MATLAB/Octave - RS232 Bricklet¶

Loopback (MATLAB)¶

Download (matlab_example_loopback.m)

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function matlab_example_loopback()
    import com.tinkerforge.IPConnection;
    import com.tinkerforge.BrickletRS232;
    import java.lang.String;

    % For this example connect the RX1 and TX pin to receive the send message

    HOST = 'localhost';
    PORT = 4223;
    UID = 'XYZ'; % Change XYZ to the UID of your RS232 Bricklet

    ipcon = IPConnection(); % Create IP connection
    rs232 = handle(BrickletRS232(UID, ipcon), 'CallbackProperties'); % Create device object

    ipcon.connect(HOST, PORT); % Connect to brickd
    % Don't use device before ipcon is connected

    % Register read callback to function cb_read
    set(rs232, 'ReadCallback', @(h, e) cb_read(e));

    % Enable read callback
    rs232.enableReadCallback();

    % Write "test" string
    rs232.write(string_to_char_array(String('test')), 4);

    input('Press key to exit\n', 's');
    ipcon.disconnect();
end

% Callback function for read callback
function cb_read(e)
    fprintf('Message (Length: %g): %s\n', e.length, e.message);
end

% Convert string to array of length 60 as needed by write
function char_array = string_to_char_array(message)
    import java.util.Arrays;
    char_array = Arrays.copyOf(message.toCharArray(), 60);
end

Loopback (Octave)¶

Download (octave_example_loopback.m)

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function octave_example_loopback()
    more off;

    % For this example connect the RX1 and TX pin to receive the send message

    HOST = "localhost";
    PORT = 4223;
    UID = "XYZ"; % Change XYZ to the UID of your RS232 Bricklet

    ipcon = javaObject("com.tinkerforge.IPConnection"); % Create IP connection
    rs232 = javaObject("com.tinkerforge.BrickletRS232", UID, ipcon); % Create device object

    ipcon.connect(HOST, PORT); % Connect to brickd
    % Don't use device before ipcon is connected

    % Register read callback to function cb_read
    rs232.addReadCallback(@cb_read);

    % Enable read callback
    rs232.enableReadCallback();

    % Write "test" string
    rs232.write(string2chars("test"), 4);

    input("Press key to exit\n", "s");
    ipcon.disconnect();
end

% Callback function for read callback
function cb_read(e)
    message = java_invoke("java.util.Arrays", "copyOf", e.message, e.length);
    len = java2int(e.length)

    fprintf("Message (Length: %d): \"%s\"\n", len, chars2string(e.message, len));
end

% Convert string to array of length 60 as needed by write
function chars = string2chars(string)
    chars = javaArray("java.lang.String", 60);

    for i = 1:length(string)
        chars(i) = substr(string, i, 1);
    end

    for i = length(string)+1:60
        chars(i) = "x";
    end
end

% Assume that the message consists of ASCII characters and
% convert it from an array of chars to a string
function string = chars2string(chars, len)
    string = "";

    for i = 1:len
        string = strcat(string, chars(i));
    end
end

function int = java2int(value)
    if compare_versions(version(), "3.8", "<=")
        int = value.intValue();
    else
        int = value;
    end
end

Basic Functions¶

class BrickletRS232(String uid, IPConnection ipcon)¶

Parameters:	uid – Type: String ipcon – Type: IPConnection
Returns:	rs232 – Type: BrickletRS232

Creates an object with the unique device ID uid.

In MATLAB:

import com.tinkerforge.BrickletRS232;

rs232 = BrickletRS232('YOUR_DEVICE_UID', ipcon);

In Octave:

rs232 = java_new("com.tinkerforge.BrickletRS232", "YOUR_DEVICE_UID", ipcon);

This object can then be used after the IP Connection is connected.

short BrickletRS232.write(char[] message, short length)¶

Parameters:	message – Type: char[], Length: 60 length – Type: short, Range: [0 to 60]
Returns:	written – Type: short, Range: [0 to 60]

Writes a string of up to 60 characters to the RS232 interface. The string can be binary data, ASCII or similar is not necessary.

The length of the string has to be given as an additional parameter.

The return value is the number of bytes that could be written.

See setConfiguration() for configuration possibilities regarding baudrate, parity and so on.

BrickletRS232.Read BrickletRS232.read()¶

Return Object:	message – Type: char[], Length: 60 length – Type: short, Range: [0 to 60]

Returns the currently buffered message. The maximum length of message is 60. If the returned length is 0, no new data was available.

Instead of polling with this function, you can also use callbacks. See enableReadCallback() and ReadCallback callback.

void BrickletRS232.setConfiguration(short baudrate, short parity, short stopbits, short wordlength, short hardwareFlowcontrol, short softwareFlowcontrol)¶

Parameters:	baudrate – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 11 parity – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 0 stopbits – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 1 wordlength – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 8 hardwareFlowcontrol – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 0 softwareFlowcontrol – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 0

Sets the configuration for the RS232 communication.

Hard-/Software flow control can either be on or off but not both simultaneously on.

