C++ and CMUcam2

[fhshockey05d]

I need to set up a serial communications port using DEV C++ to the CMUcam2 under windows. I have to send small strings such as "GH" "GM" and receive packets of information of varying sizes that will need to be parsed to analyze the information given. I've found some code for the serial port but I'm not sure what I need and what I don't from it. I would say I'm in the beginner to intermediate level of programming. Any help would be appreciated.

using namespace std;
#include <cstdlib>
#include <iostream>
#include <conio.h>
#include <stdio.h>
#include <time.h>
#include <windows.h>
#include <string.h>
#include "serial.h"
 
// Flow control flags
 
#define FC_DTRDSR 0x01
#define FC_RTSCTS 0x02
#define FC_XONXOFF 0x04
 
// ascii definitions
 
#define ASCII_BEL 0x07
#define ASCII_BS 0x08
#define ASCII_LF 0x0A
#define ASCII_CR 0x0D
#define ASCII_XON 0x11
#define ASCII_XOFF 0x13
using namespace std;
// variables used with the com port
BOOL bPortReady;
DCB dcb;
COMMTIMEOUTS CommTimeouts;
BOOL bWriteRC;
BOOL bReadRC;
DWORD iBytesWritten;
DWORD iBytesRead;
 
HANDLE SerialInit(char *ComPortName, int BaudRate) 
{
HANDLE hCom;
 
hCom = CreateFile(ComPortName, 
GENERIC_READ | GENERIC_WRITE,
0, // exclusive access
NULL, // no security
OPEN_EXISTING,
0, // no overlapped I/O
NULL); // null template 
 
bPortReady = SetupComm(hCom, 2, 128); // set buffer sizes
 
 
bPortReady = GetCommState(hCom, &dcb);
dcb.BaudRate = BaudRate;
dcb.ByteSize = 8;
dcb.Parity = NOPARITY;
// dcb.Parity = EVENPARITY;
dcb.StopBits = ONESTOPBIT;
dcb.fAbortOnError = TRUE;
 
// set XON/XOFF
dcb.fOutX = FALSE; // XON/XOFF off for transmit
dcb.fInX = FALSE; // XON/XOFF off for receive
// set RTSCTS
dcb.fOutxCtsFlow = TRUE; // turn on CTS flow control
dcb.fRtsControl = RTS_CONTROL_HANDSHAKE; // 
// set DSRDTR
dcb.fOutxDsrFlow = FALSE; // turn on DSR flow control
dcb.fDtrControl = DTR_CONTROL_ENABLE; // 
// dcb.fDtrControl = DTR_CONTROL_DISABLE; // 
// dcb.fDtrControl = DTR_CONTROL_HANDSHAKE; // 
 
bPortReady = SetCommState(hCom, &dcb);
 
// Communication timeouts are optional
 
bPortReady = GetCommTimeouts (hCom, &CommTimeouts);
 
CommTimeouts.ReadIntervalTimeout = 5000;
CommTimeouts.ReadTotalTimeoutConstant = 5000;
CommTimeouts.ReadTotalTimeoutMultiplier = 1000;
CommTimeouts.WriteTotalTimeoutConstant = 5000;
CommTimeouts.WriteTotalTimeoutMultiplier = 1000;
 
bPortReady = SetCommTimeouts (hCom, &CommTimeouts);
 
return hCom;
}
 
char SerialGetc(HANDLE *hCom)
{
char rxchar;
BOOL bReadRC;
static DWORD iBytesRead;
 
bReadRC = ReadFile(*hCom, &rxchar, 1, &iBytesRead, NULL);
 
return rxchar;
}
 
void SerialPutc(HANDLE *hCom, char txchar)
{
BOOL bWriteRC;
static DWORD iBytesWritten;
 
bWriteRC = WriteFile(*hCom, &txchar, 1, &iBytesWritten,NULL);
 
return;
}
 
int main(int argc, char *argv[])
{
HANDLE my=SerialInit("com4",115200);
char letter;
 
HANDLE *ptr;
*ptr=&my;
SerialPutc(ptr,'a'); 
//letter=SerialGetc(ptr);
getch(); 
 
return 0;
 
}