doc update

git-svn-id: http://svn.code.sf.net/p/pyserial/code/trunk/pyserial@200 f19166aa-fa4f-0410-85c2-fa1106f25c8a

1 files changed, 70 insertions, 71 deletions

diff --git a/README.txt b/README.txt
index ce26437..60793a4 100644
--- a/README.txt
+++ b/README.txt
@@ -1,10 +1,10 @@
 ========
 pySerial
 ========
-This module capsulates the access for the serial port. It provides backends
+This module encapsulates the access for the serial port. It provides backends
 for standard Python running on Windows, Linux, BSD (possibly any POSIX
-compilant system), Jython and IronPython. The module named "serial"
-automaticaly selects the appropriate backend.
+compliant system), Jython and IronPython. The module named "serial"
+automatically selects the appropriate backend.
 
 It is released under a free software license, see LICENSE.txt for more
 details.
@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Features
 - 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
+- support for different byte sizes, stopbits, parity and flow control
   with RTS/CTS and/or Xon/Xoff
 - working with or without receive timeout, blocking or non-blocking
 - file like API with "read" and "write" ("readline" etc. also supported)
@@ -80,25 +80,25 @@ Short introduction
 Open port 0 at "9600,8,N,1", no timeout::
 
     >>> import serial
-    >>> ser = serial.Serial(0)  #open first serial port
-    >>> print ser.portstr       #check which port was realy used
-    >>> ser.write("hello")      #write a string
-    >>> ser.close()             #close port
+    >>> ser = serial.Serial(0)  # open first serial port
+    >>> print ser.portstr       # check which port was realy used
+    >>> ser.write("hello")      # write a string
+    >>> ser.close()             # close port
 
 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
+    >>> 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()
 
 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
+    >>> s = ser.read(100)       # read up to one hundred bytes
+    ...                         # or as much is in the buffer
 
 Get a Serial instance and configure/open it later::
 
@@ -115,31 +115,30 @@ Get a Serial instance and configure/open it later::
     >>> ser.isOpen()
     False
 
-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
-and interprets that as EOF (end of file). It raises an exception
-if the port is not opened correctly.
+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 and interprets that as EOF (end of file). It
+raises an exception if the port is not opened correctly.
 
 
 Parameters for the Serial class::
 
     ser = serial.Serial(
-        port=None,              #number of device, numbering starts at
-                                #zero. if everything fails, the user
-                                #can specify a device string, note
-                                #that this isn't portable anymore
-                                #if no port is specified an unconfigured
-                                #an closed serial port object is created
-        baudrate=9600,          #baudrate
-        bytesize=EIGHTBITS,     #number of databits
-        parity=PARITY_NONE,     #enable parity checking
-        stopbits=STOPBITS_ONE,  #number of stopbits
-        timeout=None,           #set a timeout value, None to wait forever
-        xonxoff=0,              #enable software flow control
-        rtscts=0,               #enable RTS/CTS flow control
-        writeTimeout=None,      #set a timeout for writes
+        port=None,              # number of device, numbering starts at
+                                # zero. if everything fails, the user
+                                # can specify a device string, note
+                                # that this isn't portable anymore
+                                # if no port is specified an unconfigured
+                                # an closed serial port object is created
+        baudrate=9600,          # baudrate
+        bytesize=EIGHTBITS,     # number of databits
+        parity=PARITY_NONE,     # enable parity checking
+        stopbits=STOPBITS_ONE,  # number of stopbits
+        timeout=None,           # set a timeout value, None to wait forever
+        xonxoff=0,              # enable software flow control
+        rtscts=0,               # enable RTS/CTS flow control
+        writeTimeout=None,      # set a timeout for writes
     )
 
 The port is immediately opened on object creation, if a port is given.
@@ -159,44 +158,44 @@ Options for write timeout::
 
 Methods of Serial instances::
 
-    open()                  #open port
-    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 s to the port
-    flushInput()            #flush input buffer, discarding all it's contents
-    flushOutput()           #flush output buffer, abort output
-    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
+    open()                  # open port
+    close()                 # close port immediately
+    setBaudrate(baudrate)   # change baud rate 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 s to the port
+    flushInput()            # flush input buffer, discarding all it's contents
+    flushOutput()           # flush output buffer, abort output
+    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
 
 
 Read only Attributes of Serial instances::
 
-    portstr                 #device name
-    BAUDRATES               #list of valid baudrates
-    BYTESIZES               #list of valid byte sizes
-    PARITIES                #list of valid parities
-    STOPBITS                #list of valid stop bit widths
+    portstr                 # device name
+    BAUDRATES               # list of valid baud rates
+    BYTESIZES               # list of valid byte sizes
+    PARITIES                # list of valid parities
+    STOPBITS                # list of valid stop bit widths
 
-New values can be assigned to the following attribues, the port
+New values can be assigned to the following attributes, the port
 will be reconfigured, even if it's opened at that time (port will be 
 closed and reopened to apply the changes)::
 
-    port                    #port name/number as set by the user
-    baudrate                #current baudrate setting
-    bytesize                #bytesize in bits
-    parity                  #parity setting
-    stopbits                #stop bit with (1,2)
-    timeout                 #read timeout setting
-    xonxoff                 #if Xon/Xoff flow control is enabled
-    rtscts                  #if hardware flow control is enabled
-    writeTimeout            #write timeout setting
+    port                    # port name/number as set by the user
+    baudrate                # current baud rate setting
+    bytesize                # byte size in bits
+    parity                  # parity setting
+    stopbits                # stop bit with (1,2)
+    timeout                 # read timeout setting
+    xonxoff                 # if Xon/Xoff flow control is enabled
+    rtscts                  # if hardware flow control is enabled
+    writeTimeout            # write timeout setting
 
 These attributes also have corresponding getX and setXX methods.
 
@@ -233,15 +232,14 @@ Xon/Xoff characters::
 
 Iterator interface
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-It is possible to iterate over lines comming from a serial port::
-    
+It is possible to iterate over lines coming from a serial port::
+
     >>> ser = serial.Serial(0, timeout=10)
     >>> for line in ser:
     ...     print line
 
-The use is somewhat restricted tough, as many protocols on the
-wire require that commands are sent and answers are read and this
-one only reads lines.
+The use is somewhat restricted tough, as many protocols on the wire require
+that commands are sent and answers are read and this one only reads lines.
 
 
 Tips & Tricks
@@ -256,12 +254,12 @@ Tips & Tricks
 - When packaging a project with py2exe, it will likely print a warning about
   missing modules 'javax.comm'. This warning is uncritical as the module is
   used in the Jython implementation that is not used but packaged.
-  
+
   It can be avoided with::
-  
+
     setup(...
         options = {'py2exe': {'excludes': ['javax.comm']}})
-  
+
   See also setup_demo.py in the examples.
 
 
@@ -276,3 +274,4 @@ References
 - Java@SUN http://java.sun.com/products/
 - IronPython: http://www.codeplex.com/IronPython
 - setuptools: http://peak.telecommunity.com/DevCenter/setuptools
+