STEAM
PC GAMES
For Each service In services.Services Dim chars As GattCharacteristicsResult = Await service.GetCharacteristicsAsync() For Each c In chars.Characteristics If c.Uuid.ToString() = "0000ffe1-0000-1000-8000-00805f9b34fb" Then ' Custom service Dim writer As New DataWriter() writer.WriteString("Hello BLE!") Await c.WriteValueAsync(writer.DetachBuffer()) End If Next Next End Function "But beware – you’ll need to run this on Windows 10+, and your app must be packaged or have with Bluetooth capability." Chapter