The following constants are available for this function:

For baudrate:

• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_300 = 0
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_600 = 1
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_1200 = 2
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_2400 = 3
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_4800 = 4
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_9600 = 5
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_14400 = 6
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_19200 = 7
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_28800 = 8
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_38400 = 9
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_57600 = 10
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_115200 = 11
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_230400 = 12

For parity:

• BrickletRS232.PARITY_NONE = 0
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_ODD = 1
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_EVEN = 2
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_1 = 3
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_0 = 4

For stopbits:

• BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_1 = 1
• BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_2 = 2

For wordlength:

• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_5 = 5
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_6 = 6
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_7 = 7
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_8 = 8

For hardwareFlowcontrol:

• BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
• BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

For softwareFlowcontrol:

• BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
• BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

BrickletRS232.Configuration BrickletRS232.getConfiguration()¶

Return Object:	baudrate – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 11 parity – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 0 stopbits – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 1 wordlength – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 8 hardwareFlowcontrol – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 0 softwareFlowcontrol – Type: short, Range: See constants, Default: 0

Returns the configuration as set by setConfiguration().

The following constants are available for this function:

For baudrate:

• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_300 = 0
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_600 = 1
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_1200 = 2
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_2400 = 3
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_4800 = 4
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_9600 = 5
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_14400 = 6
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_19200 = 7
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_28800 = 8
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_38400 = 9
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_57600 = 10
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_115200 = 11
• BrickletRS232.BAUDRATE_230400 = 12

For parity:

• BrickletRS232.PARITY_NONE = 0
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_ODD = 1
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_EVEN = 2
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_1 = 3
• BrickletRS232.PARITY_FORCED_PARITY_0 = 4

For stopbits:

• BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_1 = 1
• BrickletRS232.STOPBITS_2 = 2

For wordlength:

• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_5 = 5
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_6 = 6
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_7 = 7
• BrickletRS232.WORDLENGTH_8 = 8

For hardwareFlowcontrol:

• BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
• BrickletRS232.HARDWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

For softwareFlowcontrol:

• BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_OFF = 0
• BrickletRS232.SOFTWARE_FLOWCONTROL_ON = 1

void BrickletRS232.setBreakCondition(int breakTime)¶

Parameters:	breakTime – Type: int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 216 - 1]

Sets a break condition (the TX output is forced to a logic 0 state). The parameter sets the hold-time of the break condition.

New in version 2.0.2 (Plugin).

BrickletRS232.ReadFrame BrickletRS232.readFrame()¶

Return Object:	message – Type: char[], Length: 60 length – Type: short, Range: [0 to 60]

Returns up to one frame of bytes from the read buffer. The frame size is configured with setFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration(). If the returned length is 0, no new data was available.

New in version 2.0.4 (Plugin).

Advanced Functions¶

BrickletRS232.Identity BrickletRS232.getIdentity()¶

Return Object:

uid – Type: String, Length: up to 8 connectedUid – Type: String, Length: up to 8 position – Type: char, Range: ['a' to 'h', 'z'] hardwareVersion – Type: short[], Length: 3 1: major – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 2: minor – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 3: revision – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] firmwareVersion – Type: short[], Length: 3 1: major – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 2: minor – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 3: revision – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] deviceIdentifier – Type: int, Range: [0 to 216 - 1]

Returns the UID, the UID where the Bricklet is connected to, the position, the hardware and firmware version as well as the device identifier.

The position can be 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g' or 'h' (Bricklet Port). A Bricklet connected to an Isolator Bricklet is always as position 'z'.

The device identifier numbers can be found here. There is also a constant for the device identifier of this Bricklet.

Callback Configuration Functions¶

void BrickletRS232.enableReadCallback()¶

Enables the ReadCallback callback. This will disable the FrameReadableCallback callback.

By default the callback is disabled.

void BrickletRS232.disableReadCallback()¶

Disables the ReadCallback callback.

By default the callback is disabled.

boolean BrickletRS232.isReadCallbackEnabled()¶

Returns:	enabled – Type: boolean, Default: false

Returns true if the ReadCallback callback is enabled, false otherwise.

void BrickletRS232.setFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration(short frameSize)¶

Parameters:	frameSize – Type: short, Unit: 1 B, Range: [0 to 100], Default: 0

Configures the FrameReadableCallback callback. The frame size is the number of bytes, that have to be readable to trigger the callback. A frame size of 0 disables the callback. A frame size greater than 0 enables the callback and disables the ReadCallback callback.

By default the callback is disabled.

New in version 2.0.4 (Plugin).

short BrickletRS232.getFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration()¶

Returns:	frameSize – Type: short, Unit: 1 B, Range: [0 to 100], Default: 0

Returns the callback configuration as set by setFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration().

New in version 2.0.4 (Plugin).

