I know the baud rate, parity, number of data bits and stop bit settings for
the AMC712 hardware. What about the other settings? I don't have any manual
or documentation on the encoder, can anyone help me out?

--

Shawn Aleong,

Hi,

I have a Barcode reader example in my book (see below).  I have no
experience with the AMC712, but I'd be surprised if there was anything
complicated about the data format.  I suspect that it is a simple CRLF
terminated record (ASCII data) for both sent and received data.

This is easily enough determined.  You can use the software that comes with
the unit (or download, if you don't have it -- I found a link on the web
with a demo program), and monitor the serial data sent and received.  Then,
write your program using the same data streams.

--
Richard Grier (Microsoft Developer MVP)
Hard & Software
12962 West Louisiana Avenue
Lakewood, CO  80228
303-986-2179 (voice)
303-986-3143 (fax)
Author of Visual Basic Programmer's Guide to Serial Communications, 2nd
Edition (355 pages).
For information look on my homepage at http://www.hardandsoftware.net.
Use the Books link to order.  For faster service contact the publisher at
http://www.mabry.com.

You need to know which wires are used, and how it is saying
if it is turned off or on (RTS/CTS is not universal)
Get a serial port diagnostic adaptor with the little lights on it
(probably something like US$30 from Tandy/Radio Shack)
Since you are having problems, the more lights the better,
and the ones with the dual colored leds indicate the polarity
of the signal.