newbie: Can I send HEX commands to USB driver via Applescript?

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

Can I send HEX commands to a USB driver via Applescript?

I want to send HEX values to an Elexol control board via the FTDI driver that works with it from Filemaker Pro.
Elexol provides a utility (Eltima Serial Port Monitor 4.0.2.281) but it only works on Windows; I can get it to work from within Parallels.
I note this to show that the device is working when connected to the Mac.

I was originally hoping to use Troi’s serial plug-in for Filemaker Pro, but according to their web site it clearly doesn’t work for USB devices.
http://www.troi.com/support/faq2.html#serq

I tried to get outside of Parallels by using an app called USBConnect; but it doesn’t seem to work.

I have a tiny bit of understanding of Applescript and will learn a lot more if someone can tell me that I can indeed communicate with the driver via AppleScript from within Filemaker Pro.

Thanks a lot for any leads,
Keith.

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#2

Hi Keith,

with AppleScript you can

¢ control an application which provides a dictionary of AppleScript commands
¢ control an application using GUI scripting with application System Events
¢ execute scripts written in Ruby, Perl, UNIX command line, UserTalk, Python, JavaScript (using LateNights JavaScript OSA component)

You can also write applications in AppleScript Studio with certain bridges to Objective-C

If your USB driver is not accessible with one of those methods, it’ not possible to control the driver

#3

Can anyone suggest such an application?

I thought I had it with USBConnect (from Next-Tech Computer Inc) but for some reason it doesn’t seem to be working. This, despite the driver for the Elexol board appearing in the list of drivers to call [and being selected]. I am wondering if the app is not sending the string in HEX (nothing in UI to suggest it is or isn’t).

Or if someone can tell me a Unix command to issue in Terminal to test, that would be helpful in directing me to a solution.
An example of a command that I would send in HEX via Eltima Serial Port Monitor 4.0.2.281 [in Parallels] is
“42 02”
which is to close the second relay on the relay board (which is attached to the Elexol control board).

The driver is at /dev/tty.usbserial-ELQ6JCZA

Thanks so much for the guidance.
Keith.