Callbacks¶

Callbacks can be registered to receive time critical or recurring data from the device. The registration is done with "set" function of MATLAB. The parameters consist of the IP Connection object, the callback name and the callback function. For example, it looks like this in MATLAB:

function my_callback(e)
    fprintf('Parameter: %s\n', e.param);
end

set(device, 'ExampleCallback', @(h, e) my_callback(e));

Due to a difference in the Octave Java support the "set" function cannot be used in Octave. The registration is done with "add*Callback" functions of the device object. It looks like this in Octave:

function my_callback(e)
    fprintf("Parameter: %s\n", e.param);
end

device.addExampleCallback(@my_callback);

It is possible to add several callbacks and to remove them with the corresponding "remove*Callback" function.

The parameters of the callback are passed to the callback function as fields of the structure e, which is derived from the java.util.EventObject class. The available callback names with corresponding structure fields are described below.

callback BrickletRS232.ReadCallback¶

Event Object:	message – Type: char[], Length: 60 length – Type: short, Range: [1 to 60]

This callback is called if new data is available. The message has a maximum size of 60 characters. The actual length of the message is given in addition.

To enable this callback, use enableReadCallback().

In MATLAB the set() function can be used to register a callback function to this callback.

In Octave a callback function can be added to this callback using the addReadCallback() function. An added callback function can be removed with the removeReadCallback() function.

callback BrickletRS232.ErrorCallback¶

Event Object:	error – Type: short, Range: See constants

This callback is called if an error occurs. Possible errors are overrun, parity or framing error.

The following constants are available for this function:

For error:

• BrickletRS232.ERROR_OVERRUN = 1
• BrickletRS232.ERROR_PARITY = 2
• BrickletRS232.ERROR_FRAMING = 4

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

In MATLAB the set() function can be used to register a callback function to this callback.

In Octave a callback function can be added to this callback using the addErrorCallback() function. An added callback function can be removed with the removeErrorCallback() function.

callback BrickletRS232.FrameReadableCallback¶

Event Object:	frameCount – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]

This callback is called if at least one frame of data is readable. The frame size is configured with setFrameReadableCallbackConfiguration(). The frame count parameter is the number of frames that can be read. This callback is triggered only once until read() or readFrame() is called. This means, that if you have configured a frame size of X bytes, you can read exactly X bytes using the readFrame() function, every time the callback triggers without checking the frame count parameter.

New in version 2.0.4 (Plugin).

In MATLAB the set() function can be used to register a callback function to this callback.

In Octave a callback function can be added to this callback using the addFrameReadableCallback() function. An added callback function can be removed with the removeFrameReadableCallback() function.

Virtual Functions¶

Virtual functions don't communicate with the device itself, but operate only on the API bindings device object. They can be called without the corresponding IP Connection object being connected.

short[] BrickletRS232.getAPIVersion()¶

Return Object:	apiVersion – Type: short[], Length: 3 1: major – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 2: minor – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255] 3: revision – Type: short, Range: [0 to 255]

Returns the version of the API definition implemented by this API bindings. This is neither the release version of this API bindings nor does it tell you anything about the represented Brick or Bricklet.

boolean BrickletRS232.getResponseExpected(byte functionId)¶

Parameters:	functionId – Type: byte, Range: See constants
Returns:	responseExpected – Type: boolean

Returns the response expected flag for the function specified by the function ID parameter. It is true if the function is expected to send a response, false otherwise.

For getter functions this is enabled by default and cannot be disabled, because those functions will always send a response. For callback configuration functions it is enabled by default too, but can be disabled by setResponseExpected(). For setter functions it is disabled by default and can be enabled.

Enabling the response expected flag for a setter function allows to detect timeouts and other error conditions calls of this setter as well. The device will then send a response for this purpose. If this flag is disabled for a setter function then no response is sent and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_ENABLE_READ_CALLBACK = 3
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_DISABLE_READ_CALLBACK = 4
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 6
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_BREAK_CONDITION = 10
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_FRAME_READABLE_CALLBACK_CONFIGURATION = 11

void BrickletRS232.setResponseExpected(byte functionId, boolean responseExpected)¶

Parameters:	functionId – Type: byte, Range: See constants responseExpected – Type: boolean

Changes the response expected flag of the function specified by the function ID parameter. This flag can only be changed for setter (default value: false) and callback configuration functions (default value: true). For getter functions it is always enabled.

Enabling the response expected flag for a setter function allows to detect timeouts and other error conditions calls of this setter as well. The device will then send a response for this purpose. If this flag is disabled for a setter function then no response is sent and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_ENABLE_READ_CALLBACK = 3
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_DISABLE_READ_CALLBACK = 4
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 6
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_BREAK_CONDITION = 10
• BrickletRS232.FUNCTION_SET_FRAME_READABLE_CALLBACK_CONFIGURATION = 11

void BrickletRS232.setResponseExpectedAll(boolean responseExpected)¶

Parameters:	responseExpected – Type: boolean

Changes the response expected flag for all setter and callback configuration functions of this device at once.

Constants¶

int BrickletRS232.DEVICE_IDENTIFIER¶

This constant is used to identify a RS232 Bricklet.

The getIdentity() function and the IPConnection.EnumerateCallback callback of the IP Connection have a deviceIdentifier parameter to specify the Brick's or Bricklet's type.

String BrickletRS232.DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME¶

This constant represents the human readable name of a RS232 Bricklet.