NewSoftSerial 11 (beta)

Posted on January 5th, 2011 at 10:54 pm by Mikal

The new year brings another version of the NewSoftSerial library, a beta version 11. Changes since version 10 include:

Inheritance from the new Arduino Stream class and commensurate interface adjustments (added peek(), changed signature for available())
write() member is now public, following the lead of Print base class
support for Arduino Mega and Mega 2560 — thanks Brett Hagman!
new listen() mechanism for switching between Rx instances
renamed the library “SoftwareSerial” in anticipation that it will soon replace the native library

Note: Not all pins on the Mega and Mega 2560 support change interrupts, so only the following can be used for RX: 10, 11, 12, 13, 50, 51, 52, 53, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 69

Download NewSoftSerial 11 beta

Mikal

Tags: Arduino libraries

85 Responses → “NewSoftSerial 11 (beta)”

Björn Giesler

13 years ago

Link is dead :-/ Should be http://arduiniana.org/NewSoftSerial/NewSoftSerial11.zip
Mikal

13 years ago

Hmm… the link seems to work for me…
John Craig

13 years ago

The link worked for me too. Thanks for your work Mikal, I was using the mySerial.print((char)c) to send commands to my LCD as you suggested, it works, but I want to play with the new library now. I like the simplicity of the write() function.
Laurent

13 years ago

the link seems fine to me too. Been trying this library on a mega2560, but cannot seem to make it work. The examples don’t even seem to work for me. Now, I am a total beginner, so that might be me – Can anyone confirm it works on a atmega2560?
Mikal

13 years ago

Laurent, only a small number of the pins on the Mega are available for RX: 10, 11, 12, 13, 50, 51, 52, 53, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, and 69. Are you perhaps trying it with a pin not on this list? The examples really should be changed too. Sorry.

Mikal
Laurent

13 years ago

Yes, that is it! Pin 10 worked fine! Thanks for your help!
Laurent
Saku

13 years ago

Hi !

Same problem as library from version 10.zip

/home/saku/tmp/ccwVfdEd.s: Assembler messages:
/home/saku/tmp/ccwVfdEd.s:269: Error: register r24, r26, r28 or r30 required
/home/saku/tmp/ccwVfdEd.s:322: Error: register r24, r26, r28 or r30 required

There seems to be fix by googling. But it requires recompilation of library.
Now this newbee has to find the source and learn himself to make library compile.
Hope it works then. Some day…
Saku

13 years ago

This was the fix : http://andrey.mikhalchuk.com/2010/06/19/fix-error-register-r24-r26-r28-or-r30-required.html

And finally understood (?!) that fix must typed into .ccp file. Byt after change of “+r” to “+w” gives almost same error:
/home/saku/tmp/ccGTGI5B.s: Assembler messages:
/home/saku/tmp/ccGTGI5B.s:269: Error: register r24, r26, r28 or r30 required
/home/saku/tmp/ccGTGI5B.s:322: Error: register r24, r26, r28 or r30 required

Stucked !
Mikal

13 years ago

What platform do you see this error on, Saku?
Wagner Sartori Junior

13 years ago

Sanguino, atmega644 and atmega644p support available on http://code.google.com/p/sanguino/issues/detail?id=15

I’ll be glad if you add it to your current code.
aaron

13 years ago

Can this be used with the current arduino servo library or do we need the pwm version
Mikal

13 years ago

Aaron,

The general technology hasn’t changed. Servo and NewSoftSerial still collide, so you’ll need to use the PWMServo library or alternative.

Mikal
Darkesp

13 years ago

Has anyone noticed this new version causing conflicts with hardware serial? I’m attempting to use it with a Mega 2560 that has a GPS connected to NSS, and another device connected to Serial1. When NSS is active ( nss.begin(xxxx) ) it causes very strange behavior on the hardware line… missing characters, things moved around, etc. I was wondering if the “only 1 device active” applied to hardware as well for some reason?

Thanks,
Darkesp
Mikal

13 years ago

Darkesp, what pins are you using for the NSS connection?
Darkesp

13 years ago

Hi Mikal,

Thanks for the response. I’m using 50 and 51 for the NSS cxn on the Mega. I also think I can replicate the behavior on a Pro 328 using pins 2 and 3… harder to debug because I don’t have an extra hardware UART to output debug messages on, but I’m pretty sure it’s has the same issue. Not sure if it’s possibly hardware related, or if I might be doing something wrong with buffers or variable addresses?
Erdem U. Altinyurt

13 years ago

Hi Mikhal, thanks for the library.
But I don’t just say thanks instead, want to make small contribution.

How about adding ATtiny25/45/85 compatibility? Since ATTiny doesn’t have serial port, it’s required definitely. I got the patch, will submit soon.
Mikal

13 years ago

Hey, cool. Thanks!
Mascarenhas

13 years ago

Hi Mikal,
Thanks for your NewSoftSerial11 Library. Can i use NewSoftSerial11 in Arduino Uno. If not, can you please suggest me a solution to get 3 serial ports with 9600 bps in Arduino Uno.
Thanks.
Mikal

13 years ago

Yes! But you can’t receive with them all at the same time.

