rfreader

Now I have corrected all the mistakes still it is displaying 255 on the display.
HUH? if it is "displaying 255 on the display" it is not possible that you have "corrected all the mistakes"

once i am able to receive the char then I will finish off this program and take a break to study
AKA sequencing error

while(1==1)
        {

               /* read the next character from the serial port */
                        input[input_pos++] = getCharacter ();

                        for(i=0;i<=input_pos;i++)
                        {
                            lcd_print_b(input[i]);
                        }
        }
}
char getCharacter (void)
{
      char chr[INPUT_LENGTH];           /* variable to hold the new character */
        while (RI != 1) {;}
        chr[input_pos++] = SBUF;
        RI = 0;
        return(chr);
}

since the above read and display characters one by one why are you using arrays?
what happens if you do this

lcd_print_b ('U');

you are making the mistake of writing code instead of growing code. get one thing to work at a time.

Erik

Now I have corrected all the mistakes still it is displaying 255 on the display.
HUH? if it is "displaying 255 on the display" it is not possible that you have "corrected all the mistakes"

once i am able to receive the char then I will finish off this program and take a break to study
AKA sequencing error

while(1==1)
        {

               /* read the next character from the serial port */
                        input[input_pos++] = getCharacter ();

                        for(i=0;i<=input_pos;i++)
                        {
                            lcd_print_b(input[i]);
                        }
        }
}
char getCharacter (void)
{
      char chr[INPUT_LENGTH];           /* variable to hold the new character */
        while (RI != 1) {;}
        chr[input_pos++] = SBUF;
        RI = 0;
        return(chr);
}

since the above read and display characters one by one why are you using arrays?
what happens if you do this

lcd_print_b ('U');

you are making the mistake of writing code instead of growing code. get one thing to work at a time.

Erik

#include <reg51.h>
#include "_LCD_R8C.c"

#define INPUT_LENGTH 11


int main()
{
  char input[INPUT_LENGTH];  /* The input from the serial port */
  int  input_pos  = 0;       /* Current position to write in the input buffer */

  lcd_init();
  lcd_clear();

  SCON = 0x50;
  TMOD = 0x20;                /* timer 1, mode 2, 8-bit reload */
  TH1  = 0xFD;                /* reload value for 2400 baud */
  TR1  = 1;
  TI   = 1;
  RI   = 1;

  while(1)
  {
    /* read the next character from the serial port */
    if(input_pos < INPUT_LENGTH)    /* check for buffer overflow */
    {
      input[input_pos] = getCharacter();
      lcd_print_b(input[input_post]);  /* only makes sense to print each character once */
      input_pos++;
    }
 }


 char getCharacter (void)
 {
   char chr          /* variable to hold the new character */

   while (RI != 1)
     ;

   chr = SBUF;
   RI = 0;

   return(chr);
 }

i am getting display as 255... help me out...