At 04:04 PM 9/27/2005, Harold wrote:
>I'm wondering about a cheap and dirty way to get a Windoze GUI for PIC
>projects. Is there any way to direct a URL request from a browser to a
>COMM port? Say, instead of the http:// or file:// prefix, we did a com1://
>prefix (perhaps a URL of com1://mydevice/analog?chan=1). Instead of
>sending the request out to the specified IP address over ethernet, it'd
>send the GET or POST request out the specified EIA232 port. Our PIC would
>just respond to the request. The mydevice in the above URL would be
>meaningless, though perhaps the PIC device could ignore requests not
>addressed to it (not respond), allowing other devices on a tri-state or
>open collector EIA232 bus to respond. I've done "open collector" EIA232
>buses by having a pull-down to -12 and a diode between the driver and the
>bus. Any device can drive the bus positive (space condition), and the bus
>idles at -12V (mark condition). This would be a master/slave arrangement,
>since no device gets on the bus unless asked for a response, so contention
>would not be an issue.
>
>So, any "wedge" or something that can be put on a Windoze machine so a URL
>prefix of com1: com2: etc. would work?

I'm no expert, but I believe an IP address can be assigned to just about 
any device in Windows.

================================================================
Robert A. LaBudde, PhD, PAS, Dpl. ACAFS  e-mail: ral@lcfltd.com
Least Cost Formulations, Ltd.            URL: http://lcfltd.com/
824 Timberlake Drive                     Tel: 757-467-0954
Virginia Beach, VA 23464-3239            Fax: 757-467-2947

"Vere scire est per causas scire"
================================================================

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