It uses the The Java Communications API to access the serial port and communicate with the LCD display. The Java Communications API is not included in the JAVA platform so you need to download it and install by yourself (see how-to).

I have developed and tested it on Windows and Linux (Suse 9.0/9.1) and works great! To use it on Linux you will also need to install the RX/TX serial I/O libraries (see how-to).

I have tested and it worked on:

• two different CPUs (Pentium II and Pentium 4)
• Sun JAVA SDK 2 (1.4.2)
• Windows XP and Suse Linux (9.0 and 9.1)

I have tested the CF633 using the serial port and using a USB-to-serial adapter. I have only tested the CF631 (USB) on Linux but it should work OK on Windows if you install the FTDI driver.

I have not tested all the functionality of these displays. They can do several things, like controlling Fans and the CPU power, that I did not need on my project but I implemented all the documented calls. Please let me know if they work for you or if you have any problems with any of them.

• Install the JAVA Comm API. If you are running Linux you will also need to install the RX/TX and JCL libraries.
• Make sure you understand and agree with the license terms before you download the CF633-631 drivers.
• The easiest way to access the drivers is by copying the jar file to the jre/lib/ext folder or adding it to the CLASSPATH variable.
• Make sure your LCD device is attached (and working! Try it using the CrystalFontz test tools).
• Run the test application. On the dos-prompt (or linux console) Type for the CF631:
  java com.b24ac.lcd.driver.CF631Test [commport]
  or for the CF633:
  java com.b24ac.lcd.driver.CF633Test [commport]
  where [commport] is the name of the serial port.
  For Windows: com1, com2, ...
  For Linux: /dev/ttyS0, /dev/ttyS1, ... /dev/usb/ttyUSB0, /dev/usb/ttyUSB1, ...
• The source code for these two classes is available on the download section.

Please make sure to send me a note with your comments...

Sometime in the future I will add my revised versions of what worked for me. For now check out what I used as my reference:

• CrystalFontz
• RXTX/JCL. Only needed on Linux. It did not work "out-of-the-box" for me but it may for you...
• FTDI driver Only needed for USB-to-serial adapters.

By downloading and/or copying any of these files you agree with the license conditions.

• CrystalFontz 631/633 JAVA drivers (beta version)
• CF631Test class source code
• CF633Test class source code