Thread: Need help on Serial Port programming!!!

Hi, I have just started to learn C and C++ and i find it very interesting. I have also pulled my Scalectrix car racing kit out of the basement, and really enjoy racing it. Then I had an idea, that is should be possible to make a program that could calculate the speed of my car (real speed), cound laps and take the lap-time. I have now built a electrical circuit with a 9V batteri that creates a voltage pulse each time the car passes a spesific point. All I need to do now is to make a program that can take this puls and take the time until the next puls appears ... then do all the calculations. I have looked around the web for information, but have'nt found much. Do anyone know how I should do this. Should I use the serial port or the parallell port? What kind of commands do I have to use? What should I be aware of? Could anyone help me? PLEASE.

CAZ, Norway

There is a little thing called *impedance* you want to be aware of. Do you know what your voltage is on your serial port? Do you know what your pinout is?

What you're trying to do is a little more complicated (albeit very doable if your careful and methodical), than fooling with a 9volt battery.

You do _not_ want to burn up either your serial or your parallel ports-- as they are usually controlled by circuitry right on the motherboard (you'd need a new MOBO if you hurt it).

*, it's more likely that his code isn't working (i.e. "I have just started to learn C and C++") than his serial port doesn't work on the computer -- so don't talk to him like he's an idiot. He just wanted some help learning how to write to serial ports.

My advice - I should imagine it would be very similar to writing through modems, which is a more common thing these days. If you can't get any answers here, try searching for that on the internet. That should give you the bulk of it.

I'm really at the startingpoint of this project, so I'm just looking for som help about how to communicate with the serial ports when working with such a simple input signal. I haven't hooked this 9 volt battery directly to my computer if that was what one of you thought I think I can handle the hardware (since I'm an electronic engineer), but having more trouble with the software side. Haven't tried hard yet so I might find it out myself, but thought maybe someone could have some nice tips or even a small program (class) to make simple communication with the serial port. I think, even with my short experience with C, that I can make a nice little program, but I would like some help with the F****NG serial port

Preciate all help
Cato, Norway

I think *guest was pointing out that the first step is to ask oneself "what do I need to know to undertake this project?". So what if a simple c++ class is used? That's a very good idea, and you will benifit from the memory management, the templates, and so on. But just remember: All variables should be tunable, by way of file or real-time.
You will be venturing into the world of micro-controller technology and it it not an easy task, believe me! Not a simple address book, or calculator you know. I personally cannot pitch in at the time, but I hope you luck