Com again !

[John Twomey]

I have a PCI 2 port serial card by Microcomputer Research UK ltd
(MRI) it has dual 16550 uarts ..

when I run my programs under win2000 I have no problems
using all 4 com ports ..

problem:
--------
When I boot to dos (on another drive).I can transmit but not
receive on coms 3 and 4 ????

Coms 1 & 2 are fine .... Transmit and receive

Dos drivers installed and say addresses are &H3E8 and &H2E8
I have no errors on compile .

this was my test prog ....
cls
Open "com3:9600,n,8,1,rs,cs,cd,ds" for random as #1
Open "com4:9600,n,8,1,rs,cs,cd,ds" for random as #2
print" COMS OPEN .... Delaying"
delay 1
print #1,"TEST COM LOOP"
print "Message sent "
delay 1
input #2,a$
print a$
close #1
close #2
end

* I am not using any timeout this is just a test prog ...
This works fine for com 1 & 2
I can transmit but not receive on both com 3 and com 4

Cable is a null modem cable .....
I played around with bios settings ... no joy there.
I tried it on my server under dos ... still the same.

Any help would be greatly appreciated ...

John Twomey

[Mel Bishop]

Com's 3 & 4 are shared IRQ's with Com's 1 & 2. Can't remember
what are shared with what. A couple if things you may try with
absolutely no guarantee of it working:

Try changing your open com statements to:

Open "com3:9600,n,8,1,rs,cs,cd,ds" as #1
Open "com4:9600,n,8,1,rs,cs,cd,ds" as #2

The "random" is redundant and, here, serves no useful purposes
(that I can find).

Another possible: If you know the actual port numbers, try using
the INP and OUT functions for Com's 3 & 4 (or maybe even 1 & 2).




------------------

[John Twomey]

Originally posted by Mel Bishop:
Com's 3 & 4 are shared IRQ's with Com's 1 & 2. Can't remember
what are shared with what. A couple if things you may try with
absolutely no guarantee of it working:

Try changing your open com statements to:

Open "com3:9600,n,8,1,rs,cs,cd,ds" as #1
Open "com4:9600,n,8,1,rs,cs,cd,ds" as #2

The "random" is redundant and, here, serves no useful purposes
(that I can find).

Another possible: If you know the actual port numbers, try using
the INP and OUT functions for Com's 3 & 4 (or maybe even 1 & 2).

Thanks for the reply.....
I have tried both those options already .... the same result..
A pretty strange one.


------------------
John T

[Mike Luther]

Look for a copy of Ray Gwinn's X00.SYS COM driver package. It replaces
the standard COMM driver in DOS boxes and opens up all kinds of
possibilities for manipulation of the communications port arena in
DOS. It's Fossil oriented, but may help you open up the ports to
other than the transferred IRQ 4 and IRQ3 that are likely co-mingled
and troubling you.

The last version is X00150.ZIP from about 1993 or 1994. I've got it here
on the BBS for download, but if you like I'll Email you a copy of it
if you want, or in response to Email from you, I'll give you the IP
address if you can handle a TELNET connection to the BBS here.

------------------
Mike Luther
[email protected]

[This message has been edited by Mike Luther (edited November 23, 2002).]

[John Twomey]

Originally posted by Mike Luther:
Look for a copy of Ray Gwinn's X00.SYS COM driver package. It replaces
the standard COMM driver in DOS boxes and opens up all kinds of
possibilities for manipulation of the communications port arena in
DOS. It's Fossil oriented, but may help you open up the ports to
other than the transferred IRQ 4 and IRQ3 that are likely co-mingled
and troubling you.

The last version is X00150.ZIP from about 1993 or 1994. I've got it here
on the BBS for download, but if you like I'll Email you a copy of it
if you want, or in response to Email from you, I'll give you the IP
address if you can handle a TELNET connection to the BBS here.

Thanks Mike ... I have emailed you re: above
John T



------------------
John T

[John Twomey]

mike,

My email to you bounced ?


------------------
John T

[Mike Luther]

Incredible .. John!

But, no, I think I got your message. At any rate I replied to one
from what looks like you for your request!

If not ... we go another direction!

Since I don't try to confuse the spambots, everyone else's doesn't
seem to ... wry grin. The PowerBASIC newsletter and whatever PB
traffic isn't so afflicted, or wasn't last week...

I've had one other soul indicate that he can't fire traffic at this
address in that it is apparently blocked at some SMTP relay server
somewhere. We were going to tackle that problem with my IP provider
and get it resolved, but haven't gotten round to it yet.

Well, let's experiment here! Try the FidoNet gateway!

[email protected]

That one won't be instantaneous, as it will have to go throug the R19
gateway, thence to Steve Loupe in Houston at 1:106/1 and to me. It will
take a couple hours, but I'm still the NC of Net 117 here. It should
make it through the gateway and then I can pick off your Email address
if it makes it that way!

Then .. while we are at it here. Do you have a TELNET client which will
let you log on to a BBS via the Internet and download files? Heck, if
nothing else since it is free for use on three or less computers at
the same time at a site, I could upload it to the PB crew and they can
make a decision if they want to grant access to it...

------------------
Mike Luther
[email protected]



[This message has been edited by Mike Luther (edited November 23, 2002).]

[Lance Edmonds]

It sounds like the PCI-ports are not using standard IRQ's. Add a IRx clause to the OPEN "COM" statements to specify the precise IRQ that is being used.

(the IRQ's being used will probably be shown during boot-up, or possibly through a configuration program, or through the BIOS setup).

------------------
Lance
PowerBASIC Support
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

[John Twomey]

Cheers again ... for taking the time...

Now what do I have ... well lets see.

