Reading Serial port data from Nortel/Meridian PBX how to decode?

[snorkel]

You are *not* using the same settings.

Edit:
Start with Windows XP HyperTerminal, it has the same wordings for these setting. Strip bit 8, for instance, should *not* be checked.

Why should it not be checked?  that's how the current procomm is set and it works fine.

[engkin]

The very first thing I would do is to try HyperTerminal with the correct settings. Have you tried that? You should not need to do any decoding. Your data is simple ASCII Plain text.

[engkin]

You are right, I'm wrong. "Strip bit 8" has nothing to do with the serial connection settings.

You did not post a picture for the serial connection settings you are using. But you did post a picture for the display settings which included "Strip bit 8", named "settings1.png". Am I right?

[avra]

...it always looked like the data was corrupt, it never looked anything like the data in the procomm terminal window

VT100 uses many escape sequences to provide various coloring, positioning and cursor functions needed for advanced terminal applications. You should study VT100 escape sequences, see what they consist of, and filter them out to get clean ASCII text. Then you parse data you need. Depending on data, you might even get out without VT100 filtering at all and parse right away. It seams this is not your case and your data is complex so you need to filter first.
www.google.com/search?q=vt100+escape+sequences

Next advice is valid only if your PBX blindly sends data without any user intervention on PC side (and ProComm not having some automated macros which do the same job). That advice would be to wire TX pin from PBX not only to RX pin on PC side cable in DB9 RS232, but also to RX pin on another port of the same pc or even another pc (http://pinouts.ru/SerialPorts/Serial9_pinout.shtml). That way you can listen to the messages, analyze them without interfering, and write your Lazarus application. Alternatively, you might want to write a spy-through application on a separate pc with 2 serial ports, which will receive all data from PBX, and forward it without any changes to ProComm. You will need more cables for this idea. And finally, you might want to skip cabling trouble at all and do the same with just 2 virtual serial ports (http://www.hw-group.com/products/hw_vsp/index_en.html) installed on the same pc where ProComm is located. So, at the end your config could look something like this: PBX sends data to physical port COM1, COM1 is set to forward to virtual COM2, your application reads virtual COM2, parses and extract data and logs it, but forwards without changes immediately each received byte to virtual COM3, and ProComm is attached to virtual COM3 and it does it's business as usual. Of course, to avoid trouble all virtual COM ports would need to have the same settings as COM1. Once you have your application fully working, you can get rid of virtual COm ports and ProComm.

Btw, if ProComm pc is running 24/7 and the only reason is logging PBX data, then you might consider writing a Lazarus application for some cheap Linux ARM board like Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone Black, since they use hundred times less power then traditional pc.

[ttomas]

You don't need any virtual ports or hardware RX TX cross link cabling.
You can try this free serial port monitor from HDD Software
http://www.serial-port-monitor.com/free-serial-port-monitor-downloads.html

With this software you can see all low level transmitted and received data from serial port and ProComm

[avra]

With this software you can see all low level transmitted and received data from serial port and ProComm

Since PBX only sends data, any terminal capable of displaying ASCII data from COM port can be used and therefore HHD serial monitor software is not needed. OP has already reported that he could see low level messages but they were nonsense to him (because of VT100 escape sequences he didn't know how to interprete), so seeing again the same low level messages with just some new spy software would not benefit him. His problem was understanding PBX messages and finding a way to parse them and log them with Lazarus, which is what my answer was covering.

[snorkel]

ok, some news on this, we where able to install and use that serial port monitor software and it captured this:
(so from what I see this looks like just plain old ascii)
It's been quite a few years since I tried this before and it may have been with Delphi 2009, so maybe it was doing something odd
with unicode and messing up the text?  Don't know but it looks like plain old text from the monitor software.

