Programming software to control a scanner

[Gilligan]

I have a BC246T and love the software I have for it. I use Butel's ARC246 for programming. I make heavy use of the 246T Audio Recorder (by Scannerbase). I am messing around with the 246T Advanced Virtual Control (also by Scannerbase), and I have (but don't really use) Uniden's UASD (I haven't messed with it much).

Although I appreciate the value of these programs, I want to make my own program to control my scanner. I have a good deal of experience in C++ programming (Visual C++) but not really any serial port experience. After looking through several articles and using some serial classes from the net, I've managed to piece together a program that attempts communication with my scanner. The radio doesn't want to accept the transmissions from the computer, but the computer has successfully received one character from the scanner. I can't get it to accept a command, like Uniden's command STS or WIN.

I have only found one open source program for scanner programming, and it's extremely simple (searches talkgroups or something) and is written in Visual Basic. Is there anyone who has any C++ code they would be willing to share to just get me going in the right direction with the serial port communications for a scanner? I'm not looking for the open source to a full-blown program (I want to write my own). But I need some help with the serial comms end of it and don't know where to turn. As a last resort, if someone was willing to help but not offer their source code, maybe they could briefly review the serial comms section of my code (maybe 40-50 lines of c++) and tell me where I'm going astray. I do believe that any help can contribute to the scanner software community. Personally, I would like to see (in the future) a few articles on serial programming for scanners in the Wiki. But that's down the road. Thanks to anyone who is able and willing to help me with this.

 

[Al42]

Send STS to the scanner and wait for the serial buffer to interrupt. If the last character is NOT a CR (13), stuff it into a buffer and ... wait or say STS again - I'm at the office and don't have access to the computer at home that has my source code, but it's one of the two. (Sorry for the generalization, but I haven't written a line of C in about 16 years, and the serial control in VB won't help you directly.)

There's a tcl program available that talks to the scanner - if you can read tcl (it's fairly C-ish), it might give you some ideas. Do a search here on RR for tcl.

Or run Hyperterminal, send commands and look at the responses. Oh, the commands must be upper case, IIRC.

 

[ka3jjz]

There's a tcl program available that talks to the scanner - if you can read tcl (it's fairly C-ish), it might give you some ideas. Do a search here on RR for tcl.

Actually that software is on the 246 Wiki, I just need to fix the link title...

BC246 Control and Programming tool

Interestingly there seems to be a slow progression of software being developed in tck/tl - much more so than other platforms such as the Mac. Wonder why? Does it have to do with the 232 being defined differently on that platform? 73s Mike

 

[Al42]

tcl is like Java or HTML - it's machine independent. A program written for the PC running Windows will run on a Mac pretty much as-is, as long as 1) you have the hardware (a USB port and a converter) and b) you have a tcl interpreter.

But I don't think that too many people writing in tcl are thinking about Macs, Mike - it's more a linux language.

 

[Gilligan]

Hey guys. Thanks for the replies. I'm checking into that control software. I saw it before but thought it was primarily linux. I see there's an XP option I need to look at. Also, thanks for the HyperTerminal suggestion -- never even thought of it.

 

[Al42]

Also, thanks for the HyperTerminal suggestion -- never even thought of it.

It's how I wrote my alpha tag program - once I saw what came out of the scanner in response to STS, I realized that I could use Hyperterminal and go blind or write something and start parsing the output. I think the STS output is just the current state of the screen, and that scrolls, so you get all kinds of crap that computers are so good at walking.