Java Communications API for Linux

User Guide


Copyright information

Note: Before using this information and the product it supports, be sure to read the general information under Notices.

This edition of the User Guide applies to the Java Communications API for Linux, and to all subsequent releases and modifications until otherwise indicated in new editions.

(c) Copyright Sun Microsystems, Inc. 1997, 2002, 901 San Antonio Rd., Palo Alto, CA 94303 USA. All rights reserved.

(c) Copyright International Business Machines Corporation, 1999, 2003. All rights reserved.

U.S. Government Users Restricted Rights - Use, duplication or disclosure restricted by GSA ADP Schedule Contract with IBM Corp.

Contents

Copyright information
Overview
Location of Java Communications API files
Configuring Java Communications API
Changing the access mode of serial and parallel ports
Setting the PATH
Redistribution requirements
Uninstalling Java Communications API
Uninstalling the installable Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) package
Uninstalling the compressed Tape Archive (TAR) package
Documentation
Notices
Trademarks

Overview

Java(TM) Communications application programming interface (API) gives Java applications a platform-independent way of performing serial and parallel port communications for technologies such as voice mail, fax, and smartcards. After writing serial or parallel port communications for your application, you can then include those files with your application. Use Java Communications API if you want to write Java programs that access serial or parallel ports.

The Java Communications API supports Electronic Industries Association (EIA)-232 (RS232) serial ports and Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) 1284 parallel ports and is supported on systems with the IBM(R) 32-bit Runtime Environment for Linux, Version 1.4.1.

For the list of distributions against which the SDK for Linux has been tested, see:
http://www-106.ibm.com/developerworks/java/jdk/linux/tested.html

Using Java Communications API, you can:

Location of Java Communications API files

The Java Communications API files are installed as shown:

For example, if you accepted the default directory when you installed the Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) package, the comm.jar file is in the /opt/IBMJava2-141/jre/lib/ext directory.

If you installed the package in another directory, the files are in the same directory structure, but /opt/IBMJava2-141/ is replaced by the directory where you installed Java Communications API .

Configuring Java Communications API

After you install Java Communications API, you must:


Changing the access mode of serial and parallel ports

After you install Java Communications API, you must change the access mode of serial and parallel ports so that users can access these devices. You must give a user read/write access to the required devices. Log on as root and use the following commands, as applicable:

    chmod 666 /dev/ttyS0    (AKA serial port COM1) 
    chmod 666 /dev/lp0      (AKA parallel port LPT1)
    chmod 666 /dev/ttyS1    (AKA serial port COM2)
    chmod 666 /dev/ttyS2    (AKA serial port COM3)
    chmod 666 /dev/ttyS3    (AKA serial port COM4)

These commands give read/write access to everyone on the system.

An alternative method is to make the permissions 660 and add specific users to the group in which the devices reside. On a SuSE system, for example, the devices are in the uucp group. Thus, users can be added to the uucp group to gain access to the devices.

Change the access mode of any other ports as needed.

Setting the PATH

After you install Java Communications API, you must set the PATH:

export PATH=/opt/IBMJava2-141/jre/bin:$PATH

Redistribution requirements

If you plan to redistribute Java Communications API with the IBM SDK for Linux, Version 1.4.1 and your product, you must package the files listed in Location of Java Communications API files.The files must be included as part of your product installation and placed in the appropriate subdirectories on the user's system.

Uninstalling Java Communications API

The process you use to uninstall the Java Communications API depends on whether you installed the installable Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) package or the compressed Tape Archive (TAR) package. See Uninstalling the installable Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) package or Uninstalling the compressed Tape Archive (TAR) package for instructions.


Uninstalling the installable Red Hat Package Manager (RPM) package

To uninstall the Java Communications API if you installed the installable RPM package:

  1. At a shell script, type:

        rpm -e <packagename>     

    Alternatively a graphical tool such as kpackage or yast2 may be used.


  2. If the directory where you installed the Java Communications API does not contain any other tools that you require, remove that directory from your PATH statement.

Uninstalling the compressed Tape Archive (TAR) package

To uninstall the Java Communications API, if you installed the compressed TAR package, delete the following files from the directory where you installed them:

Documentation

You can find API documentation and samples for Java Communications API at the Sun Web site:

http://java.sun.com

Notices

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Trademarks

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