serial communication and general issues

Hello Everyone :)
I'm a newbe to these forums and my apologies if i post a few threads in wrong sections for these boards.

I have learnt c a few months back and have got the basics of it and can write a few complicated programs :)
I am used to programming in old compilers (turbo c v3...) and quiet frankly i find them much easier to work with.
But some(well many features..) don't work with them so i tried my hand with a gcc compiler(code blocks) and it works pretty good too.But then again....they also have some flaws :( (functions that work in borland dont work in gcc :(..isnt there a common compiler for all...?)

I have searched a few threads on these boards and still haven't got a good enough answer to my queries..
1.Which is better, a GCC compiler or Borland?
2.Can someone please give me an alternative for the bios.h header,as it is outdated and none of those functions(bioscom..etc) work on windows(vista,7,8) anymore...
3.I have gone through msdn,and found a few functions like

HANDLE,read(),write() but do not know how to implement them.
If someone could give me an example program (including all the headers required,and on which compiler the code would work),i would really appreciate it)
Here's the sample program using bios.h,which i want to write using the msdn functions.

Code:

---

//basically i have a usb to db9(rs232) connecter and i short the tx and rx pins...so what data i send,it prints the same thing on the screen
#include <bios.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <dos.h>


#define COM1        14
#define DATA_READY 0x100
#define TRUE      1
#define FALSE      0

#define SETTINGS ( 0x80 | 0x02 | 0x00 | 0x00)

int main(void)
{
  int in, out, status, DONE = FALSE;
  clrscr();
  bioscom(0, SETTINGS, COM1);
  cprintf("... BIOSCOM [ESC] to exit ...\n");
  while (!DONE)
  {
      status = bioscom(3, 0, COM1);
    if (status & DATA_READY)
    if ((out = bioscom(2, 0, COM1) & 0x7F) != 0)
        putch(out);
    if (kbhit())
    {
        if ((in = getche()) == '\x1B')
          DONE = TRUE;
        bioscom(1, in, COM1);
    }
  }
  return 0;
}

---

I will post a few more of these kinds of questions(mostly serial communication based),so i would request the admins to please keep this thread open for sometime.

I find "win32" and whatever it is you're trying to do to be effective search terms in google.
Eg.
win32 serial port - Google Search

I've found only a couple of places in MSDN that talk about serial communications:
Communications Resources
Programming Serial Connections (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)
They seem to contain all the info you need. You should try to read through it.

EDIT: Salems idea is better because you can probably find a more readable tutorial elsewhere than MSDN (which is not known for readability).

Yes searching for a few books on win32 serial port communication i was able to get a suitable replacement for the bios.h header :)
But here arises another problem.I'm currently using win 7 64 bit.My program runs fine on my pc and other 64 bit pcs.But when i run the same program on a 32 bit system ,i am able to only send data...but not receive.Why so?

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <string.h>


int main(){
    int i;  //looping variable
    char port[10];
  // printf("Enter the com port.");
  // scanf("%s",&port);
    DCB dcbSerialParams = {0};DWORD dwBytesRead = 0;
    char szBuff[25];                    //variable to send data
    char rzBuff[25] = {0};              //variable to read data
///Code for opening port
HANDLE hSerial;
hSerial = CreateFile("COM1",                        //enter com port value
GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
0,
0,
OPEN_EXISTING,
FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,
0);
if(hSerial==INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE){
if(GetLastError()==ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND){
//serial port does not exist. Inform user.
printf("Serial Port does not exist.\n");
}
//some other error occurred. Inform user.
printf("Some other error occured.\n");
}
else{
///End of Code for opening port

///Setting parameters
//DCB dcbSerialParams = {0};        //declared on top
dcbSerialParams.DCBlength=sizeof(dcbSerialParams);
if (!GetCommState(hSerial, &dcbSerialParams)) {
//error getting state
printf("error getting state.\n");
}
dcbSerialParams.BaudRate=CBR_19200;
dcbSerialParams.ByteSize=8;
dcbSerialParams.StopBits=ONESTOPBIT;
dcbSerialParams.Parity=NOPARITY;
if(!SetCommState(hSerial, &dcbSerialParams)){
//error setting serial port state
printf("error setting serial port state.\n");
}
///End of setting parameters

