C# - RS232 Bricklet¶

Loopback¶

Download (ExampleLoopback.cs)

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using System;
using Tinkerforge;

// For this example connect the RX1 and TX pin to receive the send message

class Example
{
    private static string HOST = "localhost";
    private static int PORT = 4223;
    private static string UID = "XYZ"; // Change XYZ to the UID of your RS232 Bricklet

    // Convert message to array of length 60 as needed by write
    static char[] StringToCharArray(string message)
    {
        char[] array = message.ToCharArray();

        Array.Resize(ref array, 60);

        return array;
    }

    // Assume that the message consists of ASCII characters and
    // convert it from an array of chars to a string
    static string CharArrayToString(char[] message, byte length)
    {
        return new string(message, 0, length);
    }

    // Callback function for read callback
    static void ReadCB(BrickletRS232 sender, char[] message, byte length)
    {
        string str = CharArrayToString(message, length);
        Console.WriteLine("Message (Length: " + length + "): \"" + str + "\"");
    }

    static void Main()
    {
        IPConnection ipcon = new IPConnection(); // Create IP connection
        BrickletRS232 rs232 = new BrickletRS232(UID, ipcon); // Create device object

        ipcon.Connect(HOST, PORT); // Connect to brickd
        // Don't use device before ipcon is connected

        // Register read callback to function ReadCB
        rs232.ReadCallback += ReadCB;

        // Enable read callback
        rs232.EnableReadCallback();

        // Write "test" string
        rs232.Write(StringToCharArray("test"), 4);

        Console.WriteLine("Press enter to exit");
        Console.ReadLine();
        ipcon.Disconnect();
    }
}

Basic Functions¶

class BrickletRS232(string uid, IPConnection ipcon)¶

Parameters:	uid – Type: string ipcon – Type: IPConnection
Returns:	rs232 – Type: BrickletRS232

Creates an object with the unique device ID uid:

BrickletRS232 rs232 = new BrickletRS232("YOUR_DEVICE_UID", ipcon);

This object can then be used after the IP Connection is connected.

byte BrickletRS232.Write(char[] message, byte length)¶

Parameters:	message – Type: char[], Length: 60 length – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 60]
Returns:	written – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 60]

Writes a string of up to 60 characters to the RS232 interface. The string can be binary data, ASCII or similar is not necessary.

The length of the string has to be given as an additional parameter.

The return value is the number of bytes that could be written.

See SetConfiguration() for configuration possibilities regarding baudrate, parity and so on.

void BrickletRS232.Read(out char[] message, out byte length)¶

Output Parameters:	message – Type: char[], Length: 60 length – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 60]

Returns the currently buffered message. The maximum length of message is 60. If the returned length is 0, no new data was available.

Instead of polling with this function, you can also use callbacks. See EnableReadCallback() and ReadCallback callback.

void BrickletRS232.SetConfiguration(byte baudrate, byte parity, byte stopbits, byte wordlength, byte hardwareFlowcontrol, byte softwareFlowcontrol)¶

Parameters:	baudrate – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 11 parity – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 0 stopbits – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 1 wordlength – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 8 hardwareFlowcontrol – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 0 softwareFlowcontrol – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 0

Sets the configuration for the RS232 communication.

Hard-/Software flow control can either be on or off but not both simultaneously on.

The following constants are available for this function:

For baudrate:

• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_300 = 0
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_600 = 1
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_1200 = 2
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_2400 = 3
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_4800 = 4
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_9600 = 5
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_14400 = 6
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_19200 = 7
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_28800 = 8
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_38400 = 9
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_57600 = 10
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_115200 = 11
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_230400 = 12

For parity:

• BrickletRS232.PARITY_NONE = 0
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_ODD = 1
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_EVEN = 2
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_1 = 3
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_0 = 4

For stopbits:

• BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_1 = 1
• BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_2 = 2

For wordlength:

• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_5 = 5
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_6 = 6
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_7 = 7
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_8 = 8

For hardwareFlowcontrol:

• BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
• BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

For softwareFlowcontrol:

• BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
• BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

void BrickletRS232.GetConfiguration(out byte baudrate, out byte parity, out byte stopbits, out byte wordlength, out byte hardwareFlowcontrol, out byte softwareFlowcontrol)¶

Output Parameters:	baudrate – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 11 parity – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 0 stopbits – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 1 wordlength – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 8 hardwareFlowcontrol – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 0 softwareFlowcontrol – Type: byte, Range: See constants, Default: 0

Returns the configuration as set by SetConfiguration().

