[comp.sys.ibm.pc] Communications & mouse into one serial port

carterp@deakin.OZ.AU (Phil Carter) (04/10/91)

I have a PC with one serial port which I use for both communications
and the mouse (obviously not both at the same time).

Whenever I need to switch from communications to the mouse, or vice versa,
I have to switch off the PC, swap cables to the serial port and reboot.

QUESTION.  Is there any way of avoiding the reboot? Is there any software
that might help?

--
  Phil Carter		  Computing Services Centre,   
  Academic Programmer  	  Deakin University, Warrnambool campus          
  carterp@deakin.oz.au    Princes Highway,		             
  Tel: +61 55 618427      Warrnambool 3280,  AUSTRALIA

cho@sol4.cs.psu.edu (Sehyeong Cho) (04/10/91)

In article <1264@sol.deakin.OZ.AU> carterp@deakin.OZ.AU (Phil Carter) writes:
>I have a PC with one serial port which I use for both communications
>and the mouse (obviously not both at the same time).
>
>Whenever I need to switch from communications to the mouse, or vice versa,
>I have to switch off the PC, swap cables to the serial port and reboot.
>
>QUESTION.  Is there any way of avoiding the reboot? Is there any software
>that might help?
>
My Question: Have you ever tried not booting?  I mean, just change the
cables and run the program?
Isn't your comm. software (or mouse driver) supposed to know how to initialize
the port?

--
                      |  Yesterday I was a student.
     Sehyeong Cho     |  Today I am a student.
     cho@cs.psu.edu   |  Tomorrow I'll probably still be a student.
                      |  Sigh.. There's so little hope for advancement.

jfv@cbnewsk.att.com (j.f.van valkenburg) (04/12/91)

In article <1264@sol.deakin.OZ.AU>, carterp@deakin.OZ.AU (Phil Carter) writes:
> I have a PC with one serial port which I use for both communications
> and the mouse (obviously not both at the same time).
> 
> Whenever I need to switch from communications to the mouse, or vice versa,
> I have to switch off the PC, swap cables to the serial port and reboot.
> 
> QUESTION.  Is there any way of avoiding the reboot? Is there any software
> that might help?
> 
> --
>   Phil Carter		  Computing Services Centre,   
>   Academic Programmer  	  Deakin University, Warrnambool campus          
>   carterp@deakin.oz.au    Princes Highway,		             
>   Tel: +61 55 618427      Warrnambool 3280,  AUSTRALIA

I share my comm port between two serial printers with a simple A/B switch.
The common RS232 goes to the comm port - I haven't had any problems except 
forgetting to switch to the draft printer from the LQ printer.



------------------------
James F. Van Valkenburg         a.k.a.  "van"
AT&T 				Attmail: !jfv               jfv@cbnewsk.att.com
Atlanta, GA.			Voice  404-873-7920
===============================================================================

   ---- Standard Disclaimers included -- Just another grunt at AT&T ----

===============================================================================

gandalf@valnet.UUCP (Andrew Davenport) (04/13/91)

jfv@cbnewsk.att.com (j.f.van valkenburg) writes:

> In article <1264@sol.deakin.OZ.AU>, carterp@deakin.OZ.AU (Phil Carter) writes
> > I have a PC with one serial port which I use for both communications
> > and the mouse (obviously not both at the same time).
> > 
> > Whenever I need to switch from communications to the mouse, or vice versa,
> > I have to switch off the PC, swap cables to the serial port and reboot.
> > 
> > QUESTION.  Is there any way of avoiding the reboot? Is there any software
> > that might help?

I don't think so...
I think you could switch TO the mouse OK (maybe...just run mouse.com after 
you switch cables...), but not the other way. (I don't think)  have you 
tried it?  I wouldn't hurt anything, anyway.
> > 
> > --
> >   Phil Carter		  Computing Services Centre,   
> >   Academic Programmer  	  Deakin University, Warrnambool campus          
> >   carterp@deakin.oz.au    Princes Highway,		             
> >   Tel: +61 55 618427      Warrnambool 3280,  AUSTRALIA
> 
> I share my comm port between two serial printers with a simple A/B switch.
> The common RS232 goes to the comm port - I haven't had any problems except 
Yes, but these are both Printers...A printer is a printer (at least as 
far as interfacing with the computer for the mosty part...)  but there is 
a major difference between the modem and the mouse.  
> forgetting to switch to the draft printer from the LQ printer.
> 
> 
> 
> ------------------------
> James F. Van Valkenburg         a.k.a.  "van"
> AT&T 				Attmail: !jfv               jfv@cbnewsk.att.com
> Atlanta, GA.			Voice  404-873-7920
> =============================================================================
> 
>    ---- Standard Disclaimers included -- Just another grunt at AT&T ----
> 
> =============================================================================


Andrew Davenport					I don't have a sig.
gandalf@valnet.uucp				CompSci BBS +1 812 876-4407
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warkenti@CAE.Mitel.Com (Brad Warkentin) (04/17/91)

Sehyeong Cho writes:
   Phil Carter writes:
   >I have a PC with one serial port which I use for both communications
   >and the mouse (obviously not both at the same time).
   >
   >Whenever I need to switch from communications to the mouse, or vice versa,
   >I have to switch off the PC, swap cables to the serial port and reboot.
   >
   >QUESTION.  Is there any way of avoiding the reboot? Is there any software
   >that might help?
   >
   My Question: Have you ever tried not booting?  I mean, just change the
   cables and run the program?
   Isn't your comm. software (or mouse driver) supposed to know how to
   initialize the port?

I currently run a serial mouse (configured as a Microsoft serial
mouse) and a serial data link off COM1. I use a switch box to switch
between the mouse and a serial data link cable. This works for me...

BJ...warkenti@CAE.Mitel.Com    |   This space for rent...
Kanata, Ontario, Canada        |   
I really didn't mean it quite that way, or did I :->