[feature-request] Seial Port (COM) Access

[Technologov]

Please implement a serial COM port access (if not difficult), for several reasons:

1. Some people use it instead of USB to connect to some devices.

2. I use it occasionally for software testing

3. It's already implemented by competitors; Both VMware and VirtualPC.

-Alexey Eremenko

[Achim Hasenmueller]

This will be added in the near future. However, USB to COM adapters are the better solution because they are more reliable.

[chemist109]

There are several scientists where I work that could use com port access to communicate with older instruments that require an older version of windows or DOS. My experience with USB to COM adapters has ranged from acceptable to unusable. They really depend on Windows drivers and those are often not well written (and non-existent for many other operating systems).

[Technologov]

This is absolutely true - you have driver problems with USB-to-COM adapters.

achimha wrote:

However, USB to COM adapters are the better solution because they are more reliable.

_

NONSENSE ! I have never ever seen real COM port broken, while I had seen lots of adapters got broken because of cheap cable, that has damaged wires inside.

In short, USB-to-COM adapters are *lot* less reliable solution than real COM.

-Alexey Eremenko

[Achim Hasenmueller]

Lack of technical understanding can hardly be compensated by bold statements.

It is not possible to implement a well working COM forwarding solution. This is due to the limited control a host operating system gives you over the various signal lines of the COM ports. Basic things work, more advanced things don't. USB to serial adapters address this issue.

The next version will provide COM port to named pipes (or local domain sockets) but we currently do not plan to support physical COM ports. Contributions are welcome, though.

[flipper313]

I subscribe to this request for a single reason : I could not find one Linux serial RS232 communication software as Docklight(much powerfull than hyperterminal/cutecom )

[Technologov]

flipper313: Look better : on Linux you have the following RS-232 clients: screen (the one I use), minicom, PuTTY, ... Those might not address the issue you have, however. On Windows the number of software is highter.

[Frank Mehnert]

Serial port is implemented but so far no GUI support. See the VirtualBox 1.4.0 documentation on how to activate and use the serial port.

[Technologov]

Wish fulfilled. Close bug.

-Technologov