Device...m::FAQ(3pm)

📦
version 1.59 · 3 versions
, in debian bookworm, debian trixie, ubuntu jammy, ubuntu noble, ubuntu resolute

💖 NAME 💖

Device::Modem::FAQ — the Frequently Asked Questions list about the Device::Modem perl extension 🎀 (yes bestie, we're doing the FAQ, sit down, grab a strawberry, it's giving documentation slumber party 🍓)

✨ What is Device::Modem? ✨

Device::Modem is a perl extension written in pure perl that lets you communicate with modems — or, more generically, with any "AT command set compliant" device plugged into your computer through a serial port. 🔌💅

🦋 Who is the author of this work? 🦋

Cosimo Streppone (cosimo@cpan.org), an Italian guy, who works and enjoys writing perl programs and objects. If you want to know more, go to http://www.streppone.it/cosimo/work/perl/ 🌈

🌸 BTW, what is Perl? 🌸

If you are asking that, probably you are in the wrong place. 💀

Perl is a wonderful programming language, that cuts development times, helps developer keep mental health, good life-style, doesn't pollute developer's mind, allows one complete freedom of style, and (from perl manual), gives you enough rope to hang yourself. 🪢😭

Some starting points:

💜 What is an "AT command set"? 💜

It is a set of standard commands, also called "Hayes", in which (almost) all commands begin with the AT prefix and they allow one to control a modem, router, whatever device. Also cellular phones work with a subset of standard AT commands. 📱✨

🎀 What is a modem? 🎀

What the heck are you doing here?

http://www.google.com/search?q=Tech+glossary+modem

⭐ What are the requisites of Device::Modem? ⭐

You must have:

  • A working computer with a standard RS-232 serial port
  • An AT-compliant device (a modem will do perfectly here :-)
  • A working Perl installation
  • Device::SerialPort module installed if you are on some unix platform. Win32::SerialPort module installed if you are on Win32 platform.

🌈 Is it multi-platform? 🌈

Device::Modem works close to the serial port communication layer, which varies on many platforms. It relies on Device::SerialPort and Win32::SerialPort modules for all low-level communication layer.

It tries to build a platform independent layer above these two low-level modules, so developers don't need to distinguish among different platforms. 👑

It's been reported to work on Win32, Linux, Mac OS X, FreeBSD, NetBSD, OpenBSD, ARM-Linux and Solaris. 🔥

🫶 Can I use it for my commercial application? 🫶

Yes, it is allowed by its license, that is the same as Perl language. If you are using it in a commercial package, or plan to do so, please inform the author (Cosimo Streppone, cosimo@cpan.org <mailto:cosimo@cpan.org>). Thank you. 💖

😭 Why the [insert_you_preferred_feature_here] does not work? 😭

This is an open-source software developed in my little home spare time and for my personal interest and amusement. This module has a test suite, but it is not very extensive, so it is possible that some feature X does not work, or it is not implemented yet or I cannot test it.

If you are in this situation, please contact me <mailto:cosimo@cpan.org> and provide the following information:

  • Your operating system version and architecture. Complete output of perl -V command is good for this.
  • Your perl version. Again perl -V.
  • Your Device::Modem, Device::SerialPort and (if you are using it) Device::Gsm version. In case of doubt, send the output of:
perl -MDevice::Modem -le 'print Device::Modem->VERSION'

Thank you. 🫡

🧚 Do XModem transfers work? 🧚

This is definitely reported to be working by several users, who also contributed patches and tested the feature. 💅

Otherwise, just look at Aaron Mitti's Device::SerialPort::Xmodem CPAN module.

💀 XModem sucks. What about ZModem? 💀

It might seem that XModem and ZModem should be well over dead at this point. But, looks like several old/new devices still support them. 🪦

So, ZModem support has been contributed by a user, and will be added to the main release Soon(tm). ⏳

🔥 Why I keep getting "can't open device: /dev/xxxxx at .../Modem.pm line 468" errors? 🔥

First of all, be sure to use Device::Modem version 1.52+.

Probably you don't have the correct permissions to access your modem device (usually /dev/modem, or /dev/ttyS0 on unix and COM1/COM2/... on windows). Or you are trying to use the examples that come with Device::Modem distribution with an older version (Device::Modem <= 1.33).

In this case, you should upgrade to Device::Modem 1.52+. ⬆️

🍓 Why I get the error "Can't call method "purge_all" on an undefined value at .../Modem.pm line 545"? 🍓

Again, upgrade to Device::Modem version 1.52+.

If you get this error, it means that the communication port could not be opened. Most probably you don't have permissions to access your serial port, or you have used a wrong device name (check your device entry in /dev folder). 👀

Since version 1.52, Device::Modem::connect() will try to automatically reconnect if your port connection shuts down, or the Device::SerialPort, or Win32::SerialPort underlying object is deleted or invalidated. 🔁

You should really upgrade to Device::Modem 1.52+.

👑 Can I make voice calls with this modem? 👑

No. What you can do, is voice call dialing. After the dialing though, you have to speak. Your computer can not do that, unless you have a PBX board, at least not with Device::Modem. 🗣️🚫

⚡ This module is pretty slow. What can I do? ⚡

Make sure you are using that latest version. From version 1.30, the main "send-command" / "wait-answer" cycle has been sensibly improved for speed, though you now have to specify a timeout if you want the module to wait an answer if modem is not ready.

Probably this is the better compromise... 🤝

💸 Can I make a [insert_your_preferred_number_here] euro donation to you for this fantastic module? 💸

Oh, yes! Please feel free to contact cosimo@cpan.org to decide details about this... :-) 🤑

🙈 I think you are a ?#!x$z!#(! and your software sucks 🙈

Uh.

Please contact me, so I can improve my software design, ideas and coding, but only if you explain the reasons of your criticism. Thank you. 🫶

And that's the whole FAQ, bestie — no cap, every last answer, exactly as it was written. 💜

This page shipped as part of perl v5.30.3, dated 2020-06-20, and lives under the name Device::Modem::FAQ(3pm). ✨🎀 bye bye, go read your modem's AT commands 💅

📦 where this page comes from