Functions and structures used for serial communications are defined in the Winbase.h header file. Reading to and writing from a serial communications port on a Windows CE–based device is done by calling file input and output functions. The following table describes functions and structures defined in the Winbase.h header file.
Function |
Description |
| CreateFile | Opens a serial port. |
| GetCommState | Fills in a device-control block—DCB structure—with the current control settings for a specified communication device. |
| SetCommState | Configures a communication device according to the specifications in a DCB structure. The function reinitializes all hardware and control settings, but does not empty I/O queues. |
| GetCommTimeouts | Retrieves the time-out parameters for all read/write operations on a specified communication device. |
| SetCommTimeouts | Sets the time-out parameters for all read/write operations on a specified communication device. |
| WriteFile | Writes data to a serial port, which transfers data to the device at the other end of a serial connection. |
| ReadFile | Reads data from a serial port, which receives data from a device at the other end of a serial connection. |
| SetCommMask | Specifies a set of events to monitor for a communication device. |
| GetCommMask | Retrieves the value of the event mask for a specified communication device. |
| WaitCommEvent | Waits for an event to occur for a specified communication device. The set of events monitored by WaitCommEvent is contained in the event mask associated with the device handle. |
| EscapeCommFunction | Directs a specified communication device to perform an extended function. Often used to set a serial port to IR mode. |
| ClearCommBreak | Restores character transmission for a specified communication device and places the transmission line in a non-break state. |
| ClearCommError | Retrieves communication error data and reports the current status of a specified communication device. |