communications
port.Open();

port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);

Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
System.Console.ReadKey();

port.Close();
}

private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
{
// Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
Console.WriteLine("Character received");
Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
}


private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
{
Console.WriteLine("Error");
}
}
}

I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.

Sebastien.
Click to expand...

Seb,

I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable. I ran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changed your app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side. It worked without any changes
to the logic, so something else must be going on.

I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back when USB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay. Are you sure that your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminal session
that successfully saw the spew from your device?

hth,
-rick-
 
S

Seb

Seb said:
Hello,
Click to expand...
I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.
Click to expand...
I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?
Click to expand...
The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.
Click to expand...
The code I tried is :
Click to expand...
using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;
Click to expand...
namespace SerialPortExample
{
    class SerialPortProgram
    {
        // Create the serial port with basic settings
        private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
Click to expand...
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
Click to expand...
            new SerialPortProgram();
        }
Click to expand...
        private SerialPortProgram()
        {
            port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
            port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
            port.DtrEnable = false;
            port.RtsEnable = false;
Click to expand...
            // Instatiate this class
            Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");
Click to expand...
            // Begin communications
            port.Open();
Click to expand...
             port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
             port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);
Click to expand...
             Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
             System.Console.ReadKey();
Click to expand...
            port.Close();
        }
Click to expand...
         private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
           // Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
            Console.WriteLine("Character received");
            Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
        }
Click to expand...
        private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Error");
        }
    }
}
Click to expand...
I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.
Click to expand...
Sebastien.
Click to expand...

Seb,

I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable.  I ran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changed your app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side.  It worked without anychanges
to the logic, so something else must be going on.

I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back when USB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay.  Are you sure that your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminal session
that successfully saw the spew from your device?

hth,
-rick-
Click to expand...

Hello Rick,

For me, the parameters are the same as you can see it on the
screenshot here (my XP is in French) : http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248668135.html
Could you confirm please ?
 
S

Seb

Seb said:
Hello,
I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.
I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?
The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.
The code I tried is :
using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;
namespace SerialPortExample
{
    class SerialPortProgram
    {
        // Create the serial port with basic settings
        private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            new SerialPortProgram();
        }
        private SerialPortProgram()
        {
            port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
            port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
            port.DtrEnable = false;
            port.RtsEnable = false;
            // Instatiate this class
            Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");
            // Begin communications
            port.Open();
             port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
             port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);
             Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
             System.Console.ReadKey();
            port.Close();
        }
         private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
           // Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
            Console.WriteLine("Character received");
            Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
        }
        private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Error");
        }
    }
}
I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.
Sebastien.
Click to expand...
Seb,
Click to expand...

I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable.  I ran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changedyour app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side.  It worked without any changes
to the logic, so something else must be going on.
Click to expand...
I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back when USB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay.  Are you surethat your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminal session
that successfully saw the spew from your device?
Click to expand...
hth,
-rick-
Click to expand...

Hello Rick,

For me, the parameters are the same as you can see it on the
screenshot here (my XP is in French) :http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248668135.html
Could you confirm please ?
Click to expand...

Aucun = None :)
 
R

Rick Lones

Seb said:
Seb said:
Hello,
I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.
I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?
The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.
The code I tried is :
using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;
namespace SerialPortExample
{
class SerialPortProgram
{
// Create the serial port with basic settings
private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
[STAThread]
static void Main(string[] args)
{
new SerialPortProgram();
}
private SerialPortProgram()
{
port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
port.DtrEnable = false;
port.RtsEnable = false;
// Instatiate this class
Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");
// Begin communications
port.Open();
port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);
Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
System.Console.ReadKey();
port.Close();
}
private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
{
// Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
Console.WriteLine("Character received");
Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
}
private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
{
Console.WriteLine("Error");
}
}
}
I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.
Sebastien.
Click to expand...
Seb,

I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable. I ran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changed your app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side. It worked without any changes
to the logic, so something else must be going on.

I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back when USB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay. Are you sure that your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminal session
that successfully saw the spew from your device?

hth,
-rick-
Click to expand...

Hello Rick,

For me, the parameters are the same as you can see it on the
screenshot here (my XP is in French) : http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248668135.html
Could you confirm please ?
Click to expand...

I was sending using Hyperterminal on COM1 and receiving via your program on
COM2. Other than the port, your Hyperterminal settings are the same as mine. I
had also tried "hardware" as the COM1 flow control option and that also worked.

