Encoding.GetBytes()

[SeanGrebey]

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:

    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)

[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.

[bmahler]

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

[SeanGrebey]

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.