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OT PC kbd redirection

Started by Martin Griffith March 10, 2008
My PC knowledge is more or less restricted to defraging the screen and
virus checking the batteries

I need to feed a 8051 bit of kit with the output from a PC keyboard,
via RS232 or USB via an FTDI chip. It would be great if the user could
be using something like Notepad, and still have the re direction

Any recommendations?


martin
Martin Griffith <mart_in_medina@yah00.es> writes:

> My PC knowledge is more or less restricted to defraging the screen and > virus checking the batteries > > I need to feed a 8051 bit of kit with the output from a PC keyboard, > via RS232 or USB via an FTDI chip. It would be great if the user could > be using something like Notepad, and still have the re direction > > Any recommendations?
I think you need to say a bit more. For example can you just use hyperterminal (or equivalent). -- John Devereux
On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:24:22 +0000, in comp.arch.embedded John
Devereux <jdREMOVE@THISdevereux.me.uk> wrote:

>Martin Griffith <mart_in_medina@yah00.es> writes: > >> My PC knowledge is more or less restricted to defraging the screen and >> virus checking the batteries >> >> I need to feed a 8051 bit of kit with the output from a PC keyboard, >> via RS232 or USB via an FTDI chip. It would be great if the user could >> be using something like Notepad, and still have the re direction >> >> Any recommendations? > >I think you need to say a bit more. > >For example can you just use hyperterminal (or equivalent).
I'm sorry, bit brain dead, (normal), probably too close to the problem to think properly. I just buckle when a PC is involved with my stuff. My balls shrink, and I loose more hair Basically I need to insert text data from a PC in real time into a datastream via my 8051, and the idea that the operator could type into notepad their notes and have it simultaneously pump it into my thing. The Idea of Notepad, was so the operator could have some visual feedback. Something they are familiar with. I'll fire up Tera Term in the morning and see if it's user fiendly enough for office cow orkers, I've never used TT like that before, always thought it was an engineering tool ( Are we allowed to menton "Hypeterminal" here? ) martin
Martin Griffith wrote:
<snip>
> The Idea of Notepad, was so the operator could have some visual > feedback. Something they are familiar with. > > I'll fire up Tera Term in the morning and see if it's user fiendly > enough for office cow orkers, I've never used TT like that before, > always thought it was an engineering tool >
If your embedded system does not echo the characters, remember to turn on local echo on TT - otherwise they won't get much feedback.
> ( Are we allowed to menton "Hypeterminal" here? ) >
Only if you are swearing at it :-)
Martin Griffith wrote:
> On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:24:22 +0000, in comp.arch.embedded John > Devereux <jdREMOVE@THISdevereux.me.uk> wrote: > >> Martin Griffith <mart_in_medina@yah00.es> writes: >> >>> My PC knowledge is more or less restricted to defraging the screen and >>> virus checking the batteries >>> >>> I need to feed a 8051 bit of kit with the output from a PC keyboard, >>> via RS232 or USB via an FTDI chip. It would be great if the user could >>> be using something like Notepad, and still have the re direction >>> >>> Any recommendations? >> I think you need to say a bit more. >> >> For example can you just use hyperterminal (or equivalent). > > I'm sorry, bit brain dead, (normal), probably too close to the problem > to think properly. I just buckle when a PC is involved with my stuff. > My balls shrink, and I loose more hair > > Basically I need to insert text data from a PC in real time into a > datastream via my 8051, and the idea that the operator could type into > notepad their notes and have it simultaneously pump it into my thing. > > The Idea of Notepad, was so the operator could have some visual > feedback. Something they are familiar with. > > I'll fire up Tera Term in the morning and see if it's user fiendly > enough for office cow orkers, I've never used TT like that before, > always thought it was an engineering tool > > ( Are we allowed to menton "Hypeterminal" here? ) > > > martin
Or you could make you "Kit" into a keyboard wedge. Read the keys as there are typed. And / Or add keys to the stream.
Martin Griffith <mart_in_medina@yah00.es> writes:

> On Mon, 10 Mar 2008 21:24:22 +0000, in comp.arch.embedded John > Devereux <jdREMOVE@THISdevereux.me.uk> wrote: > >>Martin Griffith <mart_in_medina@yah00.es> writes: >> >>> My PC knowledge is more or less restricted to defraging the screen and >>> virus checking the batteries >>> >>> I need to feed a 8051 bit of kit with the output from a PC keyboard, >>> via RS232 or USB via an FTDI chip. It would be great if the user could >>> be using something like Notepad, and still have the re direction >>> >>> Any recommendations? >> >>I think you need to say a bit more. >> >>For example can you just use hyperterminal (or equivalent). > > I'm sorry, bit brain dead, (normal), probably too close to the problem > to think properly. I just buckle when a PC is involved with my stuff. > My balls shrink, and I loose more hair > > Basically I need to insert text data from a PC in real time into a > datastream via my 8051, and the idea that the operator could type into > notepad their notes and have it simultaneously pump it into my thing.
I am sure there is a way to "redirect" the keyboard as you suggest - maybe ask in a windows programming group. Actually isn't that what keylogging malware does? You might get some nasty replies! But obviously it can be done.
> The Idea of Notepad, was so the operator could have some visual > feedback. Something they are familiar with.
There might be issues with unwanted keystrokes as the user accesses the menus, or alt-tabs to their usenet reader etc. A notepad clone is probably a demonstration project for some software development environments, perhaps you could hack at one of those?
> I'll fire up Tera Term in the morning and see if it's user fiendly > enough for office cow orkers, I've never used TT like that before, > always thought it was an engineering tool
It is not too difficult to build a text user interface around a terminal program. The microcontroller can redraw the text screen each time the user enters something. It's a bit clunky, but the advantage is that no software needs to be installed on the PC...
> ( Are we allowed to menton "Hypeterminal" here? )
... and the disadvantage is you end up using HyperTerminal, the worlds finest terminal emulator. -- John Devereux