Serial monitor step by step

Projects Interfacing w/ Software on the Computer
1

Hi! Here I want to contribute with the start of any arduino-PC comunication.
serial_monitor_BASIC.jpg
This is a BASIC serial monitor, and sure it can improve, so that, I post here.
I know are a lot of solutions in internet, but this will be an explained solution.

I have programed with Sharpdevelope, in a Viual Basic aplication.

Please coment all improvement, or add a new code and explain how it works.

Thanks!

Next works:

-send data
-send orders (like: "Arduino send me the memory content only")
-separe data by class (to view the I/O in a text box)
-save data recived
-multiplatform
-...

Components:

  • button- open
  • button - close
  • button - refresh
  • Combobox - COM ports
  • TextBox - text in
Public Partial Class MainForm
	Dim text_in As String									'string to save the in text from serial port
	
	Public Sub New()
		' The Me.InitializeComponent call is required for Windows Forms designer support.
		Me.InitializeComponent()
		
		'
		' TODO : Add constructor code after InitializeComponents
		'
	End Sub
	
	Sub MainFormLoad(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)
		GetSerialPortNames()								'catch the actual COMs in the PC
		serialport.Close									'close the port
		txt_read.Clear										'Clean the text
		btn_open.Enabled=True								'button open enabled
		btn_close.Enabled=False								'button close disabled
		timer_read.Enabled=False							'turn off the timer
	End Sub
	
	Sub Btn_openClick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)		'action when is press the OPEN button
		serialport.Open										'open serial port 
		txt_read.Clear										'clean text in
		btn_open.Enabled=False								'button open disabled
		btn_close.Enabled=True								'button close enabled
		timer_read.Enabled=True								'turn on the timer
	End Sub
	
	Sub Btn_closeClick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)	'action when is press the CLOSE button
		serialport.Close									'close serial port
		btn_open.Enabled=True								'button open disabled
		btn_close.Enabled=False								'button close enabled
		timer_read.Enabled=False							'turn off the timer
	End Sub
	
	Sub GetSerialPortNames()								' Show all available COM ports. 
    For Each sp As String In My.Computer.Ports.SerialPortNames
        cmbx_comports.Items.Add(sp)							'add the avaliable COM ports at CoMboBoX
    Next 
End Sub
	
	Sub Timer_readTick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)	'Action every set time in Timer_read
		
		txt_read.Text=text_in & serialport.ReadExisting		'textbox show the text_in (string) and the serial port text
		text_in= txt_read.Text								'save the previous textbox in the text_in (string)
		
	End Sub
	
	Sub Btn_refreshClick(sender As Object, e As EventArgs)	'Action when refrsh button is press
		cmbx_comports.Items.Clear							'clean the previous COMs
		GetSerialPortNames()								'Search again new COMs
		
	End Sub
	
	Sub MainFormFormClosing(sender As Object, e As FormClosingEventArgs)	'action when the form is closing
		serialport.Close									'close serial port
		timer_read.Enabled=False							'turn off the timer
	End Sub
End Class