TinySerial

A cross-platform GUI serial port debug tool built with Qt5

📖 Overview

TinySerial is an open-source, cross-platform serial port debugging tool designed for developers and engineers who need to communicate with embedded devices, microcontrollers, and other serial devices. Built with Qt5 framework, it provides a user-friendly graphical interface for serial communication testing and debugging.

✨ Key Features

• 🔌 Serial Port Management: Automatic port scanning and easy connection
• 📊 Dual Format Support: ASCII and HEX data transmission modes
• 🔄 Auto Repeat: Configurable automatic data sending
• 📝 Data Logging: Save communication logs to files
• ⏱️ Timestamp Display: Optional timestamp for each message
• 🎨 Modern UI: Clean and intuitive user interface
• 🌐 Cross-Platform: Supports Linux and Windows
• 🔧 Flexible Configuration: Customizable baud rates, parity, stop bits, and flow control

🖼️ Screenshots

Ubuntu/Linux Interface

macOS Interface

🚀 Quick Start

Installation

For Ubuntu/Debian Users

Method 1: Using apt (Recommended - Auto-installs dependencies)

sudo apt-get install ./tinyserial.deb

Method 2: Using dpkg

sudo dpkg -i tinyserial.deb

If you encounter dependency issues:

sudo apt-get install -f

Note: Version 1.5+ includes optimized dependency management. For detailed troubleshooting, see the package documentation.

For Other Platforms

Download the source code and compile it yourself (see Building from Source section).

Running TinySerial

After installation, you can launch TinySerial in one of the following ways:

1. Command Line:

   tinyserial

2. Application Menu: Find "TinySerial" in your system's application menu

3. Direct Binary:

   /opt/tinyserial/tinyserial

📋 System Requirements

• Operating System: Linux (Ubuntu 16.04+, Debian 9+), Windows 7+, macOS 10.12+
• Qt Framework: Qt 5.5 or higher
• Dependencies:
  • Qt5 Widgets, GUI, Core, SerialPort, DBus
  • Standard C/C++ runtime libraries
  • X11 libraries (Linux)

🔨 Building from Source

Prerequisites

• Qt 5.5 or higher
• C++ compiler with C++11 support (GCC 4.8+, Clang 3.3+, MSVC 2015+)
• CMake or qmake
• Qt SerialPort module

Build Instructions

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/carloscn/tinyserial.git
   cd tinyserial

2. Build with qmake:

   qmake SerialPort.pro
   make

   Or on Windows with MinGW:

   qmake SerialPort.pro
   mingw32-make

3. Run the application:

   ./tinyserial

📖 Usage Guide

Basic Operations

1. Scan for Serial Ports: Click the "Scan" button to detect available serial ports
2. Configure Port Settings: Select baud rate, data bits, stop bits, parity, and flow control
3. Connect: Click "Open" to establish connection
4. Send Data:
   • Enter data in the send text area
   • Choose ASCII or HEX format
   • Click "Send" or enable auto-repeat
5. View Received Data: Received data appears in the receive area
6. Save Logs: Use "Save Log File" from the menu to export communication logs

Advanced Features

• Auto Repeat: Enable repeat sending with configurable interval
• Display Options: Toggle timestamp and send/receive indicators
• Pause Output: Temporarily pause receiving data display
• Custom Baud Rate: Enter custom baud rate values

🛠️ Troubleshooting

Common Issues

Q: Application won't start

• Ensure all Qt5 dependencies are installed
• Check file permissions: chmod +x /opt/tinyserial/tinyserial

Q: Can't find serial ports

• Verify your user has permission to access serial ports
• On Linux, you may need to add your user to the dialout group:

  sudo usermod -a -G dialout $USER

• Log out and log back in for changes to take effect

Q: Permission denied errors

• Run with appropriate permissions or configure udev rules for persistent access

Q: Dependency issues on Linux

• See the package troubleshooting guide

🤝 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! If you find bugs or have feature requests, please:

1. Open an issue on GitHub
2. Fork the repository and create a feature branch
3. Submit a pull request with your changes

📝 TODO

• Dynamic USB device detection
• Enhanced custom baud rate support
• macOS version optimization
• Data visualization and plotting
• Script automation support

🔗 Related Projects

• tinyNetwork - Network debugging tool by the same author

📄 License

This project is licensed under the Mozilla Public License 2.0 (MPL-2.0). See the LICENSE file for details.

👤 Author

Carlos Wei

• Email: carlos.wei.hk@gmail.com
• GitHub: @carloscn
• Homepage: http://www.mlts.tech/

🙏 Acknowledgments

• Built with Qt Framework
• Part of the MULTIBEANS project

📞 Support

If you encounter any issues or have questions:

• 📧 Email: carlos.wei.hk@gmail.com
• 🐛 Report Issues
• 📖 Documentation

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Made with ❤️ by Carlos Wei

⭐ Star this repo if you find it useful!