The following constants are available for this function:

For baudrate:

• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_300 = 0
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_600 = 1
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_1200 = 2
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_2400 = 3
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_4800 = 4
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_9600 = 5
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_14400 = 6
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_19200 = 7
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_28800 = 8
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_38400 = 9
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_57600 = 10
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_115200 = 11
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_230400 = 12

For parity:

• BrickletRS232.PARITY_NONE = 0
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_ODD = 1
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_EVEN = 2
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_1 = 3
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_0 = 4

For stopbits:

• BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_1 = 1
• BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_2 = 2

For wordlength:

• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_5 = 5
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_6 = 6
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_7 = 7
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_8 = 8

For hardwareFlowcontrol:

• BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
• BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

For softwareFlowcontrol:

• BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
• BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

void BrickletRS232.SetBreakCondition(int breakTime)¶

Parameters:	breakTime – Type: int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 216 - 1]

Sets a break condition (the TX output is forced to a logic 0 state). The parameter sets the hold-time of the break condition.

New in version 2.0.2 (Plugin).

void BrickletRS232.ReadFrame(out char[] message, out byte length)¶

Output Parameters:	message – Type: char[], Length: 60 length – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 60]

Returns up to one frame of bytes from the read buffer. The frame size is configured with SetFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration(). If the returned length is 0, no new data was available.

New in version 2.0.4 (Plugin).

Advanced Functions¶

void BrickletRS232.GetIdentity(out string uid, out string connectedUid, out char position, out byte[] hardwareVersion, out byte[] firmwareVersion, out int deviceIdentifier)¶

Output Parameters:

uid – Type: string, Length: up to 8 connectedUid – Type: string, Length: up to 8 position – Type: char, Range: ['a' to 'h', 'z'] hardwareVersion – Type: byte[], Length: 3 0: major – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255] firmwareVersion – Type: byte[], Length: 3 0: major – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255] deviceIdentifier – Type: int, Range: [0 to 216 - 1]

Returns the UID, the UID where the Bricklet is connected to, the position, the hardware and firmware version as well as the device identifier.

The position can be 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g' or 'h' (Bricklet Port). A Bricklet connected to an Isolator Bricklet is always at position 'z'.

The device identifier numbers can be found here. There is also a constant for the device identifier of this Bricklet.

Callback Configuration Functions¶

void BrickletRS232.EnableReadCallback()¶

Enables the ReadCallback callback. This will disable the FrameReadableCallback callback.

By default the callback is disabled.

void BrickletRS232.DisableReadCallback()¶

Disables the ReadCallback callback.

By default the callback is disabled.

bool BrickletRS232.IsReadCallbackEnabled()¶

Returns:	enabled – Type: bool, Default: false

Returns true if the ReadCallback callback is enabled, false otherwise.

void BrickletRS232.SetFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration(byte frameSize)¶

Parameters:	frameSize – Type: byte, Unit: 1 B, Range: [0 to 100], Default: 0

Configures the FrameReadableCallback callback. The frame size is the number of bytes, that have to be readable to trigger the callback. A frame size of 0 disables the callback. A frame size greater than 0 enables the callback and disables the ReadCallback callback.

By default the callback is disabled.

New in version 2.0.4 (Plugin).

byte BrickletRS232.GetFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration()¶

Returns:	frameSize – Type: byte, Unit: 1 B, Range: [0 to 100], Default: 0

Returns the callback configuration as set by SetFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration().

New in version 2.0.4 (Plugin).

