wxCTB : cross-platform serial (OSX project)

wxCTB is a common API for using serial (com) ports cross-platform.
Currently it is only for Linux/Win32, but I'm keen to get it working for OS X, since I'd like to be able to use it in BlitzMax on my Mac with a usb-serial adapter.

I'm hoping that since OS X is getting more POSIXy all the time that the Linux drivers might work with a bit of tweaking...

If anyone is interested in helping out, here's the place to do it !

Links of possible interest :

* http://developer.apple.com/documentation/DeviceDrivers/Conceptual/IOKitFundamentals/Introduction/chapter_1_section_1.html
* http://developer.apple.com/documentation/DeviceDrivers/Conceptual/WorkingWSerial/WWSerial_Intro/chapter_1_section_1.html
* http://www.tigoe.net/pcomp/resources/archives/avr/000749.shtml

More stuff to follow...

I can confirm that an Apple MacBook Pro was today connected to a WaterRower using a PL2303 USB to serial adapter. As I sat and watched valid data was sent between the devices, I can therefore confirm the first successful transfer of serial data using wxCTB.

Ah, the wonder of it all :-)

Still much to do Mac-wise though. This Ioctl() stuff is a bit under-documented.

A small snippet to get people started:

	Const baudrate:Int	= wxBAUD_1200
	Const devname:String = "/dev/tty.PL2303-0000101D"
	Const timeout:Int = 1000

	Global dev:wxSerialPort = New wxSerialPort.Create()
		
	' Try To open the given port
	If dev.Open(devname) < 0
		'
		wxMessageBox("Cannot open " + devname )
		dev.free()
		
	Else
		
		' set the baudrate
		dev.SetBaudRate(baudrate)
			
		Global buffer:Byte[1024]
	
		For Local i:Int=0 To 1000
			dev.Read(buffer,2)
			Delay(250)
			DebugLog "data = " + Hex(buffer[0]) + " : " + Hex(buffer[1])
		Next
			
	    dev.Close()
		dev.free()

	EndIf

I've added a couple of new Functions for Mac (only).

wxChooseSerialPort:String()

and

wxListSerialPorts:String[]()


wxChooseSerialPort pops up a choice dialog asking which serial port to choose from, returning the tty string back to the app - which you can then use to open a connection to.
wxListSerialPorts simply returns a list of all currently available serial ports.

These are useful on Mac since "real" serial is only usually available through a USB-Serial adapter, and appear as unique ports, rather than like on Linux which has things like /dev/tty0.

:o)