Newer terminal software on Windows - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / projects

author: Wilson__
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2024, 10:50:18 pm
content: Please advise on a NEWER terminal software for UART interface to debug MCU.Our older software works but need a bit of clicking. Wonder if any easier to use. Many thanks

author: moffy
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2024, 11:39:19 pm
content: Putty is a good general purpose terminal program.

author: rich t
author_rank: Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2024, 11:41:18 pm
content: In a Chromium-based browser (like Chrome or Edge), you can just connect to a serial port thru a web-page.Here's a simple one, if you just need a command-line interface:https://rtestardi.github.io/usbte/usbte.htmlFor example, I can connect to my MCU with a serial port and type commands:

author: ataradov
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 25, 2024, 11:47:51 pm
content: What is your older software? TeraTerm pretty much just works once you set it up how you like.

author: Postal2
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 07:01:41 am
content: Quote from: Wilson__ on July 25, 2024, 10:50:18 pmYou can build your own from source, it will be the latest. It's easy.

author: bookaboo
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 10:56:19 am
content: I likehttps://docklight.de/Free version is nicer to use than Putty etc.Paid version has easy to use logs , can save command sets, scripting etc.Also easier for semi-technical customers to use.

author: Wilson__
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 01:53:54 pm
content: Many thanks. TeraTerm is very nice. Can have multiple sessions to watch multiple UARTs

author: shabaz
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 08:17:56 pm
content: For general use, I have for a long time ended up using using SecureCRT, perhaps for 90% of my requirements, but also use other software from time to time too, some already mentioned, because they all seem to excel in one area or another.Also, very worthwhile getting familiar with serial port comms with at least one software language (for me it's Python), so that you can automate things easily too. JavaScript is another option as mentioned by@rich tExample: Say you want a way to transfer a load of binary data (a few hundred kBytes) in or out of a microcontroller, using serial. Sure, you could use terminal built-in capabilities to handle the transfer, but with code it was easy to provide user messages to indicate if the transfer was successful, do sanity checks on received data or data about to be sent, name the files appropriately, etc.Another use-case: I wanted to directly chart from a stream of data coming from a microcontroller. That was easy with Python (and would be very feasible with JavaScript too as mentioned earlier), no need for terminal software (but again, for sure it could be possible to do it directly with terminal software, e.g. write to disk, and read each time the file changes), but personally I find it more flexible to do it with a programming language, rather than a ready-built terminal software app.

author: bson
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 10:20:48 pm
content: You can also use WSL to get access to tools like minicom, screen and conserver.

author: thm_w
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 10:48:59 pm
content: Quote from: bookaboo on July 26, 2024, 10:56:19 amIts only nicer in some ways. Putty is good because you have have a simple terminal window without taking up space around it. This tool doesn't have that.It also has no presets that I see (eg I want COM12 + 115k baud and with the name "mcu1"). Unless you pay the 70 EUR then you can save your preset as a project I guess.Logging is not too hard:https://putty.org.ru/articles/capture-putty-session-logEasier to use, eh maybe, partly due to less functionality.

author: SiliconWizard
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 26, 2024, 11:18:51 pm
content: Putty is a full terminal emulator, and while barebones otherwise, it allows to save/load presets, and is still the one that I use for the kind of purpose the OP is after. And I've tried quite a few alternatives.Now, as a terminal emulator, it doesn't have what some other dedicated "serial terminals" implement, for instance a byte view of incoming and outgoing data. So as a terminal it'll be basically just text.

author: zapta
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: July 27, 2024, 01:10:29 am
content: CoolTerm is the best. Modern look and feel, easy to use, feature rich, free, actively supported, and run on Win/Mac/Linux.https://freeware.the-meiers.org/