Status serial2.dll + HTC + WM6?

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ClarkVent

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I upgraded to Basic4PPC v6.3 a few days ago but immediately noticed there was a problem with serial2.dll in combination with a HTC (Touch Diamond) running WM6. A quick search revealed this apparently is a known problem.

My specific problem is that when I listen to the COM Port the HTC's GPS is set to, no data is arriving. I don't get any error messages at all, there's simply no data coming in. My other installed GPS applications (like TomTom and Google Maps) are working perfectly when I set them to listen to the same COM Port.

I was wondering what the status of this problem with serial2.dll is. Is someone working on it? Are we anywhere near a solution?
 
agraham

agraham

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ClarkVent said:
II was wondering what the status of this problem with serial2.dll is. Is someone working on it? Are we anywhere near a solution?
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I assume that you are using the internal GPS. The problem is not with Serial2.dll but with the way HTC implement their COM port emulation that seems to be incompatible with the .NET SerialPort class. Apparently not just Serial2.dll has trouble but other apps written in .NET lanuages have the same problem.

I assume you have found this thread. http://www.b4x.com/forum/questions-help-needed/972-gps-outofmemoryexception-since-wm6.html GPSgate seems to be a workaround.
 
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ClarkVent

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Mr_Gee

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ClarkVent

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Is someone working on a Basic4PPC fix or can we forget creating GPS apps for these particular HTC devices? :(
 
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ClarkVent

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Erel said:
Months. It will only be available after next version release.
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Months? Ok, that seriously sucks. You should really warn buyers that on some HTC devices the serial interface doesn't work. The single reason I bought Basic4PPC is because I needed (to write) a simple GPS application for my HTC Touch Diamond.
 
agraham

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That's a bit unfair! Basic4ppc is not specifically a GPS application builder, it is a general purpose development environment. The problem is not of Erel's making, it is general to the .NET SerialPort class and the HTC devices. Unfortunately HTC don't support third party development of GPS apps on their devices other than a chosen few (like TomTom) so they are unlikely to offer a solution in the short term. Other .NET based applications have the same problem on HTC devices.
 
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Phil2

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Serial Port on HTC Touch Cruise

My HTC Touch Cruise with gps, works just fine with other serial port applications, maybe HTC resolved there issue.
 
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ClarkVent

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agraham said:
That's a bit unfair! Basic4ppc is not specifically a GPS application builder
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I never said that. I said he should warn potential buyers that the serial interface doesn't work on some HTC devices. And I really don't see what's unfair about that. It's in fact common practice. It's unfair to not mention that.

agraham said:
Unfortunately HTC don't support third party development of GPS apps on their devices other than a chosen few (like TomTom)
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Care to share where you got that information from (since I doubt it's true)?
 
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Erel

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Serial2.dll (unlike the older SerialDevice.dll) is just a wrapper above .Net SerialPort class.
The problems you encounter with this device are not specific to Basic4ppc.

We are currently working on the next version which has some very important new features.
A wrapper to the GPS Intermediate Driver is also planned but as I wrote it will only be available afterward.

We do have a "100% satisfaction or money back guarantee" policy.
Please send me an email to [email protected] if you like to return your license.
 
agraham

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ClarkVent

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Erel said:
Serial2.dll (unlike the older SerialDevice.dll) is just a wrapper above .Net SerialPort class.
The problems you encounter with this device are not specific to Basic4ppc.
Click to expand...

Really, I understand it's not a problem specific to Basic4PPC. That still doesn't mean you don't have to warn people about it. You advertise your product as working on all WM6 devices while it doesn't. And whether or not the problem is specific to Basic4PPC doesn't matter.

We do have a "100% satisfaction or money back guarantee" policy.
Please send me an email to [email protected] if you like to return your license.
Click to expand...

Sigh. I'm not asking a refund. Sure, it sucks that I can't use the current version for what I actually bought it for, but I believe you that will be solved in the next version.

I'm just saying you should warn people the serial interface used by Basic4PPC doesn't work with some HTC devices. Why is it so difficult to show a little honesty?
 
agraham

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ClarkVent said:
Why is it so difficult to show a little honesty?
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If I were Erel I would take extreme offense at the suggestion that there is any dishonesty involved. In computer software (and hardware) incompatibilities abound and is part of the "game". You try it, you hit a problem, you move on and try something different. Take your refund and try some other solution - at least you got the offer of a refund. More than I have experienced under similar circumstances in the past when a product didn't meet my expectation, and was a lot more expensive!

For the price Basic4ppc is a try and throw away product compared to Visual Studio. If you had bought Visual Studio (I have!) to develop a .NET GPS app. for HTC and found the problem then Microsoft wouldn't refund but would merely tell you it is an HTC problem. If Microsoft don't tell you that their SerialPort class (which is what the Serial2 library exposes) doesn't work with HTC devices why should you expect Erel to.
 
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