Now first I apologise if this post is not relevant to this group, but I couldn't find a topic it fitted in, and as I will be doing it in java, thought i'd post it here. If there is one better suited, please point me in the right direction. 
I have a device from 1987 (a Q-Zar lasertag system for which their is no longer any accessible documentation) and the original DOS based system that ran in. It connects via the serial port (not parallel port as I was originally told). Basically, I need to decode the command set it works on so I can write a new control program.
Now, how would I go about this? Would it be possible to splice into the serial cable another cable end which would connect to PC running a serial port listener that would just print on screen everything passed down the link? Then just run the original control program and make a note of what is sent/received?
From what i can work out, it doesnt hold a conversation as such, it just sends a command i.e. start game. If it doesnt work, the program doesnt care and just carries on as if it had, so it seems that no ack is sent back.
Ta!
I have a device from 1987 (a Q-Zar lasertag system for which their is no longer any accessible documentation) and the original DOS based system that ran in. It connects via the serial port (not parallel port as I was originally told). Basically, I need to decode the command set it works on so I can write a new control program.
Now, how would I go about this? Would it be possible to splice into the serial cable another cable end which would connect to PC running a serial port listener that would just print on screen everything passed down the link? Then just run the original control program and make a note of what is sent/received?
From what i can work out, it doesnt hold a conversation as such, it just sends a command i.e. start game. If it doesnt work, the program doesnt care and just carries on as if it had, so it seems that no ack is sent back.
Ta!