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Establishing communication with device through RS232 using PySerial or PyVisa

Trying to communicate with a McPherson 747 Device Controller for the Filter Wheel on a lab instrument. It is connected to the lab computer through RS232 to usb. I've connected and communicated with other devices through serial before.
It seems that for a read request, I need to send an enquiry and header and then the Device will acknowledge and send data.
The manual for the Device says that all data is exchanged in ASCII format. Though there are also a few tables in the manual that has inputs in Hex ASCII code. The manual says that a three-byte enquiry is Hex 4E2105 or text N!< ENQ >. Acknowledge is Hex 4E2106 or text N!< ACK > . The header is a mix of several Hex ASCII inputs for reading and writing based on what information the user wants.
The issue I am having is when I code the serial information and send the enquire input, it always sends an error due to communication with the device. I am unfamiliar with Hex. Do I need to be sending the entire enquire, headeras one input, or can I send them separately? I can also try to set up communication with PyVisa but I've gotten similar errors.
Through serial:
import codecs
import serial
try:
ser = serial.Serial(port='COM1',
baudrate = 9600,
timeout = None,
xonxoff = False,
parity = serial.PARITY_NONE,
stopbits = serial.STOPBITS_ONE,
bytesize = serial.EIGHTBITS,
)
ser.close()
string = '4E2105'
enquire = codecs.decode(string,'hex')
ser.open()
ser.write(enquire); #ascii intput for pressing enter on keyboard
ser.read_until(size=None) #reads out feedback until no data is left
ser.close()
msg = f"Program communication initialized"
print(msg)
except Exception as ex:
msg = f"Error: {ex}"
print(msg)
Error: could not open port 'COM1': FileNotFoundError(2, 'The system cannot find the file specified.', None, 2)
Through Pyvisa:
import pyvisa
import serial
import codecs
string = '4E2105'
enquire = codecs.decode(string,'hex')
rm = pyvisa.ResourceManager()
rm.list_resources()
# ('ASRL1::INSTR', 'ASRL2::INSTR', 'GPIB0::12::INSTR')
inst = rm.open_resource('asrl1::instr')
inst.write_termination='\r'
inst.read_termination='\r'
inst.baud_rate = 9600
inst.data_bits = 8
inst.parity = visa.constants.Parity.none
inst.flow_control = visa.constants.VI_ASRL_FLOW_NONE
inst.write(enquire)
print(inst.query("N!<ENQ>"))
rm.close()
VisaIOError: VI_ERROR_RSRC_NFOUND (-1073807343): Insufficient location information or the requested device or resource is not present in the system.

Python pySerial on Raspberry Pi Zero W: detecting a disconnected serial device

In my project, there's a Raspberry Pi Zero W, linked with Arduino Pro Micro over the serial TX/RX lines (through 5 - 3.3V logic level converter). At power-on, the Arduino starts sending "are you there" command over the serial, until Pi has finished booting and launched a python program that listens on serial port, and it replies with "yes". Then Arduino proceeds with sending regular updates with sensor data.
For some reason not yet understood, the Arduino can disconnect and reboot, while the Pi is still running. And, for some reason, the connection on the Python end is severed in a way that does not raise exception if connection.in_waiting is read.
import serial
import time
ser = serial.Serial('/dev/serial0')
ser.baudrate = 9600
cmd = b''
while True:
time.sleep(1)
print(ser.is_open)
while ser.in_waiting:
ch = ser.read()
if ch == b'\n':
print('New command:', cmd)
cmd = b''
ser.write(b'OK\n')
continue
else:
cmd = cmd + ch
I have tested with this simple code, but in my tests, if I disconnect the Arduino and connect it back, the ser.is_open never is False, and the old connection works just fine also with reconnected Arduino. So, unfortunately I can not exactly replicate the loss of connection scenario when the data stop coming after disconnection. However, in order to investigate further, I'd like to add some monitoring code that would log serial disconnection incidents in file. But is there a way? If connection.is_open is always true, even without Arduino connected, then how one can detect if there is no connection?

The port remains open if there's a disconnection so your example code will loop continuously.
import serial
def connect(port):
return serial.Serial(port, baudrate=9600, timeout=1)
ser = connect('/dev/serial0')
buf = bytearray()
while True:
i = buf.find(b'\n')
if i >= 0:
buf = buf[i + 1:]
ser.write('OK\n')
num_bytes = max(1, min(1024, ser.in_waiting))
data = ser.read(num_bytes)
if data:
buf.extend(data)
else:
# no data to read aka disconnection has occurred
ser = connect('/dev/serial0')
if ser.isOpen():
continue
else:
# could not reconnect
break

How do i debug this USB-Serial connection?

