Sermon

A command line serial monitor and transmitter written in python for use in POSIX systems. Sermon performs the same function as the Arduino Serial Monitor, but is available on the command line, and offers some additional capabilities like the ability to send lists of raw bytes, data from files, and can log received data to a file.

Install

Install python, install pip, then:

$ pip install sermon

If you are on a Mac you can also use homebrew:

$ brew tap dbridges/formula
$ brew install sermon

Examples

List available serial devices:

$ sermon -l
/dev/cu.Bluetooth-Incoming-device
/dev/cu.Bluetooth-Modem
/dev/cu.usbserial-A601EI5P

Connect to a serial device with a baud rate of 115200 kbps:

$ sermon --baud=115200 /dev/tty.usbserial-A601EI5P

If a device is not specified Sermon queries the user to select an available device.

$ sermon

	1. /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Incoming-device
	2. /dev/tty.Bluetooth-Modem
	3. /dev/tty.usbserial-A601EI5P

Select desired device [1-3]:

Raw bytes can be sent using the ${0x48, 0x44, ...} syntax. This syntax is available at the prompt as well as in any options given. Numbers greater than 255 are truncated to their least significant bits.

$ sermon --frame='${0x7E}'    # Frame boundaries used in HDLC

Once connected to a device, type text at the prompt, then press enter to send. Received data will automatically be displayed in the top window.

Magic Commands

Similar to IPython, Sermon employs a limited set of magic commands to access certain useful functions at the prompt.

%help, %h Display help.

%about, %a Display information about Sermon.

%exit, %quit, %q Exit Sermon.

%send [FILE], %s [FILE] Send the contents of the given file to the connected serial device.

%logstart [FILE], %ls [FILE] Start logging all received data to the given file.

%logon, %lo Resume logging after a %logoff. %logstart must be called prior to using %logoff or %logon.

%logoff, %lf Temporarily stop logging. Logging can be resumed using %logon.

%clear, %c Clear the received data window.

%version, %v Display the current version.

Usage

usage: sermon [-h] [-v] [-l] [-b BAUD] [--append APPEND]
              [--frame FRAME] [--bytesize {5,6,7,8}]
              [--parity {even,none,space,odd,mark}]
              [--stopbits {1,1.5,2}] [--xonxoff] [--rtscts]
              [--dsrdtr]
              [device]

Monitors specified serial device.

positional arguments:
  device                Device name or path.

optional arguments:
  -h, --help            show this help message and exit
  -v, --version         Show version.
  -l, --list            List available serial devices.
  -b BAUD, --baud BAUD  Baudrate, defaults to 115200.
  --append APPEND       Append given string to every command.
  --frame FRAME         Frame command with given string.
  --bytesize {5,6,7,8}  Number of data bits, defaults to 8.
  --parity {even,none,space,odd,mark}
                        Enable parity checking, defaults to none.
  --stopbits {1,1.5,2}  Number of stop bits, defaults to 1.
  --xonxoff             Enable software flow control.
  --rtscts              Enable hardware (RTS/CTS) flow control.
  --dsrdtr              Enable hardware (DSR/DTR) flow control.

Detailed Options

append Useful if you want to append newlines to each data packet, sermon --append='\n'

frame Surrounds command with the given string, useful for communicating to devices which are expecting frame boundaries. If --append and --frame are used together any strings given with --append are appended first, then the resulting string is surround by the string given in the --frame option. If you are implementing HDLC protocol this could be useful: sermon --frame='${0x7E}'