 Download ActiveComport Serial Port Toolkit 3.0 (2966 KB - .exe file)
Download Manual (117 KB - .htm file)
ActiveComport - Product Overview
Adding serial communications capabilities to an application is never a simple matter.
It requires specialized knowledge that might be outside an individual programmer's expertise.
For years, VBScript, Visual Basic and Visual C++ developers have relied upon the power, flexibility and
reliability of the ActiveComport serial communications control from ActiveXperts Software.
ActiveComport is a COM component, that provides an easy-to-use scripting interface for serial,
asynchronous communications through a serial port.
ActiveComport can control modems, ISDN modems, USB serial devices and other devices and machines that have a
serial interface.
Use ActiveComport for different purposes:
- To control manufacturing machines via the serial port;
- To configure network devices (like print-servers, routers) via the serial port;
- To control a modem, connected to the serial/USB port or Bluetooth;
- To send SMS messages to a mobile telephone using a GSM SmartPhone/Modem connected to the PC (serial/USB port or Bluetooth);
- To transfer files through a null modem cable;
- Any other scenario where serial communications is involved.
ActiveComport features the following:
- Direct COM ports supported (like 'COM2');
- Windows Telephony Devices supported (like 'Standard 9600 bps Modem');
- Support for RS-232, RS422 and RS485;
- Up to 256 ports opened simultaneously;
- Thread-safe to allow the toolkit in multi-threading environments (multi-threading samples included);
- Support for Hayes compatible modems, connected via a serial port, USB or Bluetooth;
- Support for GSM/GPRS modems (serial port, USB or Bluetooth);
- Support for Virtual COM ports (i.e. COM ports redirected through the network);
- Hardware flow control (RTS/CTS, DTR/DSR);
- Software flow control (XON/XOFF);
- Support for any baudrate;
- Ability to set baudrates, parity, stopbits;
- Full buffered data transfer;
- Text and Binary data transfer;
- Advanced logging.
ActiveComport includes samples for many development tools, including:
- Visual Basic .NET - Windows .NET based application;
- Visual C# .NET - Windows .NET based applications;
- Visual Basic 5.x or higher - Windows based applications;
- Visual C++ 5.x or higher - Windows based applications;
- Borland Delphi 7.x or higher - Windows based applications;
- Borland C++ Builder 6.x or higher - Windows based applications;
- ASP .NET - Web site based on Active Server Pages and the .NET Framework;
- ASP 2.x - Web site based on Active Server Pages (server-side scripting);
- PHP - Embedded HTML scripting;
- VBScript - Windows based scripts;
- Java/Javascript - Java based scripts;
- HTML - Client scripts within HTML pages;
- Any other development platform that supports ActiveX/COM components.
ActiveComport runs on the following Operating Systems:
- Windows Vista;
- Windows 2003;
- Windows XP;
- Windows 2000;
- Windows NT4;
- Windows 98 and Windows ME.
ActiveComport is built on top of the Microsoft serial device drivers.
It just uses these drivers. It neither replaces them, nor does it
install any additional serial device drivers.
The core of ActiveComport consists of one file: AComport.dll - the 'ActiveComport COM Component'.
ActiveComport can be distributed easily to many PC's. Once you have
purchased the licenses, you copy the AComport.dll to the PCs and
register the DLL on that PC.
Code Snippets and Sample Applications
The following code snippets (VBScript) illustrate how to use ActiveComport.
For more samples, please check the Online ActiveComport Samples.
Initialize a modem using a direct COM port
Set objComport = CreateObject( "ActiveXperts.Comport" ) ' Create a new Comport instance
objComport.Device = "COM1" ' Use a COM port directly
objComport.BaudRate = 56000 ' Set baudrate (default value: 9600)
objComport.HardwareFlowControl = True ' Set Hardware Flow Control (default: True)
objComport.SoftwareFlowControl = False ' Set Software Flow Control (default: True)
objComport.Open ' Open the port
Wscript.Echo "Open, result: " & objComport.LastError
If( objComport.LastError <> 0 ) Then
WScript.Quit
End If
objComport.WriteString( "at&f" ) ' Write command
str = objComport.ReadString
WScript.Echo "Received: [" & str & "]" ' Read the response
objComport.Close ' Close the port
Initialize a modem using a Windows Telephony Driver
Set objComport = CreateObject( "ActiveXperts.Comport" ) ' Create a new Comport instance
objComport.Device = "Standard 9600 bps Modem" ' Use a Windows Telephony driver
objComport.Open ' Open the port
Wscript.Echo "Open, result: " & objComport.LastError
If( objComport.LastError <> 0 ) Then
WScript.Quit
End If
objComport.WriteString( "at&f" ) ' Write command
str = objComport.ReadString
WScript.Echo "Received: [" & str & "]" ' Read the response
objComport.Close ' Close the port
Send an SMS using a GSM Modem connected to the PC; Enable logging
Const RECIPIENT = "+31624896641"
Const MESSAGE = "Hello, world!"