I am trying to talk to a Stanford Research Systems SR760 spectrum analyzer on my mac (10.7.5) via Serial, using a Serial-to-USB adapter to connect to my laptop. I am using the Prolific USB-serial driver. Not sure which but I installed it recently. It probably is the PL2303 one.
Using Python, here's some sample code
import time
import serial
# configure the serial connections (the parameters differs on the device you
# are connecting to)
ser = serial.Serial(
port='/dev/cu.PL2303-0000201A',
baudrate=19200,
parity=serial.PARITY_NONE,
bytesize=serial.EIGHTBITS,
stopbits=serial.STOPBITS_ONE,
rtscts=0,
dsrdtr=0,
timeout=2,
)
if ser.isOpen():
ser.flushInput()
ser.flushOutput()
print """Enter your commands below.\r\nInsert "exit" to leave the
application."""
while 1:
# get keyboard input
input = raw_input(">> ")
if input == 'exit':
ser.close()
exit()
else:
ser.write(input + '\r')
out = ''
# let's wait one second before reading output (let's give device
# time to answer)
lines = 0
while 1:
time.sleep(1)
out = out + ser.readline()
lines = lines + 1
if lines > 5:
break
print "read data: " + out
Using the SR760's manual, I send it: *IDN?, a basic "identify" command. I expect for something to pop up in my terminal, nothing does. It just times out. However, if I look at the send queue on the SR760, it will show the identity string, and in fact responds to a bunch of different commands. I'm just not getting anything on my computer and that is the problem. I know it is supposed to work that way because my colleague wrote code that words on his computer (a windows laptop).
How do I even start debugging this? I've tweaked the timeout, and confirmed the sr760 had the same parameters I was expecting.

How to make a serial port sniffer sniffing physical port using a python

I have a PC Software (OS: Win 64bit) that communicates with a machine via physical serial port RS232 and I want to make a sniffer for that port using a python. Please note that I am beginner to serial ports.
I've read multiple documents and questions posted online but most of them asks to just use 3rd-party software, but I cannot do this way because raw bytes have to be decoded into string message (I have my way own of decode/encode method).
Currently I have setup like this:
/////////////////// Physical COM1 /////////////
// (PC) Software // <------------------------> // Machine //
/////////////////// /////////////
And I want a python to output any bytes that went through COM1.
Desired Behavior diagram (Virtual serial port has a question mark because I'm not sure if that is the right approach):
/////////////////// Physical COM1 /////////////
// (PC) Software // <------------------------> // Machine //
/////////////////// | Virtual /////////////
| serial port?
v
//////////////////
// (PC) Sniffer // (Python)
//////////////////
|
v
(output bytes)
Those of who knows Advanced Serial Port Monitor, its "spymode" functionality is exactly what I am trying to achieve using python.
I've tried to use com0com and PortMon but I can't find a way to configure com0com to sniff physical port (as far as my observation goes, com0com only makes virtual ports) and PortMon does not support Windows 64-bit.
I've been stuck at this for days... any comments/links/answers are appreciated.
Thank you,

You should go through pySerial
Only one function can acquire the serial port at a time.
For one-way communication(from machine to PC software), the only way I can think of to sniff from a serial port is to read from a port1 and write to port2, where your machine is writing to port1 and PC software has been modified to read from port2.
import serial
baud_rate = 4800 #whatever baudrate you are listening to
com_port1 = '/dev/tty1' #replace with your first com port path
com_port2 = '/dev/tty2' #replace with your second com port path
listener = serial.Serial(com_port1, baudrate)
forwarder = serial.Serial(com_port2, baudrate)
while 1:
serial_out = listener.read(size=1)
print serial_out #or write it to a file
forwarder.write(serial_out)
To achieve full duplex(asynchronous two way communication), you need to have a two processes, one for each direction. You will need to synchronize these process in some way. One way to do it could be, while one process reads from port1, the other writes to port2, and vice-versa.
Read this question

Why not echo something like:
PC S/W <--> COMn(COM0COM)COMm <--> python monitor & forward <--> COM1 <--> Machine
Software wise you need 2 serial tasks one opens COMm and one opens COM1 and a central logger and anything that comes in on COMm gets logged then forwarded to COM1 and vice verca.

