C# - RS232 Bricklet – Tinkerforge

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# C# - RS232 Bricklet

Note

This Bricklet is currently in the prototype stage and the software/hardware as well as the documentation is in an incomplete state.

This is the description of the C# API bindings for the RS232 Bricklet. General information and technical specifications for the RS232 Bricklet are summarized in its hardware description.

An installation guide for the C# API bindings is part of their general description.

## Examples

The example code below is Public Domain (CC0 1.0).

### Loopback

Download (ExampleLoopback.cs)

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    using Tinkerforge;
    using System;

    // In this program we connect RX to TX and to receive
    // the messages that we are sending

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

        static char[] StringToCharArray(string message)
        {
            char[] arr = message.ToCharArray();
            Array.Resize(ref arr, 60);
            return arr;
        }

        // Callback function for read callback (parameter has unit cm)
        static void ReadCB(BrickletRS232 sender, char[] message, byte length)
        {
            string str = new string(message);
            System.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;
            rs232.EnableCallback();

            rs232.Write(StringToCharArray("test\n"), 5);

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

## API

Generally, every method of the C# bindings that returns a value can throw a `Tinkerforge.TimeoutException`. This exception gets thrown if the device did not respond. If a cable based connection is used, it is unlikely that this exception gets thrown (assuming nobody plugs the device out). However, if a wireless connection is used, timeouts will occur if the distance to the device gets too big.

Since C# does not support multiple return values directly, we use the `out` keyword to return multiple values from a method.

The namespace for all Brick/Bricklet bindings and the IPConnection is `Tinkerforge.*`.

All methods listed below are thread-safe.

### Basic Functions

public class `BrickletRS232`(String uid, IPConnection ipcon)

  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 (see examples above).

public byte `Write`(char[] message, byte length)

  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 `SetConfigurations()` for configuration possibilities regarding baudrate, parity and so on.

public void `Read`(out char[] message, out byte length)

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

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

public void `SetConfiguration`(byte baudrate, byte parity, byte stopbits, byte wordlength, byte hardwareFlowcontrol, byte softwareFlowcontrol)

  Sets the configuration for the RS232 communication. Available options:

  - Baudrate between 300 and 230400 baud.
  - Parity of none, odd, even or forced parity.
  - Stopbits can be 1 or 2.
  - Word length of 5 to 8.
  - Hard-/Software flow control can each be on or off.

  The default is: 115200 baud, parity none, 1 stop bit, word length 8, hard-/software flow control off.

  The following constants are available for this function:

  - 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_28800 = 7
  - BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_38400 = 8
  - BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_57600 = 9
  - BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_115200 = 10
  - BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_230400 = 11
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_NONE = 0
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_ODD = 1
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_EVEN = 2
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_1 = 3
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_0 = 4
  - BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_1 = 1
  - BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_2 = 2
  - BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_5 = 5
  - BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_6 = 6
  - BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_7 = 7
  - BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_8 = 8
  - BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
  - BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1
  - BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
  - BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

public void `GetConfiguration`(out byte baudrate, out byte parity, out byte stopbits, out byte wordlength, out byte hardwareFlowcontrol, out byte softwareFlowcontrol)

  Returns the configuration as set by `SetConfiguration()`.

  The following constants are available for this function:

  - 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_28800 = 7
  - BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_38400 = 8
  - BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_57600 = 9
  - BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_115200 = 10
  - BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_230400 = 11
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_NONE = 0
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_ODD = 1
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_EVEN = 2
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_1 = 3
  - BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_0 = 4
  - BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_1 = 1
  - BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_2 = 2
  - BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_5 = 5
  - BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_6 = 6
  - BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_7 = 7
  - BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_8 = 8
  - BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
  - BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1
  - BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
  - BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

### Advanced Functions

public byte[] `GetAPIVersion`()

  Returns the version of the API definition (major, minor, revision) 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.

public bool `GetResponseExpected`(byte functionId)

  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 send and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

  See `SetResponseExpected()` for the list of function ID constants available for this function.

public void `SetResponseExpected`(byte functionId, bool responseExpected)

  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 and callbacks it is always disabled.

  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 send and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

  The following function ID constants are available for this function:

  - BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_ENABLE_CALLBACK = 3
  - BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_DISABLE_CALLBACK = 4
  - BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 6

public void `SetResponseExpectedAll`(bool responseExpected)

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

public void `GetIdentity`(out string uid, out string connectedUid, out char position, out byte[] hardwareVersion, out byte[] firmwareVersion, out int deviceIdentifier)

  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' or 'd'.

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

### Callback Configuration Functions

public void `EnableCallback`()

  Enables the `ReadCallback`.

  By default the callback is disabled.

public void `DisableCallback`()

  Disables the `ReadCallback`.

  By default the callback is disabled.

public bool `IsCallbackEnabled`()

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

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

    rs232.ExampleCallback += Callback;

The available events are described below.

Note

Using callbacks for recurring events is always preferred compared to using getters. It will use less USB bandwidth and the latency will be a lot better, since there is no round trip time.

public event `ReadCallback`(BrickletRS232 sender, char[] message, byte length)

  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 `EnableCallback()`.

### Constants

public int `DEVICE_IDENTIFIER`

  This constant is used to identify a RS232 Bricklet.

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

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