-rick-
 
S

Seb

Seb said:
Seb wrote:
Hello,
I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.
I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?
The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.
The code I tried is :
using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;
namespace SerialPortExample
{
    class SerialPortProgram
    {
        // Create the serial port with basic settings
        private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            new SerialPortProgram();
        }
        private SerialPortProgram()
        {
            port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
            port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
            port.DtrEnable = false;
            port.RtsEnable = false;
            // Instatiate this class
            Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");
            // Begin communications
            port.Open();
             port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
             port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);
             Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
             System.Console.ReadKey();
            port.Close();
        }
         private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
           // Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
            Console.WriteLine("Character received");
            Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
        }
        private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Error");
        }
    }
}
I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.
Sebastien.
Seb,
I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable.  I ran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changed your app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side.  It worked without any changes
to the logic, so something else must be going on.
I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back when USB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay.  Are you sure that your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminalsession
that successfully saw the spew from your device?
hth,
-rick-
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Hello Rick,
Click to expand...
For me, the parameters are the same as you can see it on the
screenshot here (my XP is in French) :http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248668135.html
Could you confirm please ?
Click to expand...

I was sending using Hyperterminal on COM1 and receiving via your program on
COM2.  Other than the port, your Hyperterminal settings are the same asmine.  I
had also tried "hardware" as the COM1 flow control option and that also worked.

-rick-
Click to expand...

Is it possible that the SerialPort class is waiting for one (or more)
condition which occurs with a true serial port and not with a virtual
port COM ? Is it possible that the HyperTerminal which is an "old"
software also doesn't need to meet this (these) condition too ?
I made some tests of the communication with a software used in my
company, developped in VB 6.0 few years ago, and the communication
works fine, it's why I'm thinking about differences between the
SerialPort class and the communication methods of older programs.
http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248669471.html
 
R

Rick Lones

Seb said:
Seb said:
Seb wrote:
Hello,
I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.
I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?
The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.
The code I tried is :
using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;
namespace SerialPortExample
{
class SerialPortProgram
{
// Create the serial port with basic settings
private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
[STAThread]
static void Main(string[] args)
{
new SerialPortProgram();
}
private SerialPortProgram()
{
port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
port.DtrEnable = false;
port.RtsEnable = false;
// Instatiate this class
Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");
// Begin communications
port.Open();
port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);
Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
System.Console.ReadKey();
port.Close();
}
private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
{
// Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
Console.WriteLine("Character received");
Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
}
private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
{
Console.WriteLine("Error");
}
}
}
I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.
Sebastien.
Seb,
I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable. I ran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changed your app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side. It worked without any changes
to the logic, so something else must be going on.
I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back when USB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay. Are you sure that your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminal session
that successfully saw the spew from your device?
hth,
-rick-
Hello Rick,
For me, the parameters are the same as you can see it on the
screenshot here (my XP is in French) :http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248668135.html
Could you confirm please ?
Click to expand...
I was sending using Hyperterminal on COM1 and receiving via your program on
COM2. Other than the port, your Hyperterminal settings are the same as mine. I
had also tried "hardware" as the COM1 flow control option and that also worked.

-rick-
Click to expand...

Is it possible that the SerialPort class is waiting for one (or more)
condition which occurs with a true serial port and not with a virtual
port COM ? Is it possible that the HyperTerminal which is an "old"
software also doesn't need to meet this (these) condition too ?
Click to expand...

I have used the SerialPort class under Framework 2.0 to talk to over a "true"
serial port. I tend to think your problem must be on the USB-to-serial
conversion end of things somehow. Could there be USB 1.0/2.0 compatibility
issues with your hardware, perhaps?
I made some tests of the communication with a software used in my
company, developped in VB 6.0 few years ago, and the communication
works fine, it's why I'm thinking about differences between the
SerialPort class and the communication methods of older programs.
http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248669471.html
Click to expand...

Do you mean that you successfully talked through your USB/Serial converter to
your MCU using the VB6 software? In that case, maybe you have uncovered a
SerialPort issue.
 
S

Seb

Seb said:
Seb wrote:
Seb wrote:
Hello,
I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.
I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?
The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.
The code I tried is :
using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;
namespace SerialPortExample
{
    class SerialPortProgram
    {
        // Create the serial port with basic settings
        private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            new SerialPortProgram();
        }
        private SerialPortProgram()
        {
            port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
            port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
            port.DtrEnable = false;
            port.RtsEnable = false;
            // Instatiate this class
            Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");
            // Begin communications
            port.Open();
             port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
             port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);
             Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
             System.Console.ReadKey();
            port.Close();
        }
         private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
           // Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
            Console.WriteLine("Character received");
            Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
        }
        private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Error");
        }
    }
}
I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.
Sebastien.
Seb,
I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable.  Iran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changed your app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side.  It worked without any changes
to the logic, so something else must be going on.
I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back whenUSB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay.  Are you sure that your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminal session
that successfully saw the spew from your device?
hth,
-rick-
Hello Rick,
For me, the parameters are the same as you can see it on the
screenshot here (my XP is in French) :http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248668135.html
Could you confirm please ?
I was sending using Hyperterminal on COM1 and receiving via your program on
COM2.  Other than the port, your Hyperterminal settings are the sameas mine.  I
had also tried "hardware" as the COM1 flow control option and that also worked.
-rick-
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Is it possible that the SerialPort class is waiting for one (or more)
condition which occurs with a true serial port and not with a virtual
port COM ? Is it possible that the HyperTerminal which is an "old"
software also doesn't need to meet this (these) condition too ?
Click to expand...

