Serial Communication DLL

  • Thread starter Thread starter Chris
  • Start date Start date
C

Chris

Hi,

I'm trying to find out if a serial communication dll exists that would allow
me to communicate to devices connected on the com port through .net. My
implementation language will be C#. I was able to find MSCOMM.OCX but that
is an ActiveX control which requires a gui (i believe?). Eventually, the
application I will be running will be a Windows Service so I think I need a
regular dll (I'm not sure though).

Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance,

Chris
 
My Serial Port FAQ:

..NET 1.0/1.1 has no support for legacy ports (COM/LPT).

There are plans to add support for serial ports in a future version:
http://groups.google.com/groups?&selm=O#vQLn9bCHA.392@tkmsftngp09
"this sample is very similar to what we will be adding" :
http://www.gotdotnet.com/community/usersamples/Default.aspx?query=SerialPort
(note, project built with beta VS.NET, read gotdotnet comment)

Future Directions for Visual C#
http://msdn.microsoft.com/chats/vstudio/vstudio_032103.asp
"We will add support for Serial ports to the framework..."


With 1.0/1.1 you have to use PInvoke or Interop :

First understand the Win32 API as described here (C++):
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dnfiles/html/msdn_serial.asp

MSDN article for .NET (mostly C#):
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/02/10/NETSerialComm/

PInvoke samples for C#:
http://www.gotdotnet.com/community/usersamples/Default.aspx?query=SerialPort
http://msdn.microsoft.com/msdnmag/issues/02/10/NETSerialComm/
http://www.gotdotnet.com/community/usersamples/Default.aspx?query=SerialStream

or for VB.NET:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=823179
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dnvssamp/html/vbcs_usingthecomportinvbnet.asp
http://www.gotdotnet.com/community/usersamples/Default.aspx?query=rs232
http://www.mentalis.org/classlib/class.php?id=15
http://www.corradocavalli.cjb.net/

or you can use the "Managed Extensions for C++" and write wrappers.
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/vcmex/html/vcconMCOverview.asp
http://www.gotdotnet.com/team/cplusplus/
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/en-us/dncscol/html/csharp12192002.asp
on your VS.NET path:
...\VC7\managedextensionsspec.doc
...\VC7\migration_guide.doc
MC++ Sample:
http://www.codeproject.com/managedcpp/howtocomport.asp

or reusing the VB6 MSComm ActiveX is easy, but it has some 'problems' (license)
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=318597
http://www.devhood.com/tutorials/tutorial_details.aspx?tutorial_id=320
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/richard_grier/NETCommOCX.htm

commercial:
http://www.sax.net/dotnet/communications/
http://www.winsoft.sk/ncomport.htm

for Compact Framework (Windows CE)
http://ourworld.compuserve.com/homepages/richard_grier/CFSerial.htm

for Interop, use newsgroup:
microsoft.public.dotnet.framework.interop
 
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