I'm running on Win 95 with VFP 5. As I use a timer and set the property of Interval=16. Do I need to increase the Interval value so that the delay is longer before I read from the Comm Port again? I'm receiving the status data from a moving machine that will feedback messages of the movement status whether is it successful or not. I wonder what will happen when I first read the comm port, then close it. Next if I reopen the comm port will the oncoming data still stay/waiting there for me to read? Thanks. >What operating system are you using ? Following Barbra's suggestion the buffer does clear, under NT4.0 it does not and that is why I open and close the port to clear the buffer. What information are you receiving ? > >>Any more advise? What shall I do? Pls help...Thanks. ;-( >> >> >>> >>>Yes, you are correct, I can use this because I am reading from an >>electronic scale that is providing a continuos stream to the serial port. I >>return the input from the buffer to a string and can then parse for the >>begining character of the string. >>> >>>>By using PortOpen to clear the Input buffer doesn't sounds right. >>Because I >>>>wouldn't >>>>know when is the last data sent from the serial port? Closing the port >>>>might cause >>>>lost of data, do you agree with me, Ian Johnston? Any other alternative? >>>>Thanks. >> >>>>> >>>>>>I managed to send data out to serial port by using MSComm control. >>>>Thanks. >>>>>>I used the INPUT property to receive data from the serial port, it >>does >>>>>>read, but when I read the 2nd time it is the same message. >>>>>> >>>>>>Anyway to clear away the previous read data, as I'm using the >>>>>>Timer to perform read at time interval. Pls advise, thanks. >>>>> >>>>>The way the documentation sounds calling input is suposed to clear the >>>>buffer but it does not. I use portopen to open and close the port this >>will >>>>clear the buffer and reread the serial port. >>>>> >>>>>Hope this helps.