We can use the code above without the need to go through threading to achieve a half duplex communication.
we are going to use an infinite loop, and a variable which gonna specify in which port we are reading.
import serial
import time
baud_rate = 9600 # whatever baudrate you are listening to
com_port1 = '/dev/ttyUSB0' # replace with your first com port path
com_port2 = '/dev/ttyUSB1' # replace with your second com port path
ComRead_timeout = 0.1 # Read timeout to avoid waiting while there is no data on the buffer
ComWr_timeout = 0.1 # Write timeout to avoid waiting in case of write error on the serial port
log = open('log.txt', 'a+') # Open our log file, to put read data
From_PC_To_Device = True # this variable is used to specify which port we're gonna read from
listener = serial.Serial(port=com_port1, baudrate=baud_rate, timeout=ComRead_timeout,
write_timeout=ComWr_timeout)
forwarder = serial.Serial(port=com_port2, baudrate=baud_rate, timeout=ComRead_timeout,
write_timeout=ComWr_timeout)
while 1:
while (listener.inWaiting()) and From_PC_To_Device:
serial_out = listener.readline()
localtime = time.asctime(time.localtime(time.time()))
Msg = "PC " + localtime + " " + serial_out
Msg += "\n"
log.write(Msg)
print(serial_out) # or write it to a file
forwarder.write(serial_out)
else:
From_PC_To_Device = False
while (forwarder.inWaiting()) and not From_PC_To_Device:
serial_out = forwarder.readline()
localtime = time.asctime(time.localtime(time.time()))
Msg = "DEVICE " + localtime + " " + serial_out + "\n"
log.write(Msg)
print(serial_out) # or write it to a file
listener.write(serial_out)
else:
From_PC_To_Device = True

PySerial write() instant timeout

EDIT
I found out what the problem was and have answered my own question.
Original question below this line
I have a serial bridge between COM4 and COM5 implemented in software (Specifically, HDD's Free Virtual Serial Configuration Utility)
I have two different python scripts starting up in two different instances of Powershell, receive first:
import serial
receive = serial.Serial(port = 'COM5', baudrate = 9600)
text = receive.read(100)
receive.close()
print text
And then the sender:
import serial
send = serial.Serial(port = 'COM4', baudrate = 9600, timeout = 0)
send.write("Hello")
send.close()
When starting the sender script, the receiver script gets the sent message (So communication is clearly established) but the sender script immediately ends with an error:
Traceback (most recent call last):
File ".\sending.py", line 3, in <module>
send.writelines("Hello")
File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\serial\serialwin32.py", line 270, in write
raise writeTimeoutError
serial.serialutil.SerialTimeoutException: Write timeout
I get the same error when I change the sender script to
send = serial.Serial(port = 'COM4', baudrate = 9600)
So my question is: What exactly is timing out? How do I prevent that from happening? I mean, the data IS being sent so I could probably just put the whole thing in a try/except(and do nothing) block but that seems like a bad solution in the long run.

The clue is in the error message[1]
File "C:\Python27\lib\site-packages\serial\serialwin32.py", line 270, in write
raise writeTimeoutError
so we open that file and find:
if self._writeTimeout != 0: # if blocking (None) or w/ write timeout (>0)
# Wait for the write to complete.
#~ win32.WaitForSingleObject(self._overlappedWrite.hEvent, win32.INFINITE)
err = win32.GetOverlappedResult(self.hComPort, self._overlappedWrite, ctypes.byref(n), True)
if n.value != len(data):
raise writeTimeoutError
Read that first conditional again:
if self._writeTimeout != 0:
so let us rewrite our code from before
send = serial.Serial(port = 'COM4', baudrate = 9600, timeout = 0)
becomes
send = serial.Serial(port = 'COM4', baudrate = 9600, writeTimeout = 0)
and Et Voila: No exception.
[1] Well Designed Error Messages? That's new!

The problem may be that the interface tries to comply with RTS, CTS, DSR, or DTS signals. It is possible that if they are not properly virtually connected, they can mysteriously affect communication through a timeout.
I would also recommend looking at the configuration of the used virtual serial bridge.
One solution may be to ignore influence using rtscts=False and/or dsrdtr=False when opening the serial port in Python.
I could use an alternative solution for sniffing communication using hub4com, where I used the parameter --octs = off, for example in this way, but the virtual ports had to be created correctly before. hub4com --baud=115200 --route=0:All --route=1:All --route=2:All --no-default-fc-route=All:All --octs=off \\.\COM1 \\.\CNCB0 \\.\CNCB1