Serial port not working anymore...problems with Windows XP?

[spaceman_spif]

My program communicates no problem when I run it on my personal desktop computer (which has a multi port serial card and Windows 2000), no problem with my "on the floor debug" desktop copmuter (which has a multi port serial card and Windows 2000), and no problem with the new Dell desktops that will eventually become our full time test computers (and they have multi port serial cards and Windows 2000).

The laptops I'm having trouble with are used laptops we just purchased. They have Windows XP and a standard comm card with one serial and one parallel port.

The only change I've done is on the version of the program that I run on all the desktop computers, I selected "ASRL1", "ASRL2", etc. as my com ports in my VISA setup. On the laptops, I changed it to "COM1".

I've never "opened a VISA session in Measurement and Automation Explorer". How do I do that?

Maybe I should fess up...I'm a self taught newbie with no LabView training whatsoever and this is my first program. So some of the LV lingo is gonna fly over my head!

[Ray.R]

Hey Spif,

Good to see that you are having fun 😉

Is there an icon that says MAX on your desktop? (Measurement & Automation)
If not, check under Programs > National Instruments > Measurement & Automation (or even MAX).
It is a blue circle with the "N"-logo and a yellow arrow on it.

If not, maybe it was not installed. This is a good place to start.

Have fun.. 😄

JLV

[spaceman_spif]

I'll go check.

And the next time you invite me to have "fun" with you, remind me to say NO! 😉

[Ray.R]

LOL!!!

😄 😄 😄

I always have fun....

😄 😄 😄

[spaceman_spif]

Okay, I do have MAX on my personal desktop. I'll have to play with it a bit and find out how to use it. Any suggestions on where to start? Does it have any cool games on it?

[Ray.R]

Hey Spif,

Start by double clicking it or other means to get it running.

If you hit the right sequence of keys, space invaders will pop-up 😉

Click the "+" next to Devices & Interfaces to expand it.
Click the "+" next to Ports (Serial & Parallel) to expand it.

Click on your desired COM port. A window will open and indicate if the port is working..
The checkmark should be in the box next to Device Enabled

At the top, you can open a VISA session.

The BAsic IO can be used to communicate with your target.

Keep having fun!!! 😄 😄 😄

JLV

[Ray.R]

Our buddy Spif,

You have to let us know how it went... 😄

Wouldn't want to leave you out in the cold (of space).. 😉

😄

JLV

[dirtyb15]

Well this is funny, i am running into the exact same problem. I developed an application using com1 on a windows 2000 machine. It has worked fine as an application on all other win2k2 machines as long as i install the visa runtime(3.01, not 3.2, which i am going to try next.), but will not work on any xp machines. It runs, but no data is being recieved over the com port. Did anyone ever figure out what the problem was? Ill be working on it all day tommorow, hopefully i can come up with something besides,"use win2k2 :)"

[spaceman_spif]

I got sidetracked for a bit so I haven't had a chance to mess much more with the XP issue. But I received an identical laptop that was loaded with Windows 2000. If it runs fine, then I'll know it was an issue with XP.

I have to get this cold fusion working first.

[tst]

To: Spif, Spaceman
Dear sir,
You are an amusing individual.
Respectfully,
General Arthur Twocombs, Mrs.

(that's for all those Pyhton fans out there).