Is there Java library or framework for accessing Serial ports?

Question

Is there a java library or framework (other than the javax.comm provided by Sun) that is easy to use when accessing serial and parallel ports ( especially RS-232 ). I need something free that will work both on Windows and Linux.

Answer 1

The most common framework used for this is rxtx.

Answer 2

As andri pointed out RXTX is pretty much your best choice. There is an article on getting started with RXTX on Windows here (relating to RXTX 2.1).

Answer 3

rxtx as the other posters have said. I've been using it and it works nicely. There is a problem if using nonstandard highspeed baudrates (multiples of 115200 e.g. 230400, 921600 are OK, but 1MB is not even if the hardware & underlying OS supports it), I've been told this will be corrected in rxtx 2.2.

Answer 4

Similar question: http://stackoverflow.com/questions/264469/java-rs-232-communication-on-windows

Answer 5

If free isn't necessary -- remember, your time isn't free -- then Serial IO SerialPort might be useful. It's the only thing I found that works as-is on all of the following:

• 32/64-bit Windows
• 64-bit Solaris (didn't test 32-bit)
• 32 bit Linux (didn't test 64-bit)
• Mac OS X

You do get source with the product, albeit with some weird and annoying build practices.

FWIW, I'm just a contented user, not affiliated with the company.