Hi all,

I'm getting up to speed on the MSP430 with the ez340-Rf2500 dev kit, which
connects to a pc via a USB-to-serial emulator. That is, the device is
plugged into a USB port, but shows up as a COM port in Windows.

For my application, I'd like this device to report real-time sensor data to
the host computer, where it will be logged. I figure I should really have a
serial port sniffer to aid in accomplishing this, but I'm having a
surprising amount of trouble finding one that will run on Win 7.

So: Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program that
will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a budget that
covers software.

Thanks,
Michael

	   
					
---------------------------------------		
Posted through http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com

On 2010-09-09, Michael_s <hillmyu@n_o_s_p_a_m.hotmail.com> wrote:

> Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program
> that will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a
> budget that covers software.

Have you tried sysinternals portmon?

http://www.google.com/search?q=windows+monitor+serial+data

-- 
Grant

On 09/09/2010 23:16, Michael_s wrote:
> Hi all,
>
> I'm getting up to speed on the MSP430 with the ez340-Rf2500 dev kit, which
> connects to a pc via a USB-to-serial emulator. That is, the device is
> plugged into a USB port, but shows up as a COM port in Windows.
>
> For my application, I'd like this device to report real-time sensor data to
> the host computer, where it will be logged. I figure I should really have a
> serial port sniffer to aid in accomplishing this, but I'm having a
> surprising amount of trouble finding one that will run on Win 7.
>
> So: Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program that
> will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a budget that
> covers software.

PortMon, 
<http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896644.aspx>, may 
cover your requirements.
	Andrew

On 10/09/2010 12:14 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2010-09-09, Michael_s<hillmyu@n_o_s_p_a_m.hotmail.com>  wrote:
>
>> Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program
>> that will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a
>> budget that covers software.
>
> Have you tried sysinternals portmon?
>
> http://www.google.com/search?q=windows+monitor+serial+data

Have a look at: Hyperterminal or DockLight

Cheers Don...

=============

-- 
Don McKenzie

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These products will reduce in price by 5% every month:
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"Michael_s" <hillmyu@n_o_s_p_a_m.hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:0smdnQnQ4bA9wRTRnZ2dnUVZ_gednZ2d@giganews.com...
> Hi all,
>
> I'm getting up to speed on the MSP430 with the ez340-Rf2500 dev kit, which
> connects to a pc via a USB-to-serial emulator. That is, the device is
> plugged into a USB port, but shows up as a COM port in Windows.
>
> For my application, I'd like this device to report real-time sensor data
to
> the host computer, where it will be logged. I figure I should really have
a
> serial port sniffer to aid in accomplishing this, but I'm having a
> surprising amount of trouble finding one that will run on Win 7.
>
> So: Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program that
> will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a budget that
> covers software.

I've tried RealTerm several times with success. However, that is on a W2K
machine....

Meindert

On 10/09/2010 8:16 AM, Michael_s wrote:
....
>
> So: Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program that
> will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a budget that
> covers software.

Not tried on Win 7 but I quite like the free version from http://www.serial-port-monitor.com/

Tom

On 10/09/2010 09:05, Don McKenzie wrote:
> On 10/09/2010 12:14 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
>> On 2010-09-09, Michael_s<hillmyu@n_o_s_p_a_m.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>
>>> Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program
>>> that will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a
>>> budget that covers software.
>>
>> Have you tried sysinternals portmon?
>>
>> http://www.google.com/search?q=windows+monitor+serial+data
>
> Have a look at: Hyperterminal or DockLight
>

Forget hyperterminal - look at the archives of this group if you want to 
know other people's opinions, but it's not even worth spending that time 
and effort when there are far better programs available.

One of the most popular choices is Tera Term Pro:
<http://ttssh2.sourceforge.jp/index.html.en>

On 2010-09-10, David Brown <david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com> wrote:
> On 10/09/2010 09:05, Don McKenzie wrote:
>> On 10/09/2010 12:14 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
>>> On 2010-09-09, Michael_s<hillmyu@n_o_s_p_a_m.hotmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program
>>>> that will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a
>>>> budget that covers software.
>>>
>>> Have you tried sysinternals portmon?
>>>
>>> http://www.google.com/search?q=windows+monitor+serial+data
>>
>> Have a look at: Hyperterminal or DockLight
>>
>
> Forget hyperterminal - look at the archives of this group if you want to 
> know other people's opinions, but it's not even worth spending that time 
> and effort when there are far better programs available.
>
> One of the most popular choices is Tera Term Pro:
><http://ttssh2.sourceforge.jp/index.html.en>

Neither one of which can be used to sniff serial traffic.

