BS>     This is where I'm running into problems.  For testing purposes,
BS>  I'm running a null modem cable between two machines.  PowerBASIC
BS>  will NOT open the comm port between the two with any value of CS
BS>  greater than 0 without giving a device timeout error.  When opened
BS>  with CS0 it works, but I lose characters even at 2400 baud.
 
Did you make the null modem cable yourself?  Most of these null modem
adapters only cross over 2 and 3 and run 7 straight thru.  This will
not do.  4 and 5 must be crossed over as well (RTS/CTS) and DSR (6 or
8) to DTR (20).  I'll poke around and see if I can find the correct
pinout for a null modem cable/adapter.  I always just cross over 2 and
3, run 7 thru, connect 4 & 5, and connect 6, 8 & 20 together for my pc
to pc cables.  If you do cross 4 and 5 in the cable remember the other
end must assert the RTS and CTS signals as well or you will have
handshaking problems (and the timeouts you are seeing).  This is when a
rs-232 breakout box with led's is nice.  
 
BS>  software without having to troubleshoot PB's comm support.  So if I
BS>  need to write XON/XOFF checking into the program to get this part
BS>  to work inside the IDE, then I'd like to know.  There's absolutely
BS>  NO information in the manuals about how PB handles handshaking.
BS>  The only mention I've found is a definition of handshaking in the
BS>  glossary of chapter 13, Serial Communications.
 
I've never looked into it really, just assumed since they have options
to control the handware handshaking that the support was there. 
I've never put xon/xoff code in any of my comm routines and never
noticed if PB supported it.  Until PB put the ,dt option in there (to
keep dtr high when comm port closed) I always used my own comm code
using inp and out or the int 14 bios routines.  But thats only polled
i/o mode so you can lose characters.  Most of the time when I use pb
comm routines except for on bbs I disable the handshaking and have
never had too many problems with it.  
 
I think your complaint about manuals covering of comm code is valid,
and they probably should have a little more explanation there. 
Perhaps they feel you should already know all of this, like they
assumed we all know how to convert old C and ASM lib code to work with
$link without any tutorial or detailed help.  Were they not a while ago
talking about a "pb programmers tech manual"?  I wonder what happened
to it....     Eric
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