Q4OS Forum

Mr.Mark

Member

Registered: 2016-02-03

Posts: 98

GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

I've been looking for a suitable alternative to Hyperterminal for Q4OS. I have not been successful. I need to use Com1 to do this and I always get a fault that I don't have an open port. Any ideas?

bin

Member

From: U.K.

Registered: 2016-01-28

Posts: 1,333

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

Both gtkterm and minicom are in the debian repositories. Minicom is very close to the old Telix software for DOS (that takes me back).

I suggest you install both and see which does it for you.

Your serial ports are ttyS1 ttyS2 in linux

Mr.Mark

Member

Registered: 2016-02-03

Posts: 98

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

I usually use the 9 pin com1 port on the back of the laptop to connect to the chiller. I can't get it to work with either gtkterm or mini com. Which ports are ttyS1/ttyS2? USB? Maybe I need a converter?

bin

Member

From: U.K.

Registered: 2016-01-28

Posts: 1,333

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

The 9 pin Com1 will be /dev/ttyS0   that's a zero not an O.

Chiller - is this laptop fan/cooler system?

Connect your device and in terminal type:-
sudo cat /proc/tty/driver/serial

Post the output.

Last edited by bin (2016-04-05 16:17)

Mr.Mark

Member

Registered: 2016-02-03

Posts: 98

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

I work for an HVAC Company. I used to connect HyperTerminal to the RS232 port on the chiller (air conditioning unit) to retrieve fault history and run data. The setup was 1200 - 8 - None - 1 - None Comp Port 1 VT100. Then I would press the print button on the chiller and the data would print out in hyper terminal.
Are you recommending I reinstall mini com? I will then we can take it from there. Thanks for all the help!

bin

Member

From: U.K.

Registered: 2016-01-28

Posts: 1,333

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

Well, having installed all three, in terms of GUI I think cutecom is probably the easiest to work with.

I think you may need to try running this as root - so to start with open terminal and I think 'tdesu cutecom' or failing that 'sudo cutecom' will get that going. By the look of it you may need admin/root access to the port.

Enter the protocol values as supplied and see what happens. Not sure about the VT version (of course the terminal in Q4OS is just that - it's not just a command line box - allows all sorts of emulations etc. but let's not go there yet - File>New>Screen is the way to a VT100).

In cutecom you may need to fiddle with the handshake values as well. Start with the defaults and then alter one at a time.

Last edited by bin (2016-04-06 06:44)

Mr.Mark

Member

Registered: 2016-02-03

Posts: 98

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

Okay here's the update. After much shenanigans I have GTKTerm and Cutecom on my laptop. I am having emulation problems with both terminals. There is a bunch of symbols and nonsense showing up on GTKTerm and for a split second the work YORK spelled out (which is the type of chiller I'm working on) and thats all she wrote.
Cutecom opens and 0's 1's and parenthesis show up and fill the page. So apparently I'm on to something here but not quite there yet.
Any ideas? Any help would be greatly appreciated!

Mr.Mark

Member

Registered: 2016-02-03

Posts: 98

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

It's working now. Both GTKTerm and Cutecom are both functioning. Now I need to know how I can print out the data in pdf format.

Dai_trying

Member

From: UK

Registered: 2015-12-14

Posts: 2,993

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

I'm not sure what you mean by print out data in pdf format, but do you have the data from the session in a text file? if so there are a few ways to convert it to pdf. If not could you (from your terminal) echo the information to a text file? (something like echo `ls` >textfile.txt) and then convert it.
One way to convert a text file is to use LibreOffice writer and export as pdf when you are happy with how it looks.

q4osteam

Q4OS Team

Registered: 2015-12-06

Posts: 4,502

Website

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

If you would want to convert various file formats into the pdf, we highly recommend to install 'cups-pdf' package. It provides virtual pdf printer, you can create pdf file almost from any format.

Mr.Mark

Member

Registered: 2016-02-03

Posts: 98

Re: GtkTerm,Minicom,Cutecom Help Needed!

Thanks for all the help. Yes I was able to save it as a text file on the desktop and open it with Libre Office. Next I'll get the cup-pdf and give that a go. Whatever the case is I love Q4OS!