///Setting timeouts
COMMTIMEOUTS timeouts={0};
timeouts.ReadIntervalTimeout=50;
timeouts.ReadTotalTimeoutConstant=50;
timeouts.ReadTotalTimeoutMultiplier=10;
timeouts.WriteTotalTimeoutConstant=50;
timeouts.WriteTotalTimeoutMultiplier=10;
if(!SetCommTimeouts(hSerial, &timeouts)){
//error occureed. Inform user
printf("error occured.");
}
///End of Setting timeouts
for(i=1;i <= 9;i++){
///Sending data
//char szBuff[25] = {0};        Declared on top

//printf("Sent data: %s \n",szBuff);
printf("Sent data:  \n");
gets(szBuff);
//szBuff[strlen(szBuff)]='\n';
strcat(szBuff,"\n");
if(!WriteFile(hSerial, szBuff, 25, &dwBytesRead, NULL)){
//error occurred. Report to user.
printf("Error occured");
}

///End of sending data

///Reading Data
//char rzBuff[25] = {0};        Declared on top


if(!ReadFile(hSerial, rzBuff, 25, &dwBytesRead, NULL)){
//error occurred. Report to user.
printf("Error occured");
}
else
printf("Read data: %s\n\n",rzBuff);
memset(rzBuff,0,25);
///End of Reading data
}
CloseHandle(hSerial);
}
getch();
return 0;
}

---

SourceForge.net: Indentation - cpwiki
Your indentation is rubbish.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Salem

SourceForge.net: Indentation - cpwiki
Your indentation is rubbish.

---

My apologies.Here is the same program with indentation.

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <string.h>


int main(){
int i;  //looping variable
char port[10];
// printf("Enter the com port.");
// scanf("%s",&port);
DCB dcbSerialParams = {0};
DWORD dwBytesRead = 0;
char szBuff[25];                    //variable to send data
char rzBuff[25] = {0};              //variable to read data


//Code for opening port
HANDLE hSerial;
hSerial = CreateFile("COM1",GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,0,0,OPEN_EXISTING,FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,0);
   
    if(hSerial==INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE){
        if(GetLastError()==ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND){
            printf("Serial Port does not exist.\n");
            }
    printf("Some other error occured.\n");
    }
//End of Code for opening port

else
{
//Setting parameters
    dcbSerialParams.DCBlength=sizeof(dcbSerialParams);
   
    if (!GetCommState(hSerial, &dcbSerialParams)) {
            printf("error getting state.\n");
            }
    dcbSerialParams.BaudRate=CBR_19200;
    dcbSerialParams.ByteSize=8;
    dcbSerialParams.StopBits=ONESTOPBIT;
    dcbSerialParams.Parity=NOPARITY;
   
    if(!SetCommState(hSerial, &dcbSerialParams)){
            printf("error setting serial port state.\n");
        }
//End of setting parameters


//Setting timeouts
    COMMTIMEOUTS timeouts={0};
    timeouts.ReadIntervalTimeout=50;
    timeouts.ReadTotalTimeoutConstant=50;
    timeouts.ReadTotalTimeoutMultiplier=10;
    timeouts.WriteTotalTimeoutConstant=50;
    timeouts.WriteTotalTimeoutMultiplier=10;
       
        if(!SetCommTimeouts(hSerial, &timeouts)){
            //error occureed. Inform user
            printf("error occured.");
            }
           
//End of Setting timeouts
    for(i=1;i <= 9;i++){

//Sending data
        //printf("Sent data: %s \n",szBuff);
        printf("Sent data:  \n");
        gets(szBuff);
        //szBuff[strlen(szBuff)]='\n';
        strcat(szBuff,"\n");
       
        if(!WriteFile(hSerial, szBuff, 25, &dwBytesRead, NULL)){
            printf("Error occured");
            }
//End of sending data


//Reading Data
        if(!ReadFile(hSerial, rzBuff, 25, &dwBytesRead, NULL)){
            printf("Error occured");
            }
        else
            printf("Read data: %s\n\n",rzBuff);
        memset(rzBuff,0,25);
//End of Reading data
    }
CloseHandle(hSerial);
}
getch();
return 0;
}

---

The indentation still sucks. Here's a more positive example:

Code:

