RS232.. anyone? - RFID Application

Gaev · Post by **Gaev** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 10:56 am

Dave (domino):

+Î}š
Ï8;Î
ðáéù
What is this format or character set please? - and is there any way in NB to intercept this and to convert it to a number or letters for example.....

I think these ARE numbers and letters ; if you take a look at this web page ...

http://www.asciitable.com/

... look at the second section labelled "Extended ASCII Codes" ; some, I recognise as the french accented characters (áéù) and others I don't (but as is said on this page, this extended set is not uniform from country to country.

In anay case, I don't think you are being sent foreign language characters ... more likely some form of control information (as opposed to data) ... many cases of ascii codes above numeric 126 being used in such a manner ... you could exclude such characters by comparing each character against [#126], if greater than that, replace it with null "" in the Text/TextEntry Box.

If you need to know what sort of control information (or delimiter indicators) these codes represent, you might want to check the manual for the sending device ... is there any technical specification for this on the web ?

domino · Post by **domino** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:00 am

Thanks Alberto... I'll check those out.. my next task is to spend some 'quality time' with the manuals ...

Alberto Meyer · Post by **Alberto Meyer** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:22 am

here

http://plugins.techmedia-software.com.br/tmcomm.zip

Please test. I don´t have any comm device to test, so we have to rely on your comments. This plugin can be configurable.

Please lete me know what happend.

domino · Post by **domino** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 11:49 am

Thanks GK and Alberto... will let you know what happens

domino · Post by **domino** » Thu Sep 02, 2004 4:25 pm

Alberto- Thanks for the plugin. It operates correctly in opening and closing the port and reporting the status.

However it seems that unless I send an initialisation (and mode) string via the Texas Instruments Client to the hardware unit it will not start - Without this signal the unit will not operate. (but once this signal has been sent I can close the Texas Instrumets unit down and the reader will still function. (I still need the COMtx running in the background for output though)

If I can locate something in the documentation about that signal then possibly the unit could be started and the mode selected via a plugin... (and output as well?)

The good news (for me at least) is that if I create a variable to convert the ascii hierolglyphics to something meaningful the process works well in a Pub. (ie I don`t really need to know in this context what they are - except that I get a line break or a carriage return free with each read)

I've created a little pub that counts and records when and how many times any given tag has passed through the reader.

I`m going to do a bit more reading and try and find out what these stop/start and mode signals are - and if other readers work on a similar principle.

Alberto Meyer · Post by **Alberto Meyer** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 4:26 am

Hi, The plugin do more than just open and closing ports, it captures messages thought the comm port and put the messages in two variables, one of them intercept messages until #13 is reached and put in the var. Another var capture every message.

domino · Post by **domino** » Fri Sep 03, 2004 6:23 am

I see now Alberto. Thank you..
Sorry I`m a bit slow but this is all new to me. ..

I`m still trying to work out if there is any way to trigger the hardware into life in the correct mode without having to start the Texas Insts software ...

I`ll feed back info later.....

domino · Post by **domino** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 6:43 am

Quote: from Alberto Meyer on 7:26 am on Sep. 3, 2004
Hi, The plugin do more than just open and closing ports, it captures messages thought the comm port and put the messages in two variables, one of them intercept messages until #13 is reached and put in the var. Another var capture every message.

Alberto.. I`m waiting for some code from the RFID reader developers -

I need to know the command to trigger "start" the reader so I can dispense with the supplied software which is no good for me as it will not allow writing to file (or NB).....

The plugin you prepared will not return VARS when the other software is activated.... (COM Port already opened with this software)

If I get more info I will let you know.

Dave

Alberto Meyer · Post by **Alberto Meyer** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:12 am

Yes, If the port is open with another software, you can´t use the plugin. I will help you to let it work when you receive the information required.

domino · Post by **domino** » Mon Sep 06, 2004 7:35 am

Thanks Alberto...

adrian · Post by **adrian** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 4:16 pm

Hi Alberto

Can you add a Vars for recive from comm, you know have the both in put out put whit VARS

thaks

Alberto Meyer · Post by **Alberto Meyer** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 4:29 pm

Sorry. I didn´t understand the request. Do you want to send chars to comm? If yes, did you have tested the receive method?

adrian · Post by **adrian** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 5:34 pm

well I just want to know if i can send and recive data from the comms

thaks alberto

Alberto Meyer · Post by **Alberto Meyer** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 6:14 pm

For now, just receive.

adrian · Post by **adrian** » Wed Sep 08, 2004 7:00 pm

thaks you

that means in a future can be ?