USB and C#

Question

Are there any libraries or classes that allow C# applications to talk to devices on a the USB (Universal Serial Bus)?

Answer 1

I don't think theres any specific namespaces in the framework. You might want to take a look at this article which deals with working with USB devices and has some good pointers.

Cathal

Answer 2

Read this article and follow some links from it  http://msdn.microsoft.com/coding4fun/someassemblyrequired/isthatyou/default.aspx

As well you can look at  http://www.componentsnotebook.com/notebooks/csharp/deviceio.aspx
or
http://www.icsharpcode.net/opensource/sharpusblib/

Answer 3

this code defintly help u...


using System;
using System.Collections.Generic;
using System.ComponentModel;
using System.Data;
using System.Drawing;
using System.Text;
using System.Windows.Forms;
using UsbLibrary;

namespace UsbApp
{
    public partial class Sniffer : Form
    {
        public Sniffer()
        {
            InitializeComponent();
        }

        private void usb_OnDeviceArrived(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.lb_message.Items.Add("Found a Device");
        }

        private void usb_OnDeviceRemoved(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if (InvokeRequired)
            {
                Invoke(new EventHandler(usb_OnDeviceRemoved), new object[] { sender, e });
            }
            else
            {
                this.lb_message.Items.Add("Device was removed");
            }
        }

        private void usb_OnSpecifiedDeviceArrived(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.lb_message.Items.Add("My device was found");

            //setting string form for sending data
            string text = "";
            for (int i = 0; i < this.usb.SpecifiedDevice.OutputReportLength - 1; i++)
            {
                text += "000 ";
            }
            this.tb_send.Text = text;
        }

        protected override void OnHandleCreated(EventArgs e)
        {
            base.OnHandleCreated(e);
            usb.RegisterHandle(Handle);
        }

        protected override void WndProc(ref Message m)
        {
            usb.ParseMessages(ref m);
            base.WndProc(ref m);    // pass message on to base form
        }

        private void btn_ok_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            try
            {
                this.usb.ProductId = Int32.Parse(this.tb_product.Text, System.Globalization.NumberStyles.HexNumber);
                this.usb.VendorId = Int32.Parse(this.tb_vendor.Text, System.Globalization.NumberStyles.HexNumber);
                this.usb.CheckDevicePresent();
            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString());
            }
        }

        private void btn_send_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            try
            {
                string text = this.tb_send.Text + " ";
                text.Trim();
                string[] arrText = text.Split(' ');
                byte[] data = new byte[arrText.Length];
                for (int i = 0; i < arrText.Length; i++)
                {
                    if (arrText[i] != "")
                    {
                        int value = Int32.Parse(arrText[i], System.Globalization.NumberStyles.Number);
                        data[i] = (byte)Convert.ToByte(value);
                    }
                }

                if (this.usb.SpecifiedDevice != null)
                {
                    this.usb.SpecifiedDevice.SendData(data);
                }
                else
                {
                    MessageBox.Show("Sorry but your device is not present. Plug it in!! ");
                }

            }
            catch (Exception ex)
            {
                MessageBox.Show(ex.ToString());
            }
        }

        private void usb_OnSpecifiedDeviceRemoved(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            if (InvokeRequired)
            {
                Invoke(new EventHandler(usb_OnSpecifiedDeviceRemoved), new object[] { sender, e });
            }
            else
            {
                this.lb_message.Items.Add("My device was removed");
            }
        }

        private void usb_OnDataRecieved(object sender, DataRecievedEventArgs args)
        {
            if (InvokeRequired)
            {
                try
                {
                    Invoke(new DataRecievedEventHandler(usb_OnDataRecieved), new object[] { sender, args });
                }
                catch (Exception ex)
                {
                    Console.WriteLine(ex.ToString());
                }
            }
            else
            {

                string rec_data = "Data: ";
                foreach (byte myData in args.data)
                {
                    if (myData.ToString().Length == 1)
                    {
                        rec_data += "00";
                    }

                    if (myData.ToString().Length == 2)
                    {
                        rec_data += "0";
                    }

                    rec_data += myData.ToString() + " ";
                }

                this.lb_read.Items.Insert(0, rec_data);
            }
        }

        private void usb_OnDataSend(object sender, EventArgs e)
        {
            this.lb_message.Items.Add("Some data was send");
        }  
    }
}

Answer 4

Hi Sahil,

Thankyou for posting the code. How about the usbLibrary that was used on the code? Is that handling the USB connectivity - how was implemented? I appricate if you could discuss little more about that. Thank you.

---

ZZZ

Answer 5

any library for usb in .net ????? which library have been used by sahil???? i feel lack of discussion....i want to communicate with usb devices.....Thanksss in advance with ur help that u u would put forward now....

Answer 6

Hi !

I do not know about the program here above, but you could be interested in this library:

http://www.icsharpcode.net/opensource/sharpusblib/

Regards,

scamb

Answer 7

Hi there,

The code in that Sniffer app was a big help to me but I've found a limitation in it and the usblibrary that it's using - it is not capable of picking up a usb device that does not have suitable drivers on the PC.

I'm looking to make an application that will work as a kind of auditor/monitor of anything that is plugged into a PC (for security) but I can't find anything that will let me identify a USB device with no drivers. I believe that this is because such a device does not get associated with any Device class. Does anyone know of a way to handle such cases? It would be massively appreciated!

Answer 8

I'll be coming with a great usb help(c#) soon as i am into it deeply now...Guys have to wait till I succeeed....Thankss

Answer 9

All usb devices must have a driver associated with it. This is because you are connecting to microprocessor, and you need 'someone' (or in this case something) that 'talks' the same language of the microprocessor. That's what a driver does, it translates the signals send by the microprocessor.

 

And more important than that, you need to know when a specific microprocessor was connected.

The problem you reported was to do with the way the operation system handles usb devices.

Answer 10

Please, visit this website: 

http://www.USBHidNetClass.org 

Interface WindForms USB Control for Visual c# and Visual BASIC and Microcontroller

Best Regards

simplicio

Answer 11

now, USB was used very popular, why do Microsoft not yet support some class to working with USB in net framework???

Answer 12

Hello.

Do you could make it work on windows 64 bits?

Thank you very much,

Marcos