Callbacks¶

Callbacks can be registered to receive time critical or recurring data from the device. The registration is done by appending your callback handler to the corresponding event:

void MyCallback(BrickletRS232 sender, int value)
{
    System.Console.WriteLine("Value: " + value);
}

rs232.ExampleCallback += MyCallback;

The available events are described below.

event BrickletRS232.ReadCallback(BrickletRS232 sender, char[] message, byte length)¶

Callback Parameters:	sender – Type: BrickletRS232 message – Type: char[], Length: 60 length – Type: byte, Range: [1 to 60]

This callback is called if new data is available. The message has a maximum size of 60 characters. The actual length of the message is given in addition.

To enable this callback, use EnableReadCallback().

event BrickletRS232.ErrorCallback(BrickletRS232 sender, byte error)¶

Callback Parameters:	sender – Type: BrickletRS232 error – Type: byte, Range: See constants

This callback is called if an error occurs. Possible errors are overrun, parity or framing error.

The following constants are available for this function:

For error:

• BrickletRS232.ERROR_OVERRUN = 1
• BrickletRS232.ERROR_PARITY = 2
• BrickletRS232.ERROR_FRAMING = 4

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

event BrickletRS232.FrameReadableCallback(BrickletRS232 sender, byte frameCount)¶

Callback Parameters:	sender – Type: BrickletRS232 frameCount – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255]

This callback is called if at least one frame of data is readable. The frame size is configured with SetFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration(). The frame count parameter is the number of frames that can be read. This callback is triggered only once until Read() or ReadFrame() is called. This means, that if you have configured a frame size of X bytes, you can read exactly X bytes using the ReadFrame() function, every time the callback triggers without checking the frame count parameter.

New in version 2.0.4 (Plugin).

Virtual Functions¶

Virtual functions don't communicate with the device itself, but operate only on the API bindings device object. They can be called without the corresponding IP Connection object being connected.

byte[] BrickletRS232.GetAPIVersion()¶

Output Parameters:	apiVersion – Type: byte[], Length: 3 0: major – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 255]

Returns the version of the API definition implemented by this API bindings. This is neither the release version of this API bindings nor does it tell you anything about the represented Brick or Bricklet.

bool BrickletRS232.GetResponseExpected(byte functionId)¶

Parameters:	functionId – Type: byte, Range: See constants
Returns:	responseExpected – Type: bool

Returns the response expected flag for the function specified by the function ID parameter. It is true if the function is expected to send a response, false otherwise.

For getter functions this is enabled by default and cannot be disabled, because those functions will always send a response. For callback configuration functions it is enabled by default too, but can be disabled by SetResponseExpected(). For setter functions it is disabled by default and can be enabled.

Enabling the response expected flag for a setter function allows to detect timeouts and other error conditions calls of this setter as well. The device will then send a response for this purpose. If this flag is disabled for a setter function then no response is sent and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_ENABLE_READ_CALLBACK = 3
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_DISABLE_READ_CALLBACK = 4
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 6
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_BREAK_CONDITION = 10
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_FRAME_READABLE_CALLBACK_CONFIGURATION = 11

void BrickletRS232.SetResponseExpected(byte functionId, bool responseExpected)¶

Parameters:	functionId – Type: byte, Range: See constants responseExpected – Type: bool

Changes the response expected flag of the function specified by the function ID parameter. This flag can only be changed for setter (default value: false) and callback configuration functions (default value: true). For getter functions it is always enabled.

Enabling the response expected flag for a setter function allows to detect timeouts and other error conditions calls of this setter as well. The device will then send a response for this purpose. If this flag is disabled for a setter function then no response is sent and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_ENABLE_READ_CALLBACK = 3
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_DISABLE_READ_CALLBACK = 4
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 6
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_BREAK_CONDITION = 10
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_FRAME_READABLE_CALLBACK_CONFIGURATION = 11

void BrickletRS232.SetResponseExpectedAll(bool responseExpected)¶

Parameters:	responseExpected – Type: bool

Changes the response expected flag for all setter and callback configuration functions of this device at once.

Constants¶

int BrickletRS232.DEVICE_IDENTIFIER¶

This constant is used to identify a RS232 Bricklet.

The GetIdentity() function and the IPConnection.EnumerateCallback callback of the IP Connection have a deviceIdentifier parameter to specify the Brick's or Bricklet's type.

string BrickletRS232.DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME¶

This constant represents the human readable name of a RS232 Bricklet.