-- 
Grant Edwards               grant.b.edwards        Yow! I love ROCK 'N ROLL!
                                  at               I memorized the all WORDS
                              gmail.com            to "WIPE-OUT" in 1965!!

On Thu, 09 Sep 2010 17:16:00 -0500, "Michael_s"
<hillmyu@n_o_s_p_a_m.hotmail.com> wrote:

>Hi all,
>
>I'm getting up to speed on the MSP430 with the ez340-Rf2500 dev kit, which
>connects to a pc via a USB-to-serial emulator. That is, the device is
>plugged into a USB port, but shows up as a COM port in Windows.
>
>For my application, I'd like this device to report real-time sensor data to
>the host computer, where it will be logged. I figure I should really have a
>serial port sniffer to aid in accomplishing this, but I'm having a
>surprising amount of trouble finding one that will run on Win 7.
>
>So: Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program that
>will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a budget that
>covers software.

RealTerm http://realterm.sourceforge.net/index.html has a "spy mode".
The drivers required to enable spy mode are not part of the free
download but are available pretty cheaply via a contribution to
Sourceforge and the RealTerm team.

-- 
Rich Webb     Norfolk, VA

On Fri, 10 Sep 2010, Andrew Jackson wrote:
> On 09/09/2010 23:16, Michael_s wrote:
>> Hi all,
>> 
>> I'm getting up to speed on the MSP430 with the ez340-Rf2500 dev kit, which
>> connects to a pc via a USB-to-serial emulator. That is, the device is
>> plugged into a USB port, but shows up as a COM port in Windows.
>> 
>> For my application, I'd like this device to report real-time sensor data to
>> the host computer, where it will be logged. I figure I should really have a
>> serial port sniffer to aid in accomplishing this, but I'm having a
>> surprising amount of trouble finding one that will run on Win 7.
>> 
>> So: Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program that
>> will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a budget that
>> covers software.
>
> PortMon, <http://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb896644.aspx>, may 
> cover your requirements.
> 	Andrew

You might also consider using a scripting language, like Tcl.  This has a 
fileevent mechanism which will call a proc (presumeably to log the data) 
whenever the serial port is readable, and afaict, this works just fine on 
a serial port or socket -- even on Windows.

Cheers,
Rob.

Hi,
>You might also consider using a scripting language, like Tcl.  This has a 
>fileevent mechanism which will call a proc (presumeably to log the data) 
>whenever the serial port is readable, and afaict, this works just fine on 
>a serial port or socket -- even on Windows.
seeing Tcl mentioned reminded me of Moni
(http://www.rolf-schroedter.de/moni/) - the best I ever came across:
- 2 display panes: one in ASCII, one in Hex
- log to file if you want to
- not only a logger - you can also use it to communicate with your
target or transfer files to it, optionally adding delays (character
and line wise IIRC)
- can show and change handshake lines - nothing you need often, but if
you do, you need it badly
- comes with source so you may even change things (IIRC there are some
glitches)
HTH
M'

On 10/09/2010 16:09, Grant Edwards wrote:
> On 2010-09-10, David Brown<david@westcontrol.removethisbit.com>  wrote:
>> On 10/09/2010 09:05, Don McKenzie wrote:
>>> On 10/09/2010 12:14 PM, Grant Edwards wrote:
>>>> On 2010-09-09, Michael_s<hillmyu@n_o_s_p_a_m.hotmail.com>  wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Can anyone recommend a Win 7-compatible serial monitoring program
>>>>> that will sniff RS232 packets? Free would be nice, but I have a
>>>>> budget that covers software.
>>>>
>>>> Have you tried sysinternals portmon?
>>>>
>>>> http://www.google.com/search?q=windows+monitor+serial+data
>>>
>>> Have a look at: Hyperterminal or DockLight
>>>
>>
>> Forget hyperterminal - look at the archives of this group if you want to
>> know other people's opinions, but it's not even worth spending that time
>> and effort when there are far better programs available.
>>
>> One of the most popular choices is Tera Term Pro:
>> <http://ttssh2.sourceforge.jp/index.html.en>
>
> Neither one of which can be used to sniff serial traffic.
>

Good point - perhaps I should have read the original question, not just 
Don's reply!

Everyone,

Thanks for the input (and bonus ideas re: logging of data!) It turns out
PuTTY is another possibility for reading serial ports. I'll look at all of
these suggestions.

Michael	   
					
---------------------------------------		
Posted through http://www.EmbeddedRelated.com