---
name: "ost_Serial"
section: "3"
platform: "linux"
package: "libcommoncpp2-doc"
version: "1.8.1-10"
release: "Debian 11 (Bullseye)"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/ost_Serial"
---

# ost\_Serial(3)

The Serial class is used as the base for all serial I/O services under APE.

## NAME

ost::Serial - The **Serial** class is used as the base for all serial I/O services under APE.

## SYNOPSIS

`#include <serial.h>`

Inherited by **ost::SerialPort**, and **ost::TTYStream**.

### Public Types

enum **Error** { **errSuccess** = 0, **errOpenNoTty**, **errOpenFailed**, **errSpeedInvalid**, **errFlowInvalid**, **errParityInvalid**, **errCharsizeInvalid**, **errStopbitsInvalid**, **errOptionInvalid**, **errResourceFailure**, **errOutput**, **errInput**, **errTimeout**, **errExtended** }\
 enum **Flow** { **flowNone**, **flowSoft**, **flowHard**, **flowBoth** }\
 enum **Parity** { **parityNone**, **parityOdd**, **parityEven** }\
 enum **Pending** { **pendingInput**, **pendingOutput**, **pendingError** }\
 typedef enum **Error** **Error**\
 typedef enum **Flow** **Flow**\
 typedef enum **Parity** **Parity**\
 typedef enum **Pending** **Pending**\

### Public Member Functions

virtual **~Serial** ()\
 The serial base class may be 'thrown' as a result on an error, and the 'catcher' may then choose to destory the object.  **Serial** & **operator=** (const **Serial** &from)\
 **Serial** ports may also be duplecated by the assignment operator.  **Error** **setSpeed** (unsigned long speed)\
 Set serial port speed for both input and output.  **Error** **setCharBits** (int bits)\
 Set character size.  **Error** **setParity** (**Parity** parity)\
 Set parity mode.  **Error** **setStopBits** (int bits)\
 Set number of stop bits.  **Error** **setFlowControl** (**Flow** flow)\
 Set flow control.  void **toggleDTR** (**timeout\_t** millisec)\
 Set the DTR mode off momentarily.  void **sendBreak** (void)\
 Send the 'break' signal.  **Error** **getErrorNumber** (void)\
 Often used by a 'catch' to fetch the last error of a thrown serial.  char \* **getErrorString** (void)\
 Often used by a 'catch' to fetch the user set error string of a thrown serial.  int **getBufferSize** (void)\
 Get the 'buffer' size for buffered operations.  virtual bool **isPending** (**Pending** pend, **timeout\_t** timeout=**TIMEOUT\_INF**)\
 Get the status of pending operations.

### Protected Member Functions

void **open** (const char \*fname)\
 Opens the serial device.  void **close** (void)\
 Closes the serial device.  virtual int **aRead** (char \*Data, const int Length)\
 Reads from serial device.  virtual int **aWrite** (const char \*Data, const int Length)\
 Writes to serial device.  **Error** **error** (**Error** error, char \*errstr=NULL)\
 This service is used to throw all serial errors which usually occur during the serial constructor.  void **error** (char \*err)\
 This service is used to thow application defined serial errors where the application specific error code is a string.  void **setError** (bool enable)\
 This method is used to turn the error handler on or off for 'throwing' execptions by manipulating the thrown flag.  int **setPacketInput** (int size, unsigned char btimer=0)\
 Set packet read mode and 'size' of packet read buffer.  int **setLineInput** (char newline=13, char nl1=0)\
 Set 'line buffering' read mode and specifies the newline character to be used in seperating line records.  void **restore** (void)\
 Restore serial device to the original settings at time of open.  void **flushInput** (void)\
 Used to flush the input waiting queue.  void **flushOutput** (void)\
 Used to flush any pending output data.  void **waitOutput** (void)\
 Used to wait until all output has been sent.  void **endSerial** (void)\
 Used as the default destructor for ending serial I/O services.  void **initConfig** (void)\
 Used to initialize a newly opened serial file handle.  **Serial** ()\
 This allows later ttystream class to open and close a serial device.  **Serial** (const char \*name)\
 A serial object may be constructed from a named file on the file system.

