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[on:]

Hi everyone,

I want to access data from my laptop through USB and then send it to my Arduino board.
For example, I want to get the ASCII whenever I press on the keyboard.

How can I do this?

[Reply #1 on:]

If you want to send characters (ASCII) from your laptop to Arduino through serial port, you will need to write a program, in your language of choice, that runs on the laptop and streams out the characters.

Here is an example, in VBscript, of a program that reads from a text file and sends to COM/serial port:

Code:

Const ForReading = 1
Const ForWriting = 2

'------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
' open USB serial port (COMx);
'
' If the serial monitor in Arduino IDE is open, you will get an "access denied" error.
' Just make sure that the serial monitor is closed (so bytes are not sent by the arduino board).
'------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set com = fso.OpenTextFile("COM7:9600,N,8,1", ForWriting)

Set objFSO = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set objFile = objFSO.OpenTextFile("C:\TEXTFILE.TXT", ForReading)

MsgBox("Ready to write file content to COM")

   Do While objFile.AtEndOfStream <> True
      strChars = objFile.Read(10)
      com.Write(strChars)
      WScript.Sleep(200)
   Loop

objFile.Close
com.Close()

[Reply #2 on:]

hello florinc,
i only want sent one character (for example "1") to serial port to switch a LED on or off. i have no idea of VBScript, is their a possibility not to work with a textfile and use a shorter, a more simply script. But i need a VBScript.

Thx a lot
Vansen

[Reply #3 on:]

You could always use windows hyperterminal or similar program to send the characters you want.

[Reply #4 on:]

Even better, just use the "Serial Monitor" built into the Arduino IDE

[Reply #5 on:]

hello guys,

no, i need that way. i want to use windows speech recognition macro (with VBScript) to switch an LED on or off.
I know the serial monitor or putty, but  i have to use VBScript.

Pls, if you know how, tell me the way to send only one charakter in a simple way to the serial port without using serial monitor or putty.

thx a lot

[Reply #6 on:]

I modified the above VBscript for you, to send just one character, "1":

Code:

Const ForWriting = 2
Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
Set com = fso.OpenTextFile("COM7:9600,N,8,1", ForWriting)
MsgBox("Ready to write a character to COM")
com.Write("1")
com.Close()

[Reply #7 on:]

that was a fast help ;9 thx BUT...

it didnt work. do i make a mistake? i tell you my way. i make a new txt-file, copy your code, and rename the file in serial.vbs

then i can start the file whereever i want? but i get an error. he cant open file in coulum 3, but i change the port to com16 - my port.

what is the mistake?

errorcode: 800A0035

[Reply #8 on:]

Yes, use your port instead of the COM7 I used as example.
If you get an error ("cannot open" or such), try a "traditional" COM port (e.g. COM1), listed in the hardware profile.
Also, make sure the COM port you use is not already in use, by Hyperterminal, serial monitor or other terminal app.

[Reply #9 on:]

I tested it on my Win XP machine and it seems to be working fine.

[Reply #10 on:]

my first try was this code:

Code:

Sub TestCOMPort
  Const ForWriting = 2, TriStateFalse = 0
  Dim fso, f

  Set fso = CreateObject("Scripting.FileSystemObject")
  Set f = fso.OpenTextFile("COM16:9600,N,8,1", ForWriting, False, TriStateFalse)
'  Set f = fso.OpenTextFile("COM16:9600,N,8,1", 2)
'   Set f = fso.OpenTextFile("COM16:9600,N,8,1", true)

  ' Write data to the port
  f.Write Chr(49)
  f.Write "1"
  f.Write (1)
  f.Write ("1")
  f.Write Chr(32)
  f.Write Chr(27)
  f.Close
End Sub

i start the file by pressing enter, i got no error, but nothing happen on the serial port. its the same you wrote, it think. i didnt understand that.

errorcode is 800A0035

[Reply #11 on:]

This is what the error means:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/276011
Probably your COM16 does not exist. Can you find it listed in Device manager?

If I remove COM7 on my machine, I get the same error 0x800A0035 ("File not found").

As I said, as a syntax test, try COM1 instead of your COM16.

And why do you have COM16? Are you using a Bluetooth USB module?

[Reply #12 on:]

ok, i have a lot of ideas i have to check:

first, i have a lenovo s205 laptop with win7 64 bit SP1. My Comport is 16. Dont no why, serial monitor say 16, a connection with PUTTY on Com16 ist successfully. i can switch an led on and of if i enter a "1" in the putty or serial monitor console.

2. i wrote com1 in the file, the same error

3. behind your link i found a reason (maybe):
"FileSystemObject is not looking for the file in the folder that you had expected. By default, if you do not specify a path, FileSystemObject searches the WinNT\System32 folder."

->  your script works with winXp. is it possible, there are changes in win7 64bit? maybe the method to open a COMport isnt in System32 folder?

4. i try the script now on my second win7 pc.

ok, i think number 3 is the best idea.

[Reply #13 on:]

argh, on my second pc i have COMport 3, works fine with Serial Monitor and Putty.

but if i start the same script, i got error 800a0046. Access denied.

i tried it as admin and closed putty and serial monitor. mhhh.

--------

now im back on my lenovo. i changed the com settings to COMport 2. Com 3 -15 ared still used.
i started the script again. now i got error 800a0046 too, but not 800a0035 anymore.

any ideas? pls help me

[Reply #14 on:]

According to this article (at bottom of the page)
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa365247(v=vs.85).aspx
try using   \\.\COM16   instead of just COM16.