ok, every message starts with "ENX" and ends with "STX" in between are several parts. the first is the message length sent as an unsigned long int (according to the docs) this is four bytes. The next is the message type - another 4 bytes that corrospond to a certain chart. for example, the login is message type 200. Then there is the message. different messages have different lengths and types. the data part, i am still trying to break apart. Some of it (when printed to the screen) is a string, then some very funny characters, then another string, then more funny looking characters, then 'ETX'
up untill now, all i have had to process is the strings, so i split the message up, and used the strings as my data. But now, i do need the other info. -whew. i guess i am learning a lot. i just ordered Python Essential Reference from amazon. ;) anyway. from what i have found on line, i am going to be using the struct module. oh, that was a typo earlier. not 34 bytes, but 14. the data comming in is alway in 158 bytes though. thanks guys. -- http://mail.python.org/mailman/listinfo/python-list