MSComm woes

[renzokuken]

Hi,

I'm trying to write some code to open a serial port and send data to a motorised x-y stage.

i'm trying to do this in a language called ADL (specific to varian scientific instruments) which is based on Sax Basic, which is VB compatible.

I have referenced the MSCommLib .ocx and am using the following code to open the port ready for various bits of data to be sent

Dim OldHandShake As Integer
Dim OldSettings As String
Dim OldMode As Integer
Dim OldInputLen As Integer



Sub PortControl
 
        Dim myCom As MSCommLib.MSComm
          
        With myCom
          
          .CommPort = 1
          .PortOpen = True
          'save current port settings
          OldHandShake = .Handshaking
          OldSettings = .Settings
          OldMode = .InputMode
          OldInputLen = .InputLen
          'set the new settings
          .Handshaking = comNone
          .Settings = "9600,N,8,1"
          .InputMode = comInputModeText
          .InputLen = 1
          .RThreshold = 1
          
        End With
     
End Sub

     

Sub Main
	PortControl
End Sub

when i run the script i get the following error

Error in file C:\Documents...etc..... at line 15 position 0 (10094) ActiveX Automation: Object var is "Nothing". ......

and it highlights the line .CommPort = 1

Sadly im unsure what this actually means. I'm a chemist, not a programmer, thats been thrown in the deepend without a float. I'm learning fast but this has me a bit a stumped.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

EDIT: i should also mention that this script has no form/frontend, it is a macro that runs within the Varian Software