XP, COM ports, and DOS - what do I do?

  • Thread starter Thread starter Angelo Campanella
  • Start date Start date
A

Angelo Campanella

I am an old-timer, but a newby to VB.

Having a lot of old DOS BASIC control software I wrote in the last
15 years, I need to now deploy the same actions throgh modern Windows
XP. The DOS transparency enjoyed through W95 and 98 has now vanished in
XP, partly because my new ThinkpadR40 has no COM port(!) just an extra
USB port. I am at present obliged to use what's on hand (including
maintaining old computers for just that function).

But I have no quams about rewriting any of that software in modern
a language, provided I can get my satisfaction in doing my job
(independent engineering field measurements and consulting).

With regard to DOS and COM ports, I looked at VB.Net software, and
a "how to" book on same. To my horror, no mention of COM ports was to be
found. Rather, the clerk at CompUSA suggested that the only way to do
what I want to do is to use C-language, which he opined to be a
"complicated way" to do it. So I remain unsettled.

If I could be certain that I will be able to write WINDOWS
compatible software in C that communicates to engineering hardware
through COM ports (maybe also USB later) with a C-compiler, I will do so.

Can you suggest said language and compiling software?

Sincerely,

Angelo Campanella


--------- www.CampanellaAcoustics.com ---------
 
Just remember, all access to hardware is done through the windows API(s) -
if you try to access a com port, hard drive, video memory directly, WinXP
(the NT group of OS's - NT, 2k, XP 2k3) will shut it down and not allow it
to run.
 
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