I have used the SerialPort class under Framework 2.0 to talk to over a "true"
serial port.  I tend to think your problem must be on the USB-to-serial
conversion end of things somehow.  Could there be USB 1.0/2.0 compatibility
issues with your hardware, perhaps?
I made some tests of the communication with a software used in my
company, developped in VB 6.0 few years ago, and the communication
works fine, it's why I'm thinking about differences between the
SerialPort class and the communication methods of older programs.
http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248669471.html
Click to expand...

Do you mean that you successfully talked through your USB/Serial converter to
your MCU using the VB6 software?  In that case, maybe you have uncovered a
SerialPort issue.
Click to expand...

Hello Rick,

I have searched during a part of the night and I have found what's
going wrong.
Even if there is no physical DTR and RTS, you have to enable them to
communicate. The driver of the converter maybe handles these two
lines.
I tried in the beginning to change their values and nothing changed
but maybe because there were other problems in my code.
Thank you for your help and to have tested my code in real conditions.
 
R

Rick Lones

Seb said:
Seb said:
Seb wrote:
Seb wrote:
Hello,
I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.
I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?
The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.
The code I tried is :
using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;
namespace SerialPortExample
{
class SerialPortProgram
{
// Create the serial port with basic settings
private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
[STAThread]
static void Main(string[] args)
{
new SerialPortProgram();
}
private SerialPortProgram()
{
port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
port.DtrEnable = false;
port.RtsEnable = false;
// Instatiate this class
Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");
// Begin communications
port.Open();
port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);
Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
System.Console.ReadKey();
port.Close();
}
private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
{
// Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
Console.WriteLine("Character received");
Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
}
private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
{
Console.WriteLine("Error");
}
}
}
I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.
Sebastien.
Seb,
I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable. I ran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changed your app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side. It worked without any changes
to the logic, so something else must be going on.
I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back when USB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay. Are you sure that your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminal session
that successfully saw the spew from your device?
hth,
-rick-
Hello Rick,
For me, the parameters are the same as you can see it on the
screenshot here (my XP is in French) :http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248668135.html
Could you confirm please ?
I was sending using Hyperterminal on COM1 and receiving via your program on
COM2. Other than the port, your Hyperterminal settings are the same as mine. I
had also tried "hardware" as the COM1 flow control option and that also worked.
-rick-
Is it possible that the SerialPort class is waiting for one (or more)
condition which occurs with a true serial port and not with a virtual
port COM ? Is it possible that the HyperTerminal which is an "old"
software also doesn't need to meet this (these) condition too ?
Click to expand...
I have used the SerialPort class under Framework 2.0 to talk to over a "true"
serial port. I tend to think your problem must be on the USB-to-serial
conversion end of things somehow. Could there be USB 1.0/2.0 compatibility
issues with your hardware, perhaps?
I made some tests of the communication with a software used in my
company, developped in VB 6.0 few years ago, and the communication
works fine, it's why I'm thinking about differences between the
SerialPort class and the communication methods of older programs.
http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248669471.html
Click to expand...
Do you mean that you successfully talked through your USB/Serial converter to
your MCU using the VB6 software? In that case, maybe you have uncovered a
SerialPort issue.
Click to expand...

Hello Rick,

I have searched during a part of the night and I have found what's
going wrong.
Even if there is no physical DTR and RTS, you have to enable them to
communicate. The driver of the converter maybe handles these two
lines.
Click to expand...

That makes total sense. Those signals are part of the RS-232 interface and the
converter would have to support them. Whether you need them in a given
situation would seem to depend on how the external hardware is wired and/or
configured.

This sounds as if your code as posted might be made to work and that you could
maybe attack the problem from the other side, meaning the UART register
initialization on your MCU. (I am guessing it looks like normal serial comm on
that side rather than some raw USB interface.) That might be advantageous going
forward if it keeps you compatible with your legacy software.

Anyhow, I'm glad you have an answer.

