Challenge: Virtual serial ports from real serial port 
Author Message
 Challenge: Virtual serial ports from real serial port

Hi,
I've read some messages from people using the serial port with a GPS
connected, wanting to use more than one software at the same time: something
like have a navigation software, while another saves the track, and, for
example, another monitorizes your current speed.

However this is not possible since the COM port can't be shared, right?

So my idea, to which I would like you to comment is: why not make a software
that...
- 'creates' several virtual com ports
- every input from the COM port would be forwarded to these virtual ports
- every output to each of this virtual ports is forwarded to the COM port
This way, each of the running programs can have it's port assigned...

So, is this idea realistic? Does someone feel chalenged to try to do
something like this?

Hoping to ear from you,
Alberto Silva



Mon, 04 Jul 2005 23:45:38 GMT  
 Challenge: Virtual serial ports from real serial port
A better approach would be to create a "GPS" driver that uses the COM port
to receive the GPS stream from the device and parses it to meaningful data.
The GPS driver could then be opened by as many applications that need the
GPS data and could even provide a "WaitGPSEvent" function of some sort so an
application can wait for new location data points.

If you are dealing with existing applications for which you don't have
control then you may need to use the approach you presented. However you
need to keep in mind that an application could send commands to the GPS to
change options or parameters that another application needs so your
"Virtual" driver would need to do some checking and arbitration before
blindly passing the commands to the GPS unit.

--
Steve Maillet (eMVP)
Entelechy Consulting
smaillet_AT_EntelechyConsulting_DOT_com



Tue, 05 Jul 2005 06:35:12 GMT  
 Challenge: Virtual serial ports from real serial port
Hi Steve,
Yesterday at night, I remembered that it would be useful to have the ability
to enable/disable for each 'virtual' port the output of information.

Thanks,
Alberto Silva



Quote:
> A better approach would be to create a "GPS" driver that uses the COM port
> to receive the GPS stream from the device and parses it to meaningful
data.
> The GPS driver could then be opened by as many applications that need the



Tue, 05 Jul 2005 19:08:47 GMT  
 
 [ 3 post ] 

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