communicating with serial ports from XP

[trendyironicname]

I would really like to figure out how to communicate straight to a serial port.  Maybe a library in c++.  I have .net and I'll be willing to try and figure out another language or relearn some vb if it would make it easier.  My old teacher set up a REALLY simple vb program to play with a lightbox that I have.  It was on a much older machine and os but I would like to get back to a program like that to flesh out.  I'm still green enough that I sort of need a jump start sometimes when I get stalled out.  Any help is MUCH appreciated.     

[anchovie]

This is some code that I wrote in VB.NET 2005. You need to import the System.IO.Ports namespace.

Code Select Expand

Private Sub TextToSerial(ByVal text As String, Optional ByVal port As Byte = 1, Optional ByVal baud As Integer = 111520)

        Dim com As SerialPort
        com = New SerialPort
        With com
            'Configure serial port
            .PortName = "COM" & port
            .BaudRate = baud
            .Parity = Parity.None
            .DataBits = 8
            .StopBits = StopBits.One
            .Handshake = Handshake.None
            .ReadTimeout = 500
            .WriteTimeout = 500
            'Attempt to write text to serial port
            Try
                .Open()
                .Write(text & vbCrLf)
            Catch ex As Exception
                MsgBox("Unable to write to serial port " & .PortName, MsgBoxStyle.Critical)
            Finally
                If .IsOpen Then .Close()
            End Try
        End With

End Sub

[David]

Ummm...  how about HyperTerminal?

[trendyironicname]

Thank ya'll.   I was looking at more pin manipulation.  I have an 8051 board thing I built for a project that I use with hyperterminal but it doesn't really help with what I want to do with the light box.  The 8051 is giving me fits itself.  I have no idea what bootloader monitor program is on it and once I started trying it with my laptop (the desktop is long gone) it would communicate with hyperterm still but it wouldn't be able to find the files i wanted to program onto it.  I tried everything short of buying another desktop.  It just stalls out I suppose looking for an a: drive that no longer exists.  Tried tricking it too many ways to no avail.