Mikal
oscar

13 years ago

Hi Mikal,

I’m using SoftwareSerial, PString, RTClib, Wire and SdFat libraries in my sketch, additionaly I have programmed an sleep routine wich wakes up with a watchdog interrupt. But I’m having troubles with the SoftwareSerial library, when I use it the arduino is reset.

I’m using SoftwareSerial in pins 4,5 @9600 baud rate.

My sketch collect data from the UART each second, and saves it to the SD memory, when it stops to receive data, goes to a routine that makes some operations (float) over the data collected, later it saves those operations in the SD and saves the current date too with RTClib, finally I use the begin method to setup a GPRS module to send data, but when I try to join all the data to be sent in a string with PString , the arduino is reset. When I comment the begin() method, I can build the string and save it to the SD, but when I uncomment the begin method I can’t build the string and inmediatelly the arduino is reset. What can I do?. Thanks for your help.
Basile

13 years ago

When I try using either v11beta or v10c in my program all my serial communication gets broken.
I am using Serial (for communication with my PC) and SoftwareSerial/NewSoftSerial (for communication with a serial LCD of mine).

I have configured Serial to 9600
and SoftwareSerial to 2400 and rxpin to 3 and txpin to 2

Thanks in advance.
mEDERIX

13 years ago

Hi Mikal,

Wonderful library!

In the Arduino_UNO which the pin can use?
Is there any restriction of pins?

Thanks.
Mikal

13 years ago

@mEDERIX,

No restrictions on Arduino UNO: all pins can be used!

Mikal
velocityzen

13 years ago

How run soft serial with 8n2? Is it possible? Thanks!
Mikal

13 years ago

NewSoftSerial doesn’t support any configuration except N-8-1. Some people have successfully modified the source to support different configurations, though (see above).
velocityzen

13 years ago

@Mikal Hi. Can’t find how to modify source to make 8n2 works. CAan you help me? Please.
dlchambers

13 years ago

How about adding
virtual int peek();
which returns _receive_buffer[_receive_buffer_head]
?
Most serial libs have a peek function that allows you to examine the top byte in the buffer without removing it from the buffer.
Of course, if available() returns <1 then the value returned by peek() is garbage, but that's the usual caveat of peek() and it's the user's job to examine available() before calling peek().
Mikal

13 years ago

@dlchambers,

This version DOES have peek(). :)
Kyle

13 years ago

Hi all, I have been using an Arduino Uno and the liquid ware temp/humidity sensor which I implemented with the hardwaresensor library created by Christopher Ladden. The problem I am having is I am reading and displaying values on the touch from the sensor, however I want to send data back to the UNO and I am unable to do so. Simply put I am building a thermostat and depending on the displayed values I want to send back set points to the Uno to control heating and de-humidification. Could someone point me in the right direction to get bi-directional communication to work? Any help would be greatly appreciated!!
Marcel

13 years ago

Thanks for this.

Cutting a long story short (!) is there any reason why this shouldn’t work with CmdMessenger?

like;

SoftwareSerial blueToothSerial(RxD,TxD);
CmdMessenger cmdMessenger = CmdMessenger(blueToothSerial, field_separator, command_separator);

Under NewSoftSerial v10, the sketch wouldn’t compile if I changed ‘Serial’ for ‘blueToothSerial’ in the CmdMessenger line. Now with v11 it compiles but I don’t seem to be able get data across the link.

Any suggestions gratefully received!
Marcel

13 years ago

I’ve got my project working PHEW! Director (on Powerbook) is now talking both ways over Bluetooth using CmdMessenger.

My downer is that I’ve now lost use of the FrequencyTimer2 library.

Can you confirm this is expected behaviour (and I’m not just missing something)? Is there any option around this?

Many thanks
Mikal

13 years ago

@Marcel,

I’m afraid I’m not familiar with CmdMessenger, so I can’t advise. Anyone else?
Mikal

13 years ago

Yeah, any library that requires interrupts is going to be trounced upon by [New]SoftSerial, which requires interrupts to be disabled during RX or TX.
fizzymagic

13 years ago

I just got the newest SoftwareSerial working with the SparkFun MP3 trigger module. Works great! Thanks so much for this.

But why is it still beta? Because we are waiting for it to become the official SoftwareSerial?
Mikal

13 years ago

Thanks, fizzymagic. Yeah, I didn’t really expect that the launch of Arduino 1.0 would take this long. You’re right though. I should release NSS 11.
Tony

13 years ago

Hi Mikal.

