Maker Pro
Maker Pro

Software to merge NMEA streams?

U

Ulrich G. Kliegis

Jan 1, 1970
0
Hi all,
is there any utility that merges NMEA streams entering a PC through
two or more physical COM ports into one virtual stream? Several useful
programs feature only one entry path. I am thinking of something like
the opposite of Fransons GPS Gate.Any hints? TIA.

Cheers,
U.
 
M

Meindert Sprang

Jan 1, 1970
0
"Ulrich G. Kliegis"
<diesemailadressevonUlliistzwaretwaslangabersieisttrotzdemgueltig@kliegis.de
wrote in message Hi all,
is there any utility that merges NMEA streams entering a PC through
two or more physical COM ports into one virtual stream? Several useful
programs feature only one entry path. I am thinking of something like
the opposite of Fransons GPS Gate.Any hints? TIA.

Dunno about any software that does this, but hardware can be found here:
www.shipmodul.com

Meindert
 
L

Luc Habert

Jan 1, 1970
0
Ulrich G. Kliegis :
is there any utility that merges NMEA streams entering a PC through
two or more physical COM ports into one virtual stream?

Try http://com0com.sourceforge.net/. The driver allows to create a pair of
virtual serial ports connected by a pipe, and the hub4com utility should let
you combine your inputs into this pipe. I found that you need to disable RTS
in the RS 232 parameters in the software listening at the other end of the
pipe, or it won't receive anything.
 
U

Ulrich G. Kliegis

Jan 1, 1970
0
Try http://com0com.sourceforge.net/. The driver allows to create a pair of
virtual serial ports connected by a pipe, and the hub4com utility should let
you combine your inputs into this pipe. I found that you need to disable RTS
in the RS 232 parameters in the software listening at the other end of the
pipe, or it won't receive anything.


Luc,

Thanks, thanks, thanks! It looks at least exactly like what I was
looking for, if the software does what you describe and what is
written in the chapter "multiplexing".

@Meindert:

thanks to you too, but I was looking just for a solution avoiding
additional hardware. The serial ports are there (incidently, they live
in a 4 RSR232-toUSB adapter, making sure that after power up, the
COM-ports keep their once-asserted numbers).

Here is the link to this interface:
http://www.delock.de/produkte/suche/Delock_USB_20_zu_4_Port_Seriell_HUB_87414.html?setLanguage=EN
They also have an 8*serial to USB adapter:

http://www.delock.de/produkte/grupp...pter_USB_8x_Seriell_61519.html?setLanguage=EN

Maybe helpful for some people, especially with Luc's advice.

Cheers,
U.
 
M

Meindert Sprang

Jan 1, 1970
0
"Ulrich G. Kliegis"
<diesemailadressevonUlliistzwaretwaslangabersieisttrotzdemgueltig@kliegis.de
wrote in message @Meindert:

thanks to you too, but I was looking just for a solution avoiding
additional hardware. The serial ports are there (incidently, they live
in a 4 RSR232-toUSB adapter, making sure that after power up, the
COM-ports keep their once-asserted numbers).

With an NMEA multiplexer, you also have just one box (replaces the current
interface) and you have galvanic isolation.

Also, the hub4com software is really meant to split one incoming stream to 4
virtual ports. Does it provide a way to go the other way? If so, hub4com
should know about the data, recognize start and end of NMEa sentences in
order to merge them properly. You cannot simply stuff all characters/bytes
together in one stream, you have to maintain complete sentences.

And the shipmodul multiplexers have a unique USB serial number, which makes
the multiplexer appear at the same virtual com port all the time, whatever
USB port you use, with or without hubs.

Meindert
 
L

Luc Habert

Jan 1, 1970
0
"Meindert Sprang" :
Also, the hub4com software is really meant to split one incoming stream to 4
virtual ports. Does it provide a way to go the other way?

Yes, with --route=All:All
If so, hub4com should know about the data, recognize start and end of NMEa
sentences in order to merge them properly. You cannot simply stuff all
characters/bytes together in one stream, you have to maintain complete
sentences.

You are right. However, hub4com does buffered reads, so that it should work
most of the time.
And the shipmodul multiplexers have a unique USB serial number, which makes
the multiplexer appear at the same virtual com port all the time, whatever
USB port you use, with or without hubs.

A virtual port created with com0com also has a stable name.
 
U

Ulrich G. Kliegis

Jan 1, 1970
0
A virtual port created with com0com also has a stable name.

An an american friend used to say: There are many ways to skin a cat.
I made that: There are many ways to scan a kid. ...

I'll give it a try these days. Merging several streams into one
without separating the data in a meaningful way would be pretty, well,
dilettantic. So, without knowing the specs, I guess, that some
selection of a sentence delimiter or a similar partitioning of the
data stream will be implemented. I would be surprised if not.

Cheers,
U.
 
M

Meindert Sprang

Jan 1, 1970
0
Luc Habert said:
You are right. However, hub4com does buffered reads, so that it should work
most of the time.

Not at all. A buffered read means no more than that a bunch of bytes is read
and forwarded as a block with no relation to the data whatsoever.

Meindert
 
P

Paul

Jan 1, 1970
0
"Ulrich G. Kliegis"
Hi all,
is there any utility that merges NMEA streams entering a PC through
two or more physical COM ports into one virtual stream? Several useful
programs feature only one entry path. I am thinking of something like
the opposite of Fransons GPS Gate.Any hints? TIA.

Cheers,
U.

My free program NacMonPc (see www.NavMonPc.com and
//www.sailvalis.com/NavMon) will do this, plus a lot of other stuff you
probably don't need. It can take NMEA-0183 data from up to four serial
ports route the messages out to up to three virtual serial ports. Actually
the serial and virtual ports are bidirectional and there is
port/message-based routing available. It also takes data from a TCP/IP
port. Did I mention it's free? No strings attached.

-Paul
 
M

Meindert Sprang

Jan 1, 1970
0
Paul said:
My free program NacMonPc (see www.NavMonPc.com and
//www.sailvalis.com/NavMon) will do this, plus a lot of other stuff you
probably don't need. It can take NMEA-0183 data from up to four serial
ports route the messages out to up to three virtual serial ports. Actually
the serial and virtual ports are bidirectional and there is
port/message-based routing available. It also takes data from a TCP/IP
port. Did I mention it's free? No strings attached.

Hi Paul,

Which "tools" did you use to create the virtual ports? I am looking for a
driver or tool to do that from within a Delphi application.

Regards,
Meindert
www.shipmodul.com
 
G

Guest

Jan 1, 1970
0
Meindert Sprang said:
Hi Paul,

Which "tools" did you use to create the virtual ports? I am looking for a
driver or tool to do that from within a Delphi application.

Regards,
Meindert
www.shipmodul.com

Meindert,

I used Franson Serialtools for this. I don't know what you need for Delphi,
but these work with Visual Basic and the other languages in the family.
They have "dot-net" and activex drivers.

I'm sorry to say that the support is nonexistent. I've got the full license
for Serialtools, but Franson is now concentrating on their other products to
the point of not even answering Serialtools-related email. I am looking at
some new virtual-port tools, but haven't had a chance for any serious
evaluation.

Best,
Paul
 
Top