In message <342B33B6.3B3C@adacel.com.au>, Peter Homann writes >Hi, > >I'm currently about to begin constructing a setpoint controller for >a home built SMD reflow oven, (using a PIC of course) and plan to >output the temperature profile via RS232 for data logging. > >My questions are; > >Many test instruments (ie Multmeters) can be >interfaced to via RS232 to PCs. Is there a standard for the message >formats used by these instruments? And if so, does anybody know >where I can get hold of it? Elektor April 1997 had an article about interfacing to RS232 multimeters, unfortunately there seem to a number of different standards. The most common one (according to the article) uses 1200 baud, 7 bits, no parity, and 2 stop bits. To take a reading you send a 'D', and the meter returns a 14 byte string result. The first 3 bytes are the range, e.g. 'RES' or 'DC ', the next 6 are the value, e.g. '-16.23' or ' 3.999' and the next 4 are the unit, e.g. ' mV' or 'MOHM', finally the last byte is a CR. >Does anybody know of any cheap or freeware software for the PC that >can be used to interface to these test instruments? Or should I >brush up on my Visual Basic skills. The article in Elektor gave simple programs, in both Basic and Delphi, the Basic program was only 14 lines long and simply sends a 'D' to the meter and then prints the entire returned string to the screen, it then checks if the space key was pressed and repeats if not after a short delay. If you want the Basic or Delphi code let me know. It also mentions 3 commercial programs, 'Windows Laboratory Software', 'Digiscope', and 'MeasurePC', but the contact details for all 3 are in Germany. -- Nigel. /--------------------------------------------------------------\ | Nigel Goodwin | Internet : nigelg@lpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Lower Pilsley | Web Page : http://www.lpilsley.demon.co.uk | | Chesterfield | | | England | | \--------------------------------------------------------------/