This is the readme file for the disk that accompanies the following book:

Serial Port Complete: Programming and Circuits for RS-232 and RS-485 Links and Networks
by Jan Axelson
copyright 1998
ISBN #0-9650819-2-3

Published by:
Lakeview Research
2209 Winnebago St.
Madison, WI 53704
Phone:     608-241-5824
Fax:       608-241-5848
Web:       http://www.lvr.com
Email:     jan@lvr.com

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This readme file contains descriptions of the other files on the disk, tips for using the files, and listings of the files and directories arranged alphabetically and by computer type and chapter number.

Rules for Use

All of the files on this disk are provided for your use. You may use any or all portions of the files in your programs and distribute such programs without payment of royalties, if you agree to the following disclaimer:
The information, computer programs, documentation, and other material on this disk are provided "as is," without warranty of any kind, expressed or implied, including without limitation any warranty concerning the accuracy, adequacy, or completeness of the material or the results obtained from using the material. Neither the publisher nor the author shall be responsible for any claims attributable to errors, omissions, or other inaccuracies in the material on this disk. In no event shall the publisher or author be liable for direct, indirect, special, incidental, or consequential damages in connection with, or arising out of, the construction, performance, or other use of the materials contained herein.

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Questions Problems, or Suggestions

If you have any questions, problems, or suggestions relating to the files on this disk or the material in the book, the best way to reach me is by email at jan@lvr.com.

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Copying the Files

For faster and more convenient access, you may copy the files on the floppy to a hard disk. The simplest way to do this is to copy the entire disk, including the subdirectories, to any subdirectory (folder) on your hard disk.

Windows 95 example
To copy the contents of the disk from drive A to directory \spc on drive C:
1. Click on My Computer and click to open Hard Drive C and Floppy Drive A.
2. To create the directory \spc on Drive C, click on File, New, Folder and type spc.
3. On Drive A, click on Edit, Select All, and use the mouse to drag the contents of Drive A to the \spc folder on Drive C.

Windows 3.1 example
To copy the contents of the disk from drive A to directory \spc on drive C:
1. In the File Manager, double click to open both Hard Drive C and Floppy Drive A.
2. To create the directory \spc on Drive C, select the c:\ window, then in the File menu select Create Directory, and type spc.
3. In the Drive A window, select a:\ and use the mouse to drag the contents of Drive A to the \spc directory on Drive C.

MS-DOS example
To copy the contents of the disk from drive A to directory \spc on drive C, type:
xcopy a:*.* c:\spc /s

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About the Visual-Basic Projects

Each subdirectory in \vb contains a project that you may load into Visual Basic 5's programming environment. From there, you may run the programs, modify them, create .exe files, or use the code in any way you wish.
The project's .vbp file lists the files used by the project. The project's subdirectory contains the project's startup form and any other files unique to that project. Each project also uses files in the \vb\template subdirectory.
If you load the projects from the floppy, or if you copy the floppy to hard disk as described above, all project files will be in the expected locations. If a file is in a different location from that specified in the .vbp file, you may load the file in the VB environment by selecting Project, then Add Form or Add Module. To save any new file locations in the .vbp file, select File, Save Project. Another option is to use a text editor to change the file locations in the .vbp file.

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File Descriptions, arranged by computer type and programming language

readme.txt
This file

Visual Basic 5 programs

Template application.
Chapter 4
\vb\template
     \datafile.frm
     \frmMain.frm
     \frmSetup.frm
     \MiscCalc.frm
     \serport.bas
     \template.vbp

Link to another PC, Basic Stamp, or 8052-Basic.
Chapter 8
\vb\2devlink
     \2devlink.vbp
     \frmCPU.frm
     \frmMain.frm

Network master node.
Chapter 12
\vb\485net
     \485net.vbp
     \frmMain.frm
     \frmMain.frx
     \nodes.frm


Basic Stamp II programs

Link to a PC.
Chapter 8
\stamp\2devlnk.bs2

Open baudmode master node.
Chapter 12
\stamp\openbdm.bs2

Open baudmode slave node
Chapter 12
\stamp\openbds1.bs2

Network slave node, using port bits for serial I/O.
Chapter 12
\stamp\stampsl1.bs2

Network slave node, using Sin and Sout for serial I/O.
Chapter 12
\stamp\stampsl2.bs2


8052-Basic programs

Link between a PC and 8052-Basic.
Chapter 8
\basic52\2dev52.bas


QuickBasic programs for DOS.

Link to another PC.
Chapter 8
\qb\qb2dev.bas

Network slave.
Chapter 12
\qb\qbnetsl.bas


DLLs for Windows

DLL for direct port I/O under Windows 3.x. 
Chapter 4
See input16.txt for details on use.
\dlls\inpout16
     \inpout16.bas
     \inpout16.dll
     \inpout16.frm
     \inpout16.mak
     \inpout16.pb
     \inpout16.txt

DLL for direct port I/O in 32-bit programs under Windows 95/98.
Chapter 4
See input32.txt for details on use.
\dlls\inpout32
     \inpout32.bas
     \inpout32.dll
     \inpout32.dpr
     \inpout32.frm
     \inpout32.txt
     \inpout32.vbp

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Directories, arranged by chapters:

Chapter 4
\dlls\inpout16          DLL for direct port I/O under Windows 3.x. 
\dlls\inpout32          DLL for direct port I/O in 32-bit programs under Windows 95/98.
\vb\template            Template application (Visual Basic).

Chapter 8
\basic52\2dev52.bas     Link between a PC and 8052-Basic (8052-Basic).
\qb\qb2dev.bas          Link to another PC. (QuickBasic)
\stamp\2devlnk.bs2      Link to a PC. (Basic Stamp)
\vb\2devlink            Link to another PC, Basic Stamp, or 8052-Basic. (Visual Basic)

Chapter 12
\qb\qbnets1.bas         Network slave. (QuickBasic)
\stamp\openbdm.bs2      Open baudmode master node. (Basic Stamp)
\stamp\openbds1.bs2     Open baudmode slave node.  (Basic Stamp)
\stamp\stampsl1.bs2     Network slave node, using port bits for serial I/O. (Basic Stamp)
\stamp\stampsl2.bs2     Network slave node, using Sin and Sout for serial I/O. (Basic Stamp)
\vb\485net              Network master node. (Visual Basic)

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Alphabetical Directory and File List:
readme.txt
\basic52
     \2dev52.bas
\dlls
     \inpout16
          \inpout16.bas
          \inpout16.dll
          \inpout16.frm
          \inpout16.mak
          \inpout16.pb
          \inpout16.txt
     \inpout32
          \inpout32.bas
          \inpout32.dll
          \inpout32.dpr
          \inpout32.frm
          \inpout32.txt
          \inpout32.vbp
\qb
     \qb2dev.bas
     \qbnetsl.bas
\stamp
     \2devlnk.bs2
     \openbdm.bs2
     \openbds1.bs2
     \stampsl1.bs2
     \stampsl2.bs2
\vb
     \2devlink
          \2devlink.vbp
          \frmMain.frm
          \frmcpu.frm
     \485net
          \485net.vbp
          \
          \frmMain.frm
          \frmMain.frx
          \nodes.frm
          
     \template
          \datafile.frm
          \frmMain.frm
          \frmSetup.frm
          \MiscCalc.frm
          \serport.bas
          \template.vbp
          \