Set objComport = CreateObject( "ActiveXperts.Comport" )' Create a new Comport instance
objComport.Device = "Nokia 6680 SmartPhone" ' Use a Windows Telephony driver
objComport.LogFile = "C:\ActiveComport.log" ' Enable logging
objComport.Open ' Open the port
Wscript.Echo "Open, result: " & objComport.LastError
If( objComport.LastError <> 0 ) Then
WScript.Quit
End If
WriteStr objComport, "at+cmgs=" & Chr( 34 ) & strNumber & Chr( 34 )
ReadStr objComport
WriteStr objComport, strMessage
strTermCmd = Chr( 26 ) ' Terminate message: [ctrl]z then [enter]
WriteStr objComport, strTermCmd
objComport.Sleep 3000 ' Allow some time
ReadStr objComport ' +CMGS: expected
ReadStr objComport ' OK expected
objComport.Close ' Close the port
' ********************************************************************
' Sub Routines
' ********************************************************************
Sub WriteStr( obj, str )
obj.WriteString str
WScript.Echo "-> " & str
End Sub
Sub ReadStr( obj )
str = "notempty"
obj.Sleep 200
Do While str <> ""
str = obj.ReadString
If( str <> "" ) Then
WScript.Echo "<- " & str
End If
Loop
End Sub
' ********************************************************************
Requirements
- Operating System
ActiveComport runs on the following Operating Systems:
- Windows
Vista - Windows Vista Business, Windows Vista Enterprise, Windows Vista
Home Premium, Windows Vista Home Basic, Windows Vista Ultimate;
- Windows
2003 - Windows 2003 Standard Edition, Windows 2003 Enterprise Edition,
Windows 2003 Datacenter Edition, Windows 2003 Web Edition;
- Windows 2000 - Windows 2000 Professonal, Windows 2000 Server, Windows 2000 Advanced Server and Windows 2000 Datacenter;
- Windows XP - Windows XP Home Edition and Windows XP Professional Edition;
- Windows NT4 - Windows NT4 Workstation and Windows NT4 Server (Service Pack 3 required);
- Windows ME - Windows Millenium Edition;
- Windows 98 - Windows 98 and Windows 98 SE (Second Edition).
- ASP .NET, VB .NET, VC# .NET, ASP, VB, Visual C++ and more
ActiveComport can be used by using any of these development languages:
- Visual Basic .NET - Windows .NET based applications. Requires Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. More...
- Visual C# .NET - Windows .NET based applications. Requires Microsoft Visual Studio .NET. More...
- ASP .NET (VB) - Web site based on Active Server Pages and the .NET Framework. Requires Internet Information Services (IIS). More...
- ASP .NET (CSharp) - Web site based on Active Server Pages and the .NET Framework. Requires Internet Information Services (IIS). More...
- Visual Basic 5.x/6.x - Requires Microsoft Visual Studio 5.x/6.x. More...
- ASP 2.x - Web site based on Active Server Pages (server-side scripting). Requires Internet Information Services (IIS). More...
- Visual C++ 5.x/6.x - Windows based applications. More...
- VBScript - Windows based scripts. More...
- HTML - Client scripts within HTML pages. More...
- Borland Delphi 7.x or higher. More...
- Borland C++ Builder 6.x or higher. More...
- PHP. More...
- .NET Framework
To use the ActiveComport toolkit in an ASP .NET, Visual Basic .NET or
Visual C#. NET environment, the .NET Framework must be installed on the
system. The .NET Framework is part of the Windows Vista and Windows
2003 Operating Systems. On Windows 2000, Windows 98, Windows ME,
Windows NT, Windows Server 2003 and Windows XP, it's available as a
separate installation. Please visit the Technology Information for the .NET Framework page to download the .NET Framework.
- Internet Information Server
Internet Information Server (IIS) Setup installs the Visual Basic Script and Java Script engines.
To run ASP pages on NT4 Servers, IIS 4.x must be installed. IIS 4.x ships with the NT4 Option Pack CD's.
To run ASP pages on Windows 2000 Servers, IIS 5.x must be installed. IIS is part of the Windows 2000 Operating System.
- Internet Explorer 4.x or higher
The Internet Explorer 4.x Setup (or higher) installs the Visual Basic Script and Java Script engines.
You can use the ActiveComport toolkit component from within the client HTML code.
- Windows Scripting Host
ActiveComport can be used in VBS scripts. VBS scripts can be used by
passing the script-file as a parameter to the scripting host ( either
'cscript' or 'wscript').
WSH relies on the Visual Basic Script and Java Script engines provided
with Internet Explorer 4.x or later. WSH is also installed as part of
Windows 98, Windows 2000, and Internet Information Services 4.0. A
separate setup program is provided for Windows 95.
- Visual Basic
ActiveComport can be used in Visual Basic. In Visual Basic, go to the
'Project/References...' menu item and check the box next to
ActiveComport toolkit Type Library. Now, you can declare and create the
ActiveComport toolkit object.
See also our comprehensive samples. They are installed as part of the product, but can also be found on our website.
- Visual C
ActiveComport can be used inside Visual C++ applications. Include the
*.h and *.c file provided by ActiveXperts to bind your code to the
ActiveComport component.
Visual C samples are installed as part of the product, but can also be found on our website.
Installation
The ActiveComport components
The ActiveComport package consists of 3 components; any combination of components can be installed:
- The ActiveComport COM component - the interface to COM compliant applications;
- The ActiveComport Help Files - documentation;
- The ActiveComport Example Files - examples.
Installation on a single computer
Simply run the AComport.exe Setup program. The InstallShield wizard will guide you through the rest of the setup.
If you choose the ActiveComport COM component, the Setup program can
perform the registration of the COM component for you. But it will also
give you the opportunity to register the object yourself.
Any subsequent installation of ActiveComport can be performed either manually or by using the Setup program.
Installation on multiple computers
Any subsequent installations can be performed using the setup program.
But since the installation of the core components is very simple, you
may want to do it manually, or integrate it into your companies
software distribution program.
If you choose to install the COM component manually on other machines, simply perform the following actions:
- Copy the AComport.dll (the ActiveComport COM component) to a destination location on the new machine;
- Register the COM component by using the following command: REGSVR32 <dest-location>\AComport.dll
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