Open com port through vb

[knowledgeconsumer]

Hi,
I am relatively new to vb application building so bare with me on this one.
I have captured information being passed to an ink jet printer unit from a vb application which sends its data via ethernet to serial. Now that i can see the information being passed to this unit i want to try and build an application to send the data direct through a serial connection(say locally from a laptop).
The first thing i need to know is how to open a com port from a vb app. Any help with this would be much appreciated.
Dermot

 

[CajunCenturion]

Have you tried using the MSComm control?

 

[knowledgeconsumer]

Cheers, that looks as though it'll do the job, ill post further if i have problems ...

 

[knowledgeconsumer]

Further to the initial post,
i now need to send data to this ink jet printer in a recognisable fashion. I have captured the data(portmon) but dont know how to interpret it! heres a sample of the text i captured if anyone can help me out.
All the data i need is in the text below. Im not sure either how to handshake to this unit before i download? confused ????


<ENQ><ACK>
Ÿ<STX>.<NUL><SOH> 001É<NUL><DLE><NUL><NUL><VT><SOH>ô<NUL><LF><NUL><LF><NUL>d<NUL><NUL><NUL>€00000000099999999901<NUL><NUL><NUL><NUL><NUL>€00000000099999999902<NUL><NUL><NUL><NUL><NUL><NUL><LF>€<HT><DC2><SOH><DLE><RS><RS><RS>448397<DLE><SOH><DC2>€<HT>€<HT><DC2><SOH><DLE><RS>$<RS>25<DLE><SOH><DC2>€<HT>€<HT><DC2><SOH><DLE><RS>$<RS>24AUG2005<RS>f<RS><DLE><SOH><DC2>€<HT><LF>€<LF><CR><SOH><DLE>NO. <DLE><SOH><CR>€<LF>€<LF><CR><SOH><DLE><RS>H<RS>UNITS <DLE><SOH><CR>€<LF>€<LF><CR><SOH><DLE><RS><CAN><RS>BEFORE<DLE><SOH><CR>€<LF>€<LF><CR><SOH><DLE><RS>l<RS>TEMP <DLE><SOH><CR>€<LF>€<LF><CR><SOH><DLE>+40F +50F<RS><ACK><RS><DLE><SOH><CR>€<LF><LF>€<DC2><CR><SOH><DLE>BATCH<DLE><SOH><CR>€<DC2>€<DC2><CR><SOH><DLE><RS>H<RS>NO. OF<DLE><SOH><CR>€<DC2>€<DC2><CR><SOH><DLE><RS><CAN><RS>BEST <DLE><SOH><CR>€<DC2>€<DC2><CR><SOH><DLE><RS>l<RS>STORAGE<DLE><SOH><CR>€<DC2>€<DC2><CR><SOH><DLE>+4C +10C<RS><FF><RS><DLE><SOH><CR>€<DC2><LF>€$<DC2><SOH><DLE><RS><CAN><RS>CH/CL-2.10<DLE><SOH><DC2>€$€$<DC2><SOH><DLE><RS><CAN><RS>2<DLE><SOH><DC2>€$€$<DC2><SOH><DLE><RS>0<RS>1001761<DLE><SOH><DC2>€$€$<DC2><SOH><DLE><RS>$<RS>211.3<DLE><SOH><DC2>€$<LF>€%<CR><SOH><DLE>TYPE<DLE><SOH><CR>€%€%<CR><SOH><DLE><RS>x<RS>NO. <DLE><SOH><CR>€%€%<CR><SOH><DLE><RS><FF><RS>NUMBER <DLE><SOH><CR>€%€%<CR><SOH><DLE><RS>T<RS>KG. <RS><<RS><DLE><SOH><CR>€%<LF>€-<CR><SOH><DLE>PROD<DLE><SOH><CR>€-€-<CR><SOH><DLE><RS>x<RS>PART<DLE><SOH><CR>€-€-<CR><SOH><DLE><RS><FF><RS>MATERIAL<DLE><SOH><CR>€-€-<CR><SOH><DLE><RS>T<RS>WEIGHT<RS><<RS><DLE><SOH><CR>€-<CR>µ

 

[johnwm]

You will need to use the Chr$() function to send the non-character codes. You can find all the ASCII values at :

http://www.asciitable.com/

Good Luck
johnwm
________________________________________________________
To get the best from these forums read faq731-376 before posting

 

[knowledgeconsumer]

Thanks for that,
Im going through the string data to make sure all the variables are covered. Then i will try the Chr$() function to send the non character codes and see what happens. Hopefully success !!