### Protected Attributes

**HANDLE** **dev**\
 int **bufsize**\

## Detailed Description

The **Serial** class is used as the base for all serial I/O services under APE.

A serial is a system serial port that is used either for line or packet based data input. **Serial** ports may also be 'streamable' in a derived form.

Common C++ serial I/O classes are used to manage serial devices and implement serial device protocols. From the point of view of Common C++, serial devices are supported by the underlying Posix specified 'termios' call interface.

The serial I/O base class is used to hold a descriptor to a serial device and to provide an exception handling interface for all serial I/O classes. The base class is also used to specify serial I/O properties such as communication speed, flow control, data size, and parity. The 'Serial' base class is not itself directly used in application development, however.

Common C++ **Serial** I/O is itself divided into two conceptual modes; frame oriented and line oriented I/O. Both frame and line oriented I/O makes use of the ability of the underlying tty driver to buffer data and return 'ready' status from when select either a specified number of bytes or newline record has been reached by manipulating termios c\_cc fields appropriately. This provides some advantage in that a given thread servicing a serial port can block and wait rather than have to continually poll or read each and every byte as soon as it appears at the serial port.

**Author**

David Sugar dyfet@ostel.com

base class for all serial I/O services.

## Member Typedef Documentation

### typedef enum Error ost::Serial::Error

### typedef enum Flow ost::Serial::Flow

### typedef enum Parity ost::Serial::Parity

### typedef enum Pending ost::Serial::Pending

## Member Enumeration Documentation

### enum ost::Serial::Error

**Enumerator**

- *errSuccess*

  - *errOpenNoTty*

  - *errOpenFailed*

  - *errSpeedInvalid*

  - *errFlowInvalid*

  - *errParityInvalid*

  - *errCharsizeInvalid*

  - *errStopbitsInvalid*

  - *errOptionInvalid*

  - *errResourceFailure*

  - *errOutput*

  - *errInput*

  - *errTimeout*

  - *errExtended*

  ### enum ost::Serial::Flow

**Enumerator**

- *flowNone*

  - *flowSoft*

  - *flowHard*

  - *flowBoth*

  ### enum ost::Serial::Parity

**Enumerator**

- *parityNone*

  - *parityOdd*

  - *parityEven*

  ### enum ost::Serial::Pending

**Enumerator**

- *pendingInput*

  - *pendingOutput*

  - *pendingError*

  ## Constructor & Destructor Documentation

### ost::Serial::Serial ()` [inline]`, ` [protected]`

*This allows later ttystream class to open and close a serial device.*

### ost::Serial::Serial (const char \* name)` [protected]`

*A serial object may be constructed from a named file on the file system. This named device must be 'isatty()'.*

**Parameters**

*name of file.*

### virtual ost::Serial::~Serial ()` [virtual]`

*The serial base class may be 'thrown' as a result on an error, and the 'catcher' may then choose to destory the object. By assuring the socket base class is a virtual destructor, we can assure the full object is properly terminated.*

## Member Function Documentation

### virtual int ost::Serial::aRead (char \* Data, const int Length)` [protected]`, ` [virtual]`

*Reads from serial device.*

**Parameters**

*Data Point to character buffer to receive data. Buffers MUST be at least Length + 1 bytes in size.* \
 *Length* **Number** *of bytes to read.*

### virtual int ost::Serial::aWrite (const char \* Data, const int Length)` [protected]`, ` [virtual]`

*Writes to serial device.*

**Parameters**

*Data Point to character buffer containing data to write. Buffers MUST* \
 *Length* **Number** *of bytes to write.*

### void ost::Serial::close (void)` [protected]`

*Closes the serial device.*

### void ost::Serial::endSerial (void)` [protected]`

*Used as the default destructor for ending serial I/O services. It will restore the port to it's original state.*

### void ost::Serial::error (char \* err)` [inline]`, ` [protected]`

*This service is used to thow application defined serial errors where the application specific error code is a string.*

**Parameters**

*err string or message to pass.*

*References ost::error().*

### Error ost::Serial::error (Error error, char \* errstr = `NULL`)` [protected]`

*This service is used to throw all serial errors which usually occur during the serial constructor.*

**Parameters**

*error defined serial error id.* \
 *errstr string or message to optionally pass.*

### void ost::Serial::flushInput (void)` [protected]`

*Used to flush the input waiting queue.*

### void ost::Serial::flushOutput (void)` [protected]`

*Used to flush any pending output data.*

### int ost::Serial::getBufferSize (void)` [inline]`

*Get the 'buffer' size for buffered operations. This can be used when setting packet or line read modes to determine how many bytes to wait for in a given read call.*

**Returns**

*number of bytes used for buffering.*

### Error ost::Serial::getErrorNumber (void)` [inline]`

*Often used by a 'catch' to fetch the last error of a thrown serial.*

**Returns**

*error numbr of last Error.*

### char\* ost::Serial::getErrorString (void)` [inline]`

*Often used by a 'catch' to fetch the user set error string of a thrown serial.*

**Returns**

*string for error message.*

### void ost::Serial::initConfig (void)` [protected]`

*Used to initialize a newly opened serial file handle. You should set serial properties and DTR manually before first use.*

### virtual bool ost::Serial::isPending (Pending pend, timeout\_t timeout = TIMEOUT\_INF)` [virtual]`

*Get the status of pending operations. This can be used to examine if input or output is waiting, or if an error has occured on the serial device.*

**Returns**

*true if ready, false if timeout.*

**Parameters**

*pend ready check to perform.* \
 *timeout in milliseconds.*

*Reimplemented in* **ost::TTYStream***.*

### void ost::Serial::open (const char \* fname)` [protected]`

*Opens the serial device.*

**Parameters**

*fname Pathname of device to open*

### Serial& ost::Serial::operator= (const Serial & from)

**Serial** *ports may also be duplecated by the assignment operator.*

### void ost::Serial::restore (void)` [protected]`

*Restore serial device to the original settings at time of open.*

### void ost::Serial::sendBreak (void)

*Send the 'break' signal.*

### Error ost::Serial::setCharBits (int bits)

*Set character size.*

**Returns**

*0 on success.*

**Parameters**

*bits character size to use (usually 7 or 8).*

### void ost::Serial::setError (bool enable)` [inline]`, ` [protected]`

*This method is used to turn the error handler on or off for 'throwing' execptions by manipulating the thrown flag.*

**Parameters**

*enable true to enable handler.*

### Error ost::Serial::setFlowControl (Flow flow)

*Set flow control.*

**Returns**

*0 on success.*

**Parameters**

*flow control mode.*

### int ost::Serial::setLineInput (char newline = `13`, char nl1 = `0`)` [protected]`

*Set 'line buffering' read mode and specifies the newline character to be used in seperating line records. isPending can then be used to wait for an entire line of input.*

**Parameters**

*newline newline character.* \
 *nl1 EOL2 control character.*

**Returns**

*size of conical input buffer.*

### int ost::Serial::setPacketInput (int size, unsigned char btimer = `0`)` [protected]`

*Set packet read mode and 'size' of packet read buffer. This sets VMIN to x. VTIM is normally set to '0' so that 'isPending()' can wait for an entire packet rather than just the first byte.*

**Returns**

*actual buffer size set.*

**Parameters**

*size of packet read request.* \
 *btimer optional inter-byte data packet timeout.*

### Error ost::Serial::setParity (Parity parity)

*Set parity mode.*

**Returns**

*0 on success.*

**Parameters**

*parity mode.*

### Error ost::Serial::setSpeed (unsigned long speed)

*Set serial port speed for both input and output.*

**Returns**

*0 on success.*

**Parameters**

*speed to select. 0 signifies modem 'hang up'.*

### Error ost::Serial::setStopBits (int bits)

*Set number of stop bits.*

**Returns**

*0 on success.*

**Parameters**

*bits stop bits.*

### void ost::Serial::toggleDTR (timeout\_t millisec)

*Set the DTR mode off momentarily.*

**Parameters**

*millisec number of milliseconds.*

### void ost::Serial::waitOutput (void)` [protected]`

*Used to wait until all output has been sent.*

## Member Data Documentation

### int ost::Serial::bufsize` [protected]`

### HANDLE ost::Serial::dev` [protected]`

### bool ost::Serial::linebuf

### bool ost::Serial::thrown

## Author

*Generated automatically by Doxygen for GNU CommonC++ from the source code.*