Looking for software that monitors RS232 port

[viterbi]

Hi friends,
I am trying to hack the RS232 port. I have one Agilent multimeter (34401A) and it can be controlled by the Agilent provided an Exel macro running on PC Side through RS232. I wanted to capture all the communications happening through the RS 232 link(basically through SCPI Language). If any of you know some tool that can do this job , I am saved. Or else let me know how it can be done. I know that if I use Visual studio VC I can not do this because the handle of the port will be held by the Exel macro making it unavailable for the new software. Suggest some idea/ or tool which can solve my issue. What about connecting the RX line and Tx line seperately to another serial port (basically tap the signal directly) then doing a read on both signals. I have a doubt whether this will drop the signal level? Please suggest better ideas...

 

[xxtigerxx]

34401a rx line

Here is a trial software than can read rs232 ports.

But if you want to hack a serial port.

you must have two serial ports extra because you must read TX and RX with each other.

If you use only one serial you will interfiar in the communication

 

[ravimarcus]

Re: RS232 Watcher

You can build this circuit and monitor the traffic between 2 devices using a serial port.

P3 is to be connected to a serial port on the PC for monitoring.

Cheers

Ravi

 

[idlebrain]

Re: RS232 Watcher

If the control software running on windows, you don't need any hardware. The best tool to moinitor the any port on a PC is portmon which can be downloaded from sysinternals.com

**broken link removed**

Otherwise you need to the circuit suggested and use any terminal program that supports ASCII/HEX as required by you.

Cheers
idlebrain

 

[viterbi]

Re: RS232 Watcher

Hi idlebrain,
This website is having exe for NT and Win2000. Not for XP what I am using now

 

[alzomor]

Re: RS232 Watcher

Hi

You can serch the net for

1-"Advanced serial port monitor"
don't need external HW

2-"Serial watcher"
need external HW

Salam
Hossam Alzomor
www.i-g.org