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15.4.18 Serial Input Service User Options
Serial input user options control certain functions of the PlanetPress Watch/Server Serial Capture service,
which in turn has a direct impact on all Serial input tasks performed by PlanetPress Watch/Server on a given
computer. For information on the properties set in individual Serial input tasks, refer to “Serial Input Task
Properties” on page 195.
The available Serial input user options are as follows:
Serial settings group
Serial port: Select the port of the computer where the Serial input is connected to (COM1
through COM8).
Baud rate: Select the baud rate of the Serial input. The baud rate is the number of bits
transferred per second. The transferred bits include the start bit, the data bits, the parity
bit (if defined), and the stop bits.
Data bits: Select the number of data bits defining the incoming data file on this serial port.
The data bits transferred through a serial port represent the data content. This excludes
the start, parity, and stop bits: these are bits defining the beginning and end of each unit of
transferred data, as well as error detection provided by the parity bit. The majority of serial
ports use between five and eight data bits. Binary data is typically transmitted as eight
bits. Text-based data is transmitted as seven bits or eight bits. If the data is based on the
ASCII character set, a minimum of seven bits is required. If an eighth bit is used, it must
have a value of 0. If the data is based on the extended ASCII character set, eight bits must
be used.
Parity: Select the type of parity used for error detection. The parity transfers through the
serial connection as a single bit. It is used to verify that each set of data bits transfers
correctly. It is then stripped away before the data file passes through the rest of the
PlanetPress Watch/Server process. Select None to ignore all parity bits; no error detection
occurs.
Stop bits: Since most serial ports operate asynchronously, the transmitted byte must be
identified by start and stop bits. The start bit indicates when the data byte is about to
begin and the stop bit(s) indicates when the data byte was transferred. The start bit is
always 0 to mark the beginning of the byte, but the stop bit can be a single 1, or two bits
each with a value of 1.
Time-out: Set the time in seconds the PlanetPress Watch/Server process waits for the
transfer of bytes in the data file before ending the transfer of this file. On a time-out,
partially received data files are not passed to the rest of the process; the Serial input
resets, ready to receive further data files.
Job delimiters: Enter the strings that tell PlanetPress Watch/Server the data file being
retrieved through the Serial input is complete. Each line in the Job delimiters text box is a
different delimiter. You can enter as many delimiters as you want, one per line. The three
default delimiters that appear are three of the most commonly recognized end of a file
delimiters.
Log (verbose): Select to keep a log of errors and other information related to the Serial
input. Since these messages can accumulate, you have the option of not logging them. Log
Advanced Configurations and Options - Detailed Directions
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