I haven't had to work with a PC interface in a while.
I usually design the project, and then design a simulator for the device the project is supposed to interface with. (This is because there usually is so many highly customized interfaces I deal with).
Typically, the projects I work on are slaves to a master system, and the simulator simulates the master side's protocol, timing, and control signals.
The master is usually either on an EVAL board, or a slave that has been reprogrammed to be a master side system.
But now, I have to use a PC as the master device, and Hyperterminal just isn't cutting it. (Yes, its a UART/232 interface: using a USB bridge for the PC's USB port).
Does anybody have any recommendations for a better general purpose PC side serial i/o (aka "sio") program that I can get on-line/download?
(Free is better because I don't want to go through purchasing, but if it does cost money and is good, money not a big problem).
I need to send & receive a series of bytes in hex format {0x00 through 0xFF}, and not in just ASCII like Hyperterminal.
Ideally it would be able to send a file containing something like this:
0x02 0xC4 0xDE 0xAD ... ... 0x52 0xA2 0x8C 0x03
where I type in the (ASCII) "0x02", "0xC4", etc values in a standard text editor, and the PC software package would send out the actual 0x02 bit patterns per standard UART transfer protocols (Baud/parity/stop).
I'd also like the response data sent to a file on the PC in a similar format.
I do not want to be writing any PC based software to do this part of the project.
The level of effort I desire to spend for this host side of the interface is minimal. Posting this question is about half the effort I desire to expend.
I *could* do a search for such a program, but I figure the regular contributors here might have better insight (and experience) into this type of product.
You guys know of any good ones? If so, can you provide some links?
--Cpt. Vince Foster 2nd Cannon Place Fort Marcy Park, VA