C Programmer's Guide to Serial Communications (Paperback)

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Editorial Reviews

Product Description

This book has three parts. The first part discusses the basics of serial communications. Part two discusses asynchronous C programming, helping the reader develop the tools necessary for serial programming tasks. Part three is the appendices, which list assembly language routines, listings for several non-serial functions used but not explained in the text, and other pertinent information.

From the Back Cover

Comprehensive coverage of serial communications for all intermediate and advanced C programmers. This new edition provides a new perspective on incorporating serial communications with C.

Product Details

• Paperback: 939 pages
• Publisher: Sams; 2 Sub edition (September 1993)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0672302861
• ISBN-13: 978-0672302862
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 7.4 x 2.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.6 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #606,701 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Best serial communications book in 28 yrs experience., October 20, 1998

By	Pierre Clouthier (Wolfville, NS) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I've been designing, installing and programming communications networks for 28 years (asynch, synch, X.25, APPC) and this is the most lucid explanation of asynchronous, serial I/O I've found.

I've written low-level, interrupt-driven comm. handlers for the 8250 UART based on this book. To my knowledge, I've the only interrupt-driven INPUT buffer routine I've ever found (in C).

Chapters 6 and 13 alone are worth the price of the book.

Two of the systems I've used serial I/O are: [1] interface between HP 3000 and cardboard corrugator for production control; includes five serial I/O ports to machinery, consoles and spooled printers (under DOS!). [2] interface to meat grading probe, electronic scale & bard code reader in a slaughterhouse (DOS again).

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Not a cook book for win32 API serial port problems, April 15, 2002

By	Nagel Rainer (Zurich, Switzerland) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I bought (among others) this book because it is 2nd edition (errors & typos hopefully eliminated) and it had good reviews and in order to solve a serial port programming task for Datamax DMX600 barcode label printer under windows 2000 with C/C++
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My book was reprinted 1999, but please note that it is 2nd edition as of October 1993, i.e. at the time of IBMPC. Today, you won't find the files IBMPC.C, UART.h, SIO.h at all in your libraries at all. Furthermore it does not deal with the 16550 UART and more modern UARTs which cause today's real world problems.
Apart from that the book constains some good "general" language/ programming principles and lots of XMODEM C-code. As a beginner in kernel/device driver programming I missed a use case, WORKING example, and will now put the book back on the shelf and work through the WATCOM sdk ComPort example. Do not trust the "The definite Book on the subject" sticker on the cover page!! Rainer

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative Book, March 22, 2000

By	Scott E Anderson (Austin, Texas) - See all my reviews

This book is well written and easy to understand. The author provides an extensive background in the basics of serial communications in the first portion of the book. The second portion of the book provides many insights into programming for serial communications. The code examples are easy to follow and provide a useful library of tools.