---

#include <stdio.h>
#include <conio.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <string.h>

int main(){
    int i;  //looping variable
    char port[10];
    // printf("Enter the com port.");
    // scanf("%s",&port);
    DCB dcbSerialParams = {0};
    DWORD dwBytesRead = 0;
    char szBuff[25];                    //variable to send data
    char rzBuff[25] = {0};              //variable to read data

    //Code for opening port
    HANDLE hSerial;
    hSerial = CreateFile("COM1",GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,0,0,OPEN_EXISTING,FILE_ATTRIBUTE_NORMAL,0);

    if(hSerial==INVALID_HANDLE_VALUE){
        if(GetLastError()==ERROR_FILE_NOT_FOUND){
            printf("Serial Port does not exist.\n");
        }
        printf("Some other error occured.\n");
    }
    //End of Code for opening port
    else
    {
        //Setting parameters
        dcbSerialParams.DCBlength=sizeof(dcbSerialParams);

        if (!GetCommState(hSerial, &dcbSerialParams)) {
            printf("error getting state.\n");
        }
        dcbSerialParams.BaudRate=CBR_19200;
        dcbSerialParams.ByteSize=8;
        dcbSerialParams.StopBits=ONESTOPBIT;
        dcbSerialParams.Parity=NOPARITY;

        if(!SetCommState(hSerial, &dcbSerialParams)){
            printf("error setting serial port state.\n");
        }
        //End of setting parameters

        //Setting timeouts
        COMMTIMEOUTS timeouts={0};
        timeouts.ReadIntervalTimeout=50;
        timeouts.ReadTotalTimeoutConstant=50;
        timeouts.ReadTotalTimeoutMultiplier=10;
        timeouts.WriteTotalTimeoutConstant=50;
        timeouts.WriteTotalTimeoutMultiplier=10;

        if(!SetCommTimeouts(hSerial, &timeouts)){
            //error occureed. Inform user
            printf("error occured.");
        }

        //End of Setting timeouts
        for(i=1;i <= 9;i++){
            //Sending data
            //printf("Sent data: %s \n",szBuff);
            printf("Sent data:  \n");
            gets(szBuff);
            //szBuff[strlen(szBuff)]='\n';
            strcat(szBuff,"\n");

            if(!WriteFile(hSerial, szBuff, 25, &dwBytesRead, NULL)){
                printf("Error occured");
            }
            //End of sending data

            //Reading Data
            if(!ReadFile(hSerial, rzBuff, 25, &dwBytesRead, NULL)){
                printf("Error occured");
            }
            else
                printf("Read data: %s\n\n",rzBuff);
            memset(rzBuff,0,25);
            //End of Reading data
        }
        CloseHandle(hSerial);
    }
    getch();
    return 0;
}

---

So when it's not "receiving", are you getting error messages?

> gets(szBuff);
SourceForge.net: Gets - cpwiki

> if(!WriteFile(hSerial, szBuff, 25, &dwBytesRead, NULL))
Replace 25 with the length of the actual string you're sending.
Otherwise, you're flooding your device with garbage.

> if(!ReadFile(hSerial, rzBuff, 25, &dwBytesRead, NULL))
If you read 25 bytes, then you won't have a \0 at the end of it to make it a proper string you can print with printf.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Salem

So when it's not "receiving", are you getting error messages?

---

No,i am not getting any error.
The program works fine on a windows 7 64 bit system,its just not showing the "Read Data" on a windows 7 32 bit system.
I'm not able to figure out whats wrong?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Salem

> gets(szBuff);
SourceForge.net: Gets - cpwiki

---

The thought of using scanf had crossed my mind,but i had rarely used gets before so i though I'd give it a try.Now i came to know its not encouraged to used gets anymore!

Thanks for all your helpSalem and others who posted in here :)

Well a couple of things.

1. printf("Error occured");
Add a \n to the end of the string, or call fflush(stdout)

2. GetLastError function
Call this to find out WHY it failed.

Just saying "error" is about as useful as the usual "it doesn't work" posts that frequent forums.
Get some concrete information we can use.

3. On the off-chance it is receiving garbage that printf can't print properly, try something like

Code:

---

for ( i = 0 ; i < dwBytesRead ; i++ ) {
    printf("Byte %d = %d\n", i, rzBuff[i] );
}

---