0C 0A 0A 41 43 44 20 30 30 30 20 20 20 20 20 38   ...ACD 000     8
 2F 31 31 2F 32 30 31 33 20 20 20 31 32 3A 30 30   /11/2013   12:00
 20 0D 0A 0D 0A 0C 0D 0A 0D 0A 52 45 50 54 20 31    .........REPT 1
 0D 0A 41 43 44 20 20 20 20 20 20 41 56 47 20 43   ..ACD      AVG C
 41 4C 4C 53 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 41 56 47 20 20   ALLS       AVG 
 41 56 47 20 20 41 56 47 20 20 41 56 47 20 20 41   AVG  AVG  AVG  A
 56 47 20 20 20 20 44 4E 20 20 41 56 47 20 20 20   VG    DN  AVG   
 23 2D 58 46 45 52 20 20 41 56 47 2D 54 49 4D 45   #-XFER  AVG-TIME
 2D 50 4F 53 4E 20 0D 0A 20 44 4E 20 20 20 20 20   -POSN .. DN     
 41 47 54 53 20 41 4E 53 57 44 20 20 41 53 41 20   AGTS ANSWD  ASA
 20 44 43 50 20 48 44 43 50 20 20 50 43 50 20 57    DCP HDCP  PCP W
 4F 52 4B 20 57 41 49 54 20 43 41 4C 4C 53 20 54   ORK WAIT CALLS T
 49 4D 45 20 20 49 44 4E 20 20 41 43 44 20 20 20   IME  IDN  ACD   
 42 55 53 59 20 4D 41 4E 4E 45 44 0D 0A 32 31 37   BUSY MANNED..217
 38 36 32 35 20 20 20 20 32 20 20 20 20 20 31 20   8625    2     1
 20 20 31 30 20 20 31 35 34 20 20 20 20 30 20 32     10  154    0 2
 35 33 34 20 32 36 38 38 20 33 32 30 32 20 20 20   534 2688 3202   
 20 20 33 20 20 20 38 32 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20     3   82    0   
 20 30 20 20 20 31 34 36 37 20 20 20 33 30 36 38    0   1467   3068
 20 0D 0A 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D    ..-------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 0D 0A 20 20 31 20 20 20 20 20   ------..  1     
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 31 20 20 20 31 30 20            1   10
 20 31 35 34 20 20 20 20 30 20 32 35 33 34 20 32    154    0 2534 2
 36 38 38 20 33 32 30 32 20 20 20 20 20 33 20 20   688 3202     3 
 20 38 32 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20    82    0    0   
 31 34 36 37 20 20 20 33 30 36 38 20 0D 0A 0C 0D   1467   3068 ....
 0A 0D 0A 52 45 50 54 20 32 0D 0A 41 43 44 20 20   ...REPT 2..ACD 
 20 20 20 43 41 4C 4C 53 20 20 52 45 43 41 4C 4C      CALLS  RECALL
 20 41 4E 53 57 45 52 45 44 20 20 41 42 41 4E 44    ANSWERED  ABAND
 4F 4E 45 44 20 20 20 20 20 20 54 4F 46 20 54 4F   ONED      TOF TO
 46 20 20 4F 56 45 52 20 20 20 20 49 4E 54 45 52   F  OVER    INTER
 20 20 0D 0A 20 44 4E 20 20 20 20 41 43 43 50 54     .. DN    ACCPT
 45 44 20 20 54 4F 20 20 20 20 4C 4F 4E 47 45 53   ED  TO    LONGES
 54 20 20 20 4E 4F 2E 20 41 56 47 2E 57 54 20 54   T   NO. AVG.WT T
 53 46 20 49 4E 20 20 4F 55 54 20 20 46 4C 4F 57   SF IN  OUT  FLOW
 20 20 20 20 46 4C 4F 57 20 20 20 0D 0A 20 20 20       FLOW   ..   
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 53 4F 55 52               SOUR
 43 45 20 57 54 2E 20 54 49 4D 45 20 20 20 20 20   CE WT. TIME     
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20                   
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 42 55 53                BUS
 59 0D 0A 32 31 37 38 36 32 35 20 20 20 20 20 20   Y..2178625     
 31 20 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 31   1      0       1
 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 2A 2A 2A 2A 20 20 31 30   0    0  ****  10
 30 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 20 30 20   0   0   0     0
 20 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 0D 0A 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D         0 ..------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 0D 0A 20 20 31 20 20 20   --------..  1   
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 31 20 20 20 20 20 20 30 20          1      0
 20 20 20 20 20 20 31 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 2A         10    0  *
 2A 2A 2A 20 20 31 30 30 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 30   ***  100   0   0
 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 0D        0       0 .
 0A 0D 0A 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 43 41 4C 4C 53   ...        CALLS
 20 20 20 20 43 41 4C 4C 53 20 41 4E 53 57 45 52       CALLS ANSWER
 45 44 20 20 20 20 20 20 41 42 41 4E 44 4F 4E 45   ED      ABANDONE
 44 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 52 4F 55 54 45 20 20   D        ROUTE 
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 44 46 4C                DFL
 54 0D 0A 43 44 4E 20 20 20 20 41 43 43 50 54 45   T..CDN    ACCPTE
 44 20 20 20 4E 4F 2E 20 20 41 53 41 20 20 4C 4F   D   NO.  ASA  LO
 4E 47 20 57 54 20 20 20 4E 4F 2E 20 41 56 47 2E   NG WT   NO. AVG.
 57 54 20 54 53 46 20 20 20 20 20 42 59 20 20 20   WT TSF     BY   
 20 20 44 49 53 43 20 42 55 53 59 20 20 20 44 4E     DISC BUSY   DN
 20 0D 0A 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20    ..             
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20                   
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20                   
 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 49 56 52 20 20 43 43 52           IVR  CCR
 20 0D 0A 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D    ..-------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 0D 0A 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20   -..  0         
 30 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 2A 2A 2A 2A 20 20 20 20   0     0 ****   
 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 2A 2A 2A       0     0  ***
 2A 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 30   *    0    0    0
 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 30        0    0    0
 20 0D 0A 0C 0D 0A 0D 0A 52 45 50 54 20 34 0D 0A    .......REPT 4..
 20 50 4F 53 20 20 20 20 43 41 4C 4C 53 20 54 4F    POS    CALLS TO
 54 41 4C 20 54 4F 54 41 4C 20 54 4F 54 41 4C 20   TAL TOTAL TOTAL
 54 4F 54 41 4C 20 20 20 44 4E 20 20 49 4E 43 20   TOTAL   DN  INC
 20 20 44 4E 20 20 20 4F 55 54 20 20 20 23 2D 58     DN   OUT   #-X
 46 45 52 20 20 4D 41 4E 4E 45 44 20 0D 0A 20 20   FER  MANNED .. 
 49 44 20 20 20 20 41 4E 53 57 44 20 20 20 44 43   ID    ANSWD   DC
 50 20 20 48 44 43 50 20 20 20 50 43 50 20 20 57   P  HDCP   PCP  W
 41 49 54 20 20 49 4E 43 20 54 49 4D 45 20 20 4F   AIT  INC TIME  O
 55 54 20 20 54 49 4D 45 20 20 49 44 4E 20 20 41   UT  TIME  IDN  A
 43 44 20 20 20 54 49 4D 45 20 0D 0A 0D 0A 41 43   CD   TIME ....AC
 44 20 44 4E 20 32 31 37 38 36 32 35 20 0D 0A 32   D DN 2178625 ..2
 38 36 36 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 31 20 20 20 31   866        1   1
 35 34 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 20 32 20 20   54     0     2 
 32 31 33 34 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20   2134    0    0 
 20 20 33 20 20 20 32 34 36 20 20 20 20 30 20 20     3   246    0 
 20 20 30 20 20 20 32 35 33 36 20 0D 0A 30 31 20     0   2536 ..01
 0D 0A 32 38 36 38 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 30 20   ..2868        0
 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 32 35 33       0     0  253
 32 20 20 31 30 36 38 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20   2  1068    0   
 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20   0    0     0   
 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 33 36 30 30 20 0D 0A   0    0   3600 ..
 30 31 20 0D 0A 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   01 ..-----------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D 2D   ----------------
 0D 0A 20 20 32 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 20 31 20   ..  2         1
 20 20 20 20 33 20 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 34       3     0    4
 32 20 20 20 20 35 33 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20   2    53    0   
 30 20 20 20 20 33 20 20 20 20 20 34 20 20 20 20   0    3     4   
 30 20 20 20 20 30 20 20 20 20 31 30 32 20 0D 0A   0    0    102 ..

