Serial communication in B4A: question!

[Beja]

Hi friends,

Browsing the forum I couldn't find a post about serial communication, but I believe it is there hiding somewhere. I want my app be able to communicate with a controller using standard serial port (rs232, rs485, usb). I will compile a string of values then send it as byte array.

Any help appreciated.

 

[Erel]

How do you plan to connect the serial cable to the device?

 

[Beja]

Thanks Erel,
in vb I used to write:
dim sent (1 to 9) as byte
dim WindSpeed as String '(there is a purpose for string representation)
WindSpeed = "select WindSpeed from weather where ID = .... and so on"
sent(1) = &H7F
.
.
sent(9) = "&H" & WindSpeed '(assuming WindSpeed contains valid Hex value)

MSCOMM1.Output = sent

Then I send the array to the device by way of direct serial connection,
I use RS485 communications for easy interface. (No special comm. protocol).
but with smartphone I must use the USB port, and design USB port in the device's PCB as well.

I will be using B4A mostly in communications and data acquisition (SCADA systems)

 

[Erel]

Will you use a USB to serial converter? Which type? You will need a driver for that.

 

[Beja]

No I will not use USB <-> Serial converter, converters bought from Radio Shack will go nowhere. I will incorporate USB HID circuit on
the PCB.. so I will have USB connector on the device side and no driver
needed.. I believe Android 4.0 has HID driver built-in. will try!, but the
thing is how to interface using B4A.

 

[Erel]

See USB library and tutorial:
Basic4android Search: USB

 

[walterf25]

Serial communication

Hi there, give my library a try, at the moment you can only send data, Not receive.

Hope it helps

http://www.b4x.com/forum/additional-libraries-classes-official-updates/18842-audio-serial-output-library.html#post108214

Cheers,