Program: RS232MON.EXE
Requires: Windows 3.1
Abstract:
This Windows 3.1 Utility allows you to monitor the RS-232 port 
activities  of your DOS programs as your DOS program runs. 
This program is great for the development of embedded data 
terminal applications as it allows you to
transparently monitor any DOS access to your RS-232 ports.  It works 
just like an HP RS-232 protocol analyzer except it cost $$$ less. 


This program requires the use of the special windows device driver: 
CBBGBUFF.386.  Before running this program you must copy this file
into your windows directory (usually c:\windows).  You must then modify
your SYSTEM.INI file to include a reference to this new device driver.
To modify your SYSTEM.INI file:
  1. Copy the file CBBGBUFF.386 to your \windows subdirectory.
  2. In your SYSTEM.INI file, replace the command "device=*combuff" 
     with the command "device=cbbgbuff.386".  You should find these
     commands the the [386Enh] section of the file.

To run the program:
   1.  Copy RS232mon.exe to your \windows subdirectory.
   2.  Start windows
   3.  Use the "Run" command from the program manager and type "RS232mon.exe"
   4.  Open up an MS-DOS window and run the DOS program you wish to monitor.




OPERATION
=========
The operation of RS232mon is pretty straight foward.  
1.  Select the port you wish to trace on using the trace menu command.  
2.  On the display, each horizontal line is broken up into two fields.
    All transmit activity is reported on the top of the line while
    all receive activity is reported on the bottom of the line.
3.  As each line is filled up, RS232mon will move to the next line below it.
    When the last line is filled, RS232mon cycles back up to the first line.
    You can always find the last trace events by looking for the "*" on the
    right side of the display.

4.  Be patient.  In order for RS232mon to be as non-intrusive as possible,
    it will only update the display every few seconds or so.  It will not 
    loose any characters since it internally buffers all RS-232 
    activities.

 
HINTS
======
1.  Make sure you set the "background" bit for your DOS program.  Otherwise,
    windows will suspend your DOS program when you switch to another program
    (like RS232mon).
2.  Make sure you add the command "device=CBBGBUFF.386" and remove the
    command "device=*combuff" from your system.ini file.  See the 
    instructions above.
3.  If you are using a serial mouse, you will not be able to monitor
    the serial port that your mouse is using. 
    That's because the mouse driver locks that serial port.
4.  If you are going to trace COM3 and COM4, make sure you set up
    Windows to recognized this.  See you Windows manual about setting
    up COM3 and COM4.  If possible, set up your DOS program to use
    COM1 or COM2 instead.  (Tracing COM3 and COM4 is difficult, is
    not recommend, and not guaranteed to work).

5.  THIS IS A DEMO PROGRAM.  If you find this program useful, please
    send me $30 and I will send you the full working version of this 
    program.  The full version supports data loging to a file.  The demo
    version does not.


David Tamashiro
CBBG Consulting
816 N. Abbott Ave
Milpitas, CA 95035

Internet: davetam@netcom.com