[snorkel]

I see 0D 0A in there, I should just be able to use Synaser and
use the receive string function in a loop right, or would it be better to use recvpacket?

i.e. something like this:

while  true do
     begin
          if ser.CanRead(1000) then
             memo1.Lines.add(ser.Recvstring(1000));
            if fstop then
              begin
                   fstop:=false;
                   bstop.Enabled:=false;
                   bstart.Enabled:=true;
                   break;
              end;
      end;

[snorkel]

Well, we got the port splitter software on there and it worked perfectly and my lazarus app read the data no problem at all except for some
odd chars that look like stick figures when I open the file in notepad.   I have no idea why 4 years ago we had so much trouble with this, but I did not get the output I just got today.

The test app I wrote just writes the data to a tmemo control with the font set to courier.  The attached file is the saved contents of the tmemo.

[snorkel]

Does anyone know if a windows 7 service can read from a serial port?
I know in XP it should not be a issue.

[taazz]

Depends on the user used to start the service but in general there is no problem accessing the serial from a service  if the rights are there.

[snorkel]

Just a follow up on this.

Thanks to everyone who chimed it with advice, it really helped.

I have a sweet Lazarus/FPC app now reading the data with no issue.

I just found out that the phone people upgraded the PBX software a few months ago, so I am thinking that is why it works now, when it did not 4 years ago.
Prior to this attempt it would only work in Procomm plus, hyper terminal displayed garbage as did reading from the port with Delphi or Python.  The only logical conclusion is the phone people changed/upgraded the PBX and now it sends it in plain text.

[snorkel]

In case anyone is interested..I found the data output from 2010 and this is what it looked like:
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[engkin]

Would it be possible to attach that file? 

[tetrastes]

All you need was to remove 8th bit.