added non-blocking mode

fixed win32 version: no data is lost when a timeout occours
typos in the docs


git-svn-id: http://svn.code.sf.net/p/pyserial/code/trunk/pyserial@32 f19166aa-fa4f-0410-85c2-fa1106f25c8a

1 files changed, 37 insertions, 9 deletions

diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
index 1717024..d3022a9 100644
--- a/README.txt
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,9 @@
 pySerial
 --------
 This module capsulates the access for the serial port. It provides backends
-for stadard Python running on Windows, Linux, BSD (possibly any POSIX
+for standard Python running on Windows, Linux, BSD (possibly any POSIX
 compilant system) and Jython. The module named "serial" automaticaly selects
-the appropriate backed.
+the appropriate backend.
 
 It is released under a free software license, see LICENSE.txt for more
 details.
@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ Project Homepage: pyserial.sourceforge.net
 Features
 --------
 - same class based interface on all supported platforms
-- port numbering starts at zero, no need to know the port name in the user
-  program
-- port string can be specified if access through numbering is inappropriate
-- support for diffrent bytesizes, stopbits, parity and flow control
+- port numbering starts at zero, no need to know the platform dependant port
+  name in the user program
+- port name can be specified if access through numbering is inappropriate
+- support for different bytesizes, stopbits, parity and flow control
   with RTS/CTS and/or xon/xoff
-- working with or without receive timeout
+- working with or without receive timeout, blocking or non-blocking
 - file like API with "read" and "write" ("readline" etc. also supported)
 - The files in this package are 100% pure Python.
   They depend on non standard but common packages on Windows (win32all) and
@@ -56,14 +56,20 @@ Open port 0 at 9600,8,N,1, no timeout
 >>> ser.write("hello")      #write a string
 >>> ser.close()             #close port
 
-Open port at 19200,8,N,1, 1s timeout
+Open named port at 19200,8,N,1, 1s timeout
 >>> ser = serial.Serial('/dev/ttyS1', 19200, timeout=1)
 >>> x = ser.read()          #read one byte
 >>> s = ser.read(10)        #read up to ten bytes (timeout)
 >>> line = ser.readline()   #read a \n terminated line
 >>> ser.close()
 
-Be carfully when using "readline" do specify a timeout when
+Open second port at 38400,8,E,1, non blocking HW handshaking
+>>> ser = serial.Serial(1, 38400, timeout=0,
+...                     parity=serial.PARITY_EVEN, rtscts=1)
+>>> s = ser.read(100)       #read up to one hunded bytes
+...                         #or as much is in the buffer
+
+Be carefully when using "readline". Do specify a timeout when
 opening the serial port otherwise it could block forever if
 no newline character is received. Also note that "readlines" only
 works with a timeout. "readlines" depends on having a timeout
@@ -87,6 +93,28 @@ ser = serial.Serial(
     rtscts=0,               #enable RTS/CTS flow control
 )
 
+The port is immediatley opened on object creation. Options:
+timeout=None            # wait forever
+timeout=0               #non-blocking mode (return immediately on read)
+timeout=x               #set timeout to x seconds (float allowed)
+
+Serial object Methods
+---------------------
+close()                 #close port immediately
+setBaudrate(baudrate)   #change baudarte on an open port
+inWaiting()             #return the number of chars in the receive buffer
+read(size=1)            #read "size" characters
+write(s)                #write the string to the port
+flushInput()            #flush input buffer
+flushOutput()           #flush output buffer
+sendBreak()             #send break condition
+setRTS(level=1)         #set RTS line to specified logic level
+setDTR(level=1)         #set DTR line to specified logic level
+getCTS()                #return the state of the CTS line
+getDSR()                #return the state of the DSR line
+getRI()                 #return the state of the RI line
+getCD()                 #return the state of the CD line
+
 Constants
 ---------
 parity: