Hi All,
I have been using BCB6 and TurboPower Async Pro for almost ten years now. The majority of my programs require support for serial ports. Recently, I decided to upgrade to C++ Builder 2010. Much to my dismay, I then discovered that Async Pro does not work with CB 2010. My CB 2010 now sits collecting dust.
There seem to be several issues at play here. One is Unicode. Another is the that all the current supporters of Async Pro are Delphi guys. Another problem is that CB 2010, unlike BCB 6, does not compile Delphi packages. I don't understand all the details but it seems clear that Async Pro is a dead end for C++ Builder programmers.
I would like to know if there are other packages out there that are known to work with CB 2010, preferably ones that don't cost hundreds of dollars.
Also, does anyone know why, after all these years, Borland/Emvbarcadero has never provided serial support?

On Fri, 18 Jun 2010 17:21:45 -0700, Bissett Daniel <> wrote:
(snip)

That's a question that much other people does. The only people that
uses CB instead of Visual C++ or GNU in the business sector I work are
those related to hardware stuff that needs communicate with a PC, for
example utilities to save configuration in boards and/or vending

compiler, so it should be able to compile Delphi packages from the command
line. I do not have CB2010, so I cannot confirm that 100%, but it seems

(snip)

What I did was to download the demo version of RAD Studio and install Async Pro. It compiled correctly and the components loaded into the Delphi IDE. However, I could do nothing to get the components loaded into the C++ Builder IDE. While the issue of CB2010 being able to compile Delphi code is an obstacle, it is not the only problem.
I really don't want to be thought of as someone who throws stones at open source developers. They do a great deal of work and they do it without compensation. The Async Pro developers should be applauded for their efforts. A great number of Delphi users are dependent on and happy with their efforts. In spite of this, it is clear that their resources are too limited to support the C++ side.
(snip)

If Embarcadero were to add the component to the releases, it would imply at least some level of commitment to assisting the open source developers. The packages would at least have to be kept up to date to work with with the current release. The current problem is that this has failed to happen on the C++ side. I think this would be great for the users but Embarcadero would have to decide if they have the time (spoken money) to make this commitment.
My original question still stands; What can I use today?
Daniel

(snip)

I work in broadcasting and television and spend my time getting different pieces of equipment to talk to each other. Believe me, serial communication is NOT dead.
A public example of my work can be found here: http://code.google.com/p/hcp4sam/

Hello,
Bissett Daniel wrote:
(snip)

did you try to set the 'Linker output' option for the Delphi compiler
to 'Generate all C++Builder files (including package libs)'?
If you change that setting after the package was installed once, you'll

Of course serial port is not dead!
At least 80% of our products have a RS232 TTL based protocol (appart
from more traditional based in parallel IO lines -not parallel port).
And of course, USB is serial, SATA is serial, HDMI is serial..
On Sat, 19 Jun 2010 10:57:12 -0700, Bissett Daniel <> wrote:

I use the TMS Async32 suite. Very reliable.
--
Malcolm Smith
MJ Freelancing
http://www.mjfreelancing.com

(snip)

ComPort component supports CB 2010
http://www.winsoft.sk/comport.htm

(snip)

I have the same problem as the OP. I am trying to install AsyncPro, which is now apparently available only in Delphi source format. I am using a trial version of RAD Studio XE. I can't figure how to start the Delphi compiler (or even if there is one as part of the program, despite the fact that the product description says there is). It's possible that I did the installation wrong but I don't recall any compiler choices there. If I try to compile with the IDE I get a 'missing Delphi.personality' message.
I attempted the command line approach but the trial version doesn't seem to support command line compiling. I am completely at a loss. I will buy the Studio package if I can figure how to get this package installed- it's mandatory since my applications are serial/usb intensive.
I am trying to upgrade from C++ Builder5 and AsyncPro 3, which has worked well in the past but is getting dated, plus when I try to use the 'build with run time packages' option I am now getting access violations for some reason. Any help would be most appreciated.
I have also tried the ComPort utility from Winsoft as described in the previous post. All I really need is a com port object, no fax, TCP/IP, etc, so this tool would suffice in place of Async Pro. However, after installation, the ComPort item shows up checked in the 'install packages'->design packages window, but no trace of the ComPort item where it's supposed to be in the 'System' palette area of the tool box. I am probably doing something wrong, the IDE has changed a lot since C++Builder 5. I should al
so note that the first time I installed Comport, it apparently installed the tool in the earlier C++Builder 5 program (successfully I think, it showed up in the tool box). I then uninstalled version 5 and comport, re-installed comport, but still no comport tool in the toolbox in XE. Very frustrating, I've been stalled for days and any help would be a huge relief.

(snip)
al
(snip)
1. check, whether Winsoft ComPort Component package is enabled
(menu Component/Install packages), try to switch off another
ComPort components
2. ComPort component could be placed on another component palette

Good Day !
Anyone could to solve support for Builder XE?
i am using COMPORT for builder C++ 6, and my old project couldn't had installed..:(
I hope your help.
best regards,

(snip)

Gents,
I too found myself in the position of going on using CBuilder 6 and the free Turbopower serial port component for much longer than I expected. I had a couple of warnings about this cosy state of affairs. The first being that after getting XE I could not load the Turbopower component. I also could not load the Turbopower component into CBuilder 6 when installed on Windows 7 (my company is shortly to move to this OS). So I thought I should come up with a solution. I created a class in a thread which allows
the creation of multiple COM ports in an application. There is a project here:
http://www.thequins.org/downloads.html
Which gives an example of a simple app with 2 COM ports. You will need to change the code for the COM ports on your PC. Once you have done this you can send a message by pressing the button. Just connect pins 2 & 3 on your serial port and you can stream data. Full source code is provided.

(snip)

I get the free Comport Library working in C++ Builder using Moritz Beutel's suggestion.
(snip)

(snip)

(snip)

You may have found this document through Google searching as I did, but did you actually work through the process? The install in this doc does not work for C++ - the delphi compiler complains about missing files that are not in the zip package. There is no one to ask for help.
I commiserate completely with everyone in this chain - I went from BCB5 with AsyncPro to Builder 2010 with no serial support. I went on building serial-based apps with BCB5, which is only delaying the inevitable problems.

If anyone is interested, I took the AsyncPro serial component in my old Builder 5 IDE and wrappered its basic functionality into a DLL, which you can call from any Borland development environment. I have used it with C++ Builder successfully enough to deploy an application for a customer - this is single-threaded and uses only one comport.

(snip)

(snip)

(snip)

I am working on C++ XE5 and I need to use the serial port, does your code work with it?

(snip)

(snip)

Thanks for your answer Mike. Just two things please, since I am new to these forums, where is the 'attachment thread' from which I can download the code file?
Also, could you please tell me briefly how to use it? just to download it or what?
Your answers are highly appreciated
Edited by: Mohammad Alsharif on Jun 15, 2014 9:24 AM

(snip)

https://forums.embarcadero.com/thread.jspa?threadID=105843&tstart=0
(snip)

Just place this DLL in the folder with your exe file. In your project, use LoadLibraryEx to load the DLL, then call OpenComport. Copy all this code from the sample CPP file 'com_dll_test_main.cpp'.
(snip)

Hi All,
I am using XE5 with the TMS Async32 suite that contains a serial port connection.
In my application, I need to show all available COM Ports in a ComboBox from which I can choose one, is there a such a method that finds available COM ports?

(snip)

This works for me - It gets installed COM ports from the registry and puts them into a radiogroup.
Hope it helps.
// gets installed com ports from the registry - found this code in a news
// group. Modified it to fill in a specific radiogroup.
TRegistry *pReg = new TRegistry( KEY_READ );

(snip)

Could you explain me how you did it please?

(snip)

Hi Simon,
Thanks for sharing your work. I am using C++ XE5, and when running your project I get this error:
[bcc32 Error] EthernetThreadtestMain.cpp(8): E2209 Unable to open include file 'EnetThread.h'

You might have a look at TMS Async.
http://www.tmssoftware.com/site/async32.asp
--
Kind regards,
Bruno Fierens