Using RS232 with serial to USB converter

Help, problems, suggestions about Waterski Homologation software
Brian
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2011 3:02 pm

Using RS232 with serial to USB converter

Post by Brian »

I tried to use the rs232 interface on a laptop with a usb to serial converter. The converter initialised at port 16 whereas the selection in the program is 1 to 4. The driver for the converter however allows seledtion of any unused port number, so I tried 1 and 2 as they were free. I recieved an error message from the program "Cannot open port '\\.\COM1'. Now the slashes in that string will probably be mangled by the script so to repeat it in text, Apostraphy slash slash dot slash com1 apostropy. :-)
Any advice or experience in respect to resolving this would be greatly appreicated.

Win 7 Home Prem 64 bit
Homologation program 2011.05
Serial to usb converter ch340, wch.cn
Cheers
Brian
Brian
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2011 3:02 pm

Re: Using RS232 with serial to USB converter

Post by Brian »

Well, I seem to have got rid of the error message. It mayhave just been removing and replacing teh usb to serival adapter. I will try to reporduce and document.
B.
Brian
Posts: 15
Joined: Fri Nov 25, 2011 3:02 pm

Re: Using RS232 with serial to USB converter

Post by Brian »

OK.
The USB to serial device just had to be removed and reinserted after the drivers were installed. The jigger is talking happily to the laptop now.
The next glitch I had was that the measurement was not appearing in the spreadsheet.
Arr harrr...! Using the topcon.theo file.... the instrument must be in slope distance measurement mode to match the design of the .theo file. If it is in horizontal distance mode, the measurement string will be recieved, but not transferred to the spreadsheet, which is good, because otherwise the slope correction would be applied twice and we may spend a long time chasing our tail.

Lots of traps for when one is in a hurry. Now I have to type in all the figures that could have been so easily transferred.
Next time.
Cheers
Brian
emmanuel
Site Admin
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Joined: Fri May 20, 2005 8:34 am
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Re: Using RS232 with serial to USB converter

Post by emmanuel »

Brian wrote:I tried to use the rs232 interface on a laptop with a usb to serial converter. The converter initialised at port 16 whereas the selection in the program is 1 to 4. The driver for the converter however allows seledtion of any unused port number, so I tried 1 and 2 as they were free. I recieved an error message from the program "Cannot open port '\\.\COM1'. Now the slashes in that string will probably be mangled by the script so to repeat it in text, Apostraphy slash slash dot slash com1 apostropy. :-)
Any advice or experience in respect to resolving this would be greatly appreicated.
Hi,

I have updated the software to accept connection to serial port 1 to 32.
Please, download and try with 16.
I am not sure this will work, as the code for serial com I have is somewhat outdated.
I have no time yet to update it, but might be able to do it this year.

Regards,
Emmanuel
rbtharris
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 1:35 pm

Re: Using RS232 with serial to USB converter

Post by rbtharris »

I recently purchased a Topcon GPT 3200 reflectorless total station. I've checked the baudrate, databits, stopbits, and parity and they match the settings in the .theo file(s). I'm getting a write error (5). The laptop I'm using is XP but I also have tried my windows 10 laptop with same results. There are other settings in this model Topcon that aren't in the .theo file (cr/lf, tilt). Is there a setting that I should use? There are 3 rs232 .theo selections in the homologation software. I've tried all three but no success. I had a Topcon 302D that worked perfectly with the software, but it was not a reflectorless model. The 3200 is reflectorless.

Any help greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Bob Harris
rbtharris
Posts: 2
Joined: Thu Aug 17, 2017 1:35 pm

Re: Using RS232 with serial to USB converter

Post by rbtharris »

Please ignore my request for help. The Topcon GPS 3200 has two COM settings, Bluetooth and RS232C. Evidently the default was Bluetooth. I switched that setting to RS232C and it now works perfectly.

Thanks

Robert Harris
emmanuel
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Posts: 273
Joined: Fri May 20, 2005 8:34 am
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Re: Using RS232 with serial to USB converter

Post by emmanuel »

Great to know that it is working.

Emmanuel
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