Making Windows programs talk over USB port?

Hey,

I have Visual Studio 6.0 and frequently use Visual Basic 6 to interface with my PIC projects via RS-232. Do newer versions of visual studio enable communication over the USB port easily like you can do with the normal serial port? I would like to start some projects using the 18F4550 but the main use I have for the USB port is data transmission to/from a PC program. Thanks!

Also I didn't know where else to post this, but since programming is talked about here I figured why not.

If you google for visual HID, you should find examples etc. There is a HID control available that works similar to the MSComm control. I used it a couple of years ago for a project.

Edit, the HID control is called vbhidcomm.ocx and was a free download from Microchips site - unfortunately no longer available. I still have the install file on an old HD. What is the situation regarding posting file that were free downloads here. I have seen many microchip pdf files as attachments, what about setup files.

Mike.

The PIC18F4550 is capable of emulating a standard CDC USB serial port - this makes programming on the PC side easy, but can also allow you to do things that the HID option won't.

Please see the following for some boards and firmware to help you:

**broken link removed**

And this forum which covers this range of USB-capable PICs:



Note also that you can buy pre-built boards from www.sparkfun.com

Regards,
Paul

I reviewed an excellent book called Visual Basic for Electronic Engineering Applications, it's in the book section of this forum. I think it would interest you.

Brian