Regards,
-rick-
 
S

Seb

Seb said:
Seb wrote:
Seb wrote:
Seb wrote:
Hello,
I am a beginner in C# programming and I would like, for my first
application, to make a communication between a microcontroller (MCU)
and my computer. I'm more specialized in electronic devices than in
computer programming.
I have checked the communication between the MCU and the hyperterminal
and it works. The sending with a C# program works too but the C#
program doesn't received any byte from the MCU.
I created two functions, one for the reception of the bytes and
another for the errors of communication but the program doesn't go
there. The MCU send 2 times per seconde, continuously, the caracter
0x30.
I have seen that the variable port.BytesToRead stays at 0 all the
time, without knowing why. The value of this variable has to change
when a byte is received, no ?
The communication between the MCU and the computer is done by an USB/
serial converter.
The code I tried is :
using System;
using System.IO.Ports;
using System.Text;
namespace SerialPortExample
{
    class SerialPortProgram
    {
        // Create the serial port with basic settings
        private SerialPort port = new SerialPort("COM4", 9600,
Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One);
        [STAThread]
        static void Main(string[] args)
        {
            new SerialPortProgram();
        }
        private SerialPortProgram()
        {
            port.ReceivedBytesThreshold = 1;
            port.Handshake = Handshake.None;
            port.DtrEnable = false;
            port.RtsEnable = false;
            // Instatiate this class
            Console.WriteLine ("Incoming Data:");
            // Begin communications
            port.Open();
             port.DataReceived += new SerialDataReceivedEventHandler
(port_DataReceived);
             port.ErrorReceived += new SerialErrorReceivedEventHandler
(port_ErrorReceived);
             Console.WriteLine(port.ReadBufferSize);
             System.Console.ReadKey();
            port.Close();
        }
         private void port_DataReceived (object sender,
System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
           // Show all the incoming data in the port's buffer
            Console.WriteLine("Character received");
            Console.WriteLine(port.ReadExisting());
        }
        private void port_ErrorReceived(object sender,
SerialErrorReceivedEventArgs e)
        {
            Console.WriteLine("Error");
        }
    }
}
I hope anyone can give me some help to solve my problem.
Sebastien.
Seb,
I tried your program (almost) exactly as written using 2 serial ports on the
same machine connected together with a null modem serial cable.  I ran
Hyperterminal at COM1 to supply bytes manually via keyboard and changed your app
to use COM2 instead of COM4 on the receive side.  It worked without any changes
to the logic, so something else must be going on.
I have had problems in the past with USB/Serial converters back when USB was
newer, but if Hyperterminal sees your input as a normal serial port stream, then
it would seem that the conversion must be working okay.  Are yousure that your
program's port settings are the same as you used for the Hyperterminal session
that successfully saw the spew from your device?
hth,
-rick-
Hello Rick,
For me, the parameters are the same as you can see it on the
screenshot here (my XP is in French) :http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248668135.html
Could you confirm please ?
I was sending using Hyperterminal on COM1 and receiving via your program on
COM2.  Other than the port, your Hyperterminal settings are the same as mine.  I
had also tried "hardware" as the COM1 flow control option and that also worked.
-rick-
Is it possible that the SerialPort class is waiting for one (or more)
condition which occurs with a true serial port and not with a virtual
port COM ? Is it possible that the HyperTerminal which is an "old"
software also doesn't need to meet this (these) condition too ?
I have used the SerialPort class under Framework 2.0 to talk to over a"true"
serial port.  I tend to think your problem must be on the USB-to-serial
conversion end of things somehow.  Could there be USB 1.0/2.0 compatibility
issues with your hardware, perhaps?
I made some tests of the communication with a software used in my
company, developped in VB 6.0 few years ago, and the communication
works fine, it's why I'm thinking about differences between the
SerialPort class and the communication methods of older programs.
http://www.imagup.com/pics/1248669471.html
Do you mean that you successfully talked through your USB/Serial converter to
your MCU using the VB6 software?  In that case, maybe you have uncovered a
SerialPort issue.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
Hello Rick,
Click to expand...
I have searched during a part of the night and I have found what's
going wrong.
Even if there is no physical DTR and RTS, you have to enable them to
communicate. The driver of the converter maybe handles these two
lines.
Click to expand...

That makes total sense.  Those signals are part of the RS-232 interfaceand the
converter would have to support them.  Whether you need them in a given
situation would seem to depend on how the external hardware is wired and/or
configured.

This sounds as if your code as posted might be made to work and that you could
maybe attack the problem from the other side, meaning the UART register
initialization on your MCU.  (I am guessing it looks like normal serialcomm on
that side rather than some raw USB interface.)  That might be advantageous going
forward if it keeps you compatible with your legacy software.

Anyhow, I'm glad you have an answer.

Regards,
-rick-
Click to expand...

I agree with you that it makes total sense. I had tried these
parameters in the beginning but nothing had changed because there were
other errors in my program.
The MCU part is already done with about 70% of the application. I will
only replace printf functions, used for the HyperTerminal, by direct
writing to the register of the UART. But first, I need to improve my
knowledge of the C#.
You are correct, it's a normal serial communication.
 

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