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
Hello Cpt. Vince!
This is my favourite terminal program:
www.docklight.de/index.htm
The site is available in english too. We are using it (full version 75USD) to send and predefined "sequences" of up to 128 bytes and receive data. The basic version is free, but you can't save your work.
This looks pretty good. Seems to have what I need.
Thanks for the link.
Teraterm is an excellent tool, and open-source. See sourceforge.jp/.../
Tamir, Thank you!
I like this one too. Very flexible!
They're both good enough to accomplish my tasks.
Although I had to "hack" the first program to send my suite of commands.
(class 1 hacking, where I modeled their example 'Ping-Pong' file so I could get around the "can't save" [command-side] restriction. But I was going to buy it so I could save the responses. This saves me the hassle of purchasing it).