Jorge E. Cortes
Filarmonicos 240
Col. Benito Juarez
Ensenada, B.C., Mexico 22820
jorge-cortes@usa.net
http://www.geocities.com/ResearchTriangle/Lab/3534

August, 1998

Instrument Client-Server.  JC-01. CopyRigth Jorge Cortes
A glueware to bond RS232-NMEA0183-Computer Applications.

This is an effort to make a standard to solve the problem of instrument sharing
on a computer listening to a RS-232 port hooked to an  instrument that complies
to NMEA0183.
As you know, if a program attaches to a RS-232 port to listen to an instrument
there are going to be problems if another program tries the same.
This solution (that may be applicable to other problems) is to use a client-server,
the server is going to listen to the RS-232 NMEA0183 sentences and broadcast them
to a UDP/IP socket, this is very fast, then you get ready your application with a
client that instead of using the RS-232 port listens to the socket that the server
uses.
Using this is very easy:
1.- Configure instrument server InstSrv:
    just give it input COM PORT and output Socket Port.
2.- Start instrument server.
3.- Start your application that uses Instrument client InstCli component.

Installation.
Just add install instcli.dcu in component-install-add in delphi.
REMEBER TO INSTALL WINSOCK IN WINDOWS (version 1.1 and up).

Use of InstCli component.
Just put it in your form, select Socket port (same as InstSrv), and double click event
OnNewData, put there what to do.
when you application runs activate InstCli with InstCli1.Active := true, and it will
begin to listen to the instrument.
When finished deactivate (InstCli1.Active := false).
That's it.
If you like it send my a post card of your city. Of course you may send money too.
HOWEVER USE IT AT YOUR OWN RISK, THERE IS NO WARANTY, DON'T WORRY IT WORKS
JUST THAT ALL OF THE EXPENSIVE PROGRAMS SAY THIS SO I INCLUDED IT TOO.

NMEA0183 is a standard from National Marine Electronics Association NMEA.
RS-232 is a standard from Electronics Industry Association EIA.
JC-01 is a standard from my because no one has listened (yet).


I wish to that all the persons who made this possible, as I forget a lot
I thank god who made them all.

