Java Comm for Linux
New news! (6/7/99) - The RXTX page is back up.
What is Java Comm for Linux (JCL)?
Java Comm for Linux is a set of free drivers for Sun's official serial
driver interface: CommAPI.
It allows you to use Linux serial (and eventually parallel ports) in an
OS independent manner. JCL actually supports any operating system supported
by RXTX, but Linux is the operating system I've tested it on. Windows
95/NT users can use Sun's standard CommAPI - you don't need JCL or RXTX.
What is the current JCL version?
The current JCL release is included as part of RXTX.
Known problems:
-
There is no parallel port support. If you'd like to add this support,
please join the RXTX development effort.
-
Ideally JCL should read the port names from a property - it currently just
uses the standard "/dev/cua?" names.
What is needed to use JCL?
-
A 2.0 or later Linux kernel. See linux.org
for all things Linux.
-
Java 1.1 or later. See the Java Linux web page
for downloads.
-
RXTX - Trent Jarvi's excellent
serial package for Linux. The JCL code is contained within the RXTX
distribution.
-
Sun's CommAPI
release - You MUST use the Sparc Solaris version.
How does one install JCL and CommAPI?
-
Download the Solaris CommAPI
release. The only file you need from this release is comm.jar.
-
Copy comm.jar into your JDK bin directory. Add this JAR file to your
CLASSPATH:
export CLASSPATH=$CLASSPATH:/usr/local/jdk1.1.5/bin/comm.jar
-
Download and build RXTX. Add the RXTX directory to your CLASSPATH
- as instructed in the RXTX documentation.
-
Create a text file in your JDK lib directory. This file must be named
"javax.comm.properties". The contents of this file is a single line
which should read:
Driver=gnu.io.RXTXCommDriver
-
Test your installation by running the BlackBox demo included with CommAPI:
java -classpath BlackBox.jar:$CLASSPATH BlackBox
You are now ready to write applications based on the public documentation
included on Sun's web site. Please send me an email
if this works for you - there have been many downloads, but not much feedback.
Who wrote this stuff?
Trent Jarvi created the RXTX
engine. Kevin Hester
created the original JCL drivers contained within RXTX. Many other people have significantly enhanced RXTX/JCL since I last futzed with it.
Page maintained by Kevin Hester ([email protected]).
Last updated 9/26/1998.