>I need to send and receive files via the Com port to a data collection device. Any advice on what tools to use in VFP 6.0 to handle communications and possibly some sample code to get started will be greatly appreciated. I have used CommTools in V2.6 and have the VFP version, but cannot get it to initialize the comport. Should I use MSCOMM activeX. Any others that will handle serial communications?


Yes You can try with MSCOMM. In the MS Knowledgebase are some articles about its usage (HoTo send and receive ...) and there has been a discussion a few weeks ago here in the UT.

But if You already have ComTools, the question is why You cannot get the port initalized. Did You try with another device like a modem via Hyperterm or so.
Maybe some application (PalmSync or thelike) runs at startup and puts a watchdog on the ComPort and thus grabbing it.

I have a problem on my NT machine where I can't get the second COM-Port. First I thought it is defect but than i found that in real DOS-mode it seems to be there. So it must be some kind of driver problem.
Maybe You should try another port.

Just some hints HTH