I ran a util called Ip.exe (Mels Diner BBS)

this said com 1 = 3f8 (irq4) -as does my bios
com 2 = 2f8 (irq3) -as does my bios
com 3 = 3e8 (irq10) ** yes 10 !!
com 4 = 2e8 (irq10) - again !!

so how do you suggest I go from here -
considering I have used fossil drivers with
this IRQ set for com3 and 4 - only to have no
communication on 3 or 4 whatsoever ...

so I used fossil drivrs and set com 1 & 3 shared irq4
com 2 & 4 shared irq3

back to the original issue - receive but no transmit on
com 3 & 4 .

Your suggestion takes what syntax -

to set irq's according to bios and util I used -

>open "com3:9600,n,8,1,rs,cs,cd,ds,ir10" as #1

with the exact same result - Transmit but will not receive.

so I used the irq addition in all Open "COMn:..
statements - even for known com1 and 2 (using irq's 3 and 4
of course)

Transmit but no receive com3 & 4.

Who'd have thought something so simple could create such
strife ......... ?



------------------
John T

[John Twomey]

Mike,
I got that thanks ... did you receive my attachment with
my mail ?
Well I am all fossil(ed) out ... tried just about every
combo from the defacto to the downright crazy(just in case)

The best it will produce is the same result as I had ???

Went back to check with manufacturer of I/o card - no issues.
Tried the irq route - best result is ,again, as I had.

So just in case I tried it under 2k again and a console
window all fine......Gods sake ?
Used same Irq's under dos mode ..... NO NO NO...as before.
then just as I was about to throw the server /tft/ books
tools (and what not) out the window I said I wouls check
if my other apps had any errors .. no - all were fine .

Tried Vb6,Liberty,Visual C++,delphi ... all fine .

I'm off to find my old copy of QB & use the aforementioned
fossil to see what wonders await ....

The saga continues.....



------------------
John T

[John Twomey]

ariston ..an on and on...

I ran ip.exe under win2k to see what going on there ..


RESULTS
-------------------------
|COM |ADDRESS | IRQ |
-------------------------
|com1 | 3f8 | 4 |
|com2 | 2f8 | 3 |
|com3 | 3e8 | 4 |
|com4 | 2e8 | 3 |
-------------------------

A null modem cable using any combination of tx rx and
com ports works just dandy .

when IP is run under dos (with driver installed)

--------------------------
|COM |ADDRESS | IRQ |
--------------------------
|com1 | 3f8 | 4 |
|com2 | 2f8 | 3 |
|com3 | 3e8 | 10 | *
|com4 | 2e8 | 10 | *
--------------------------

I have fossil(ed) all combinations - included IRx as suggested
for all the different IRQ's - played with the bios settings
- PnP off - manual settings - com addresses (and various
combinations of all these plus suggestions) ..........
Fossil(ed) irq's from the sky even aaarrrggghh !!

** LOOK !! I am even talking to my self ..


I'm dying here .

I will post you a cream bun !!



------------------
John T

[Lance Edmonds]

Are you sure the manufacturer states that the card is 100% DOS-compatible? Do they describe a way to set the IRQ and leave it set?

Also, is the MB BIOS set for "PnP OS = NO"? If set to YES, the OS/driver will be able to dynamically remap the IRQ so you'll get different results under Windows than DOS.

------------------
Lance
PowerBASIC Support
mailto:[email protected][email protected]</A>

[Mike Luther]

Another good point made Lance .. I never really made the connection
that if you let a mother board do the auto thing, it could affect the
way comm ports are handled. In that with OS/2 I sorta never have to
think about that it went right over my head..

And yes, John. I did get the attachment with the Email message here
just fine. I wish the author had chosen to add the source for the
library, rather than just the library and the include file to use
with it! I was surprsed to find he cited the doc files for the X00
that I sent you. Smalll world, grin.

Thanks!


------------------
Mike Luther
[email protected]

[John Twomey]

Lance,

I have been through all of that !
PnP on / off and all the aforementioned
options in combination ...
Manufacturers say 100% compatible...but are to email me again
I convinced them to try it for themselves..

John T

------------------
John T

[John Twomey]

***** sorted **********
***********************

its now 2:25 am ..yipeeee
btw - the manufacturer suggested PnP off - I'll get back to that.

well lets see
-------------
I decided to order 2 x 16550 uarts today - (40pin dil package)
and fitted them replacing 16550cp with 16550AN's - the difference
I really don't know (but intend to find out).

I fitted them - standard protocol - same result.
I included the ir10 line (as com tests show this as irq) - no good
so I went through the usual (all above) and it worked at .
adding 'ir11' to open "com:... statement.

Knowing that I had already tried this I refitted the old 16550
uarts .... back to the original problem !

Refitting the new uarts - bingo ........
All 4 coms as they should be !!! tx rx all over the place !!

I intend to find out more and will let you know !
Must inform the manufacturer when I am fully versed.
(maybe just iffy i.c's - but win2k worked fine so I don't know)

I would like to take this opportunity to thank you all
i.e Mel ,Mike and Lance for your time,effort and insight
mostly because you kept me interested.

--What a great bunch of people you all are --

I was a big QBer years ago - but moved onto various 32bit apps
- now I'm rehooked on a better,more comprehensive and very
powerful POWERBASIC...

Thank you all Once again....Finally I can get some sleep..

JOHN T


------------------
John T

[Mel Bishop]

Originally posted by John Twomey:
....Refitting the new uarts - bingo ........

I'm really glad you got the problem solved. It saddens me,
however, that you had to go through all this #[email protected]%$ to
get it fixed. I am going to print-out this entire post for
future reference.


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