Encoding.GetBytes()

Anybody have any experience with this function? I am trying to read data from a serial port with SerialPort.ReadExisting(). When I look at my port monitor tool I see the correct data. But when I read with the SerialPort function and convert the result into a byte array, it seems like half of my bytes are incorrect. Here is my code:

Code:

---

    Public Sub DataReceived( _
      ByVal sender As Object, _
      ByVal e As System.IO.Ports.SerialDataReceivedEventArgs) _
      Handles m_oSerialPort.DataReceived

        Dim strResult As String
        Dim strHexString As String

        Dim baReturnPacket() As Byte

        strResult = m_oSerialPort.ReadExisting()

        Dim encoding As New System.Text.ASCIIEncoding()
        baReturnPacket = encoding.GetBytes(strResult)

---

Since it's a serial port, why not just use Read, and pass in the byte array as an argument. That would skip a semi-costly encoding and decoding step.

However, if you want to do it that way, have you looked at strResult to confirm that it is ok at that point?

I have used that function without any problem before, and nothing you have looks incorrect to me, so I would be curious to know whether the string looked right.

One other thing I might mention, though it shouldn't matter. I haven't used that function in over a year, but I don't recall making the object. I think I did something along the lines of:

baRet = system.text.asciiencoding.encoding.GetBytes(strResult)

though I would have to go back and review an old program to be certain.

Are you sure the string is ASCII encoding? This may be causing the issue if it is not actually in ASCII.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Shaggy Hiker

Since it's a serial port, why not just use Read, and pass in the byte array as an argument. That would skip a semi-costly encoding and decoding step.

However, if you want to do it that way, have you looked at strResult to confirm that it is ok at that point?

I have used that function without any problem before, and nothing you have looks incorrect to me, so I would be curious to know whether the string looked right.

One other thing I might mention, though it shouldn't matter. I haven't used that function in over a year, but I don't recall making the object. I think I did something along the lines of:

baRet = system.text.asciiencoding.encoding.GetBytes(strResult)

though I would have to go back and review an old program to be certain.

---

Don't I need to know how many bytes there are in order to use SerialPort.Read()? That's why I used ReadExisting, gives me whatever is there in the buffer which I don't know the size for. Honestly haven't used this class much though so maybe there is a better way.

Edit: Ok I see a BytesToread field, lemme play with that and Read. Thanks.