I have been using NewSoftSerial 10 and – thanks very much, its great! I now would like to use it for two inputs (nns1 and nss2 as suggested on the NSS 10 webpage). I did understand why I cannot use two instances because available() returns ‘0’, but I could not see how to implement your explanation on the NSS10 webpage

#include

// Here’s a GPS device connect to pins 3 and 4
NewSoftSerial gps(4,3);

// A serial thermometer connected to 5 and 6
NewSoftSerial therm(6,5);

// An LCD connected to 7 and 8
NewSoftSerial LCD(8,7); // serial LCD

void loop()
{
…
// collect data from the GPS unit for a few seconds
read_gps_data(); // use gps as active device
// collect temperature data from thermometer
read_thermometer_data(); // now use therm
// LCD becomes the active device here
LCD.print(“Data gathered…”);
…
}

I can get each to work individually but how do you invoke NewSoftSerial gps(4,3) then NewSoftSerial therm(6,5) in the functions above?

most grateful for any help.

regards

Tony
Mikal

13 years ago
Tony, I admit this is a confusing point. The best way to understand it is this. When you are using multiple soft serial ports, don’t flit rapidly back and forth polling them for data. That technique won’t work. Instead, wait until you have spent “enough” time with each device before moving on to the next one. How do you define “enough”? Well, it varies from device to device. The example above, you might “read_gps_data” until you had established your location, then “read_thermometer_data” until you get a valid temperature.

Your read_thermometer_data might have this structure
```
bool temperature_known = false;
therm.begin(9600);
while (!temperature_known)
{
  if (therm.available())
  {
    // process serial data here
  }
}
```
Mikal
Tony

13 years ago

Mikal

Well, that works a treat. Many thanks for the great work, it is appreciated.

I did not use functions as per your original example, just straight inline code, but it works fine.

Tony
Julian

13 years ago

just a question…

NSS works on Wiring board?

juli4n
Marco

13 years ago

Hi Mikal,
Why don’t you put the NewSoftwSerial code in public repositories such as GitHub?
That would encourage also contributions from others…

Marco.
Alex Tang

13 years ago

Hey Mikal,

So, I’ve got an app that uses two NSS objects, one for read only (GPS), and one for write only (an LCD screen). I end up needing update my LCD every second, which is also the rate at which i’m receiving data from the GPS. As such, whenever activate() is called when writing to my LCD, i’m losing data from my GPS. Given the explanation you give on these web pages as well as from the source, I was wondering if it’s possible to have a “write-only” NSS object that doesn’t clear out the other NSS object’s rx buffer. It’d be nice if this were some sort of option.

Thanks!
Mikal

13 years ago

@Julian,

I think so. Doesn’t it actually come with wiring now?
Mikal

13 years ago

@Alex,

The problem is that even if NSS were re-architected to support that model, it still wouldn’t work. Even if you defined your LCD as a “write-only” device, during the time you are actually writing to it you are disabling the very interrupts that the GPS read object needs. You would still lose GPS data.

Since there is no way around losing some GPS data, I propose reorganizing your loop a bit so that it looks something like this:

while(true)
{
Read data from the GPS until you get some new valid fix data. This should take about a second or two.
Once that’s done, write to the LCD.
}

M
}
snoozerman

13 years ago

Do you when/if this will in fact replace Arduino native libray? Are there any known bugs in the NewSoftSerial 11 beta?
snoozerman

13 years ago

B.t.w. I think the keywords.txt included in the zip file needs some update to recognize SoftSerial instead of NewSoftSerial.
Tom_in_AZ

13 years ago

Hey fizzymagic,
Can you please post your sketch for this library to work with the SparkFun MP3Trigger?
I have been having a hard time getting this to work fully with 10c. I plan to use the SparkFun RN-XV wireless module, Arduino Uno, and the MP3Trigger on one project.

I also want to use Bluetooth on another project as well and I have a TTL board that I’ve been playing with also with 10c. I can communicate in terminal windows both ways (bluetooth terminal & Arduino terminal) by just including the library into the sketch, but do not know how to get the Uno to pass on the Serial data to the MP3Trigger.

It has been fun learning all this stuff, hope you do not mind helping out.
Thanks in advance,
Tom
Mikal

13 years ago

@snoozerman,

This library definitely will be in Arduino 1.0. I’ve heard the end of October, but I’m not sure.

Thanks.
Karl-Petter Åkesson

13 years ago

Hi,

thx for a great lib!! I’m trying to use it to replace the hardware serial for http://wiki.groundlab.cc/doku.php?id=gsm_library and almost got all to work. Though one thing I needed to do is to add “using Print::write; // pull in write(str) and write(buf, size) from Print” to SoftwareSerial.h since the lib is using these two mentioned functions. Any reason you have not added that?
Mikal

13 years ago

@Karl-Petter,

What version of Arduino are you using? Those two methods are not abstract, so I shouldn’t need to implement them. My library doesn’t use those. Are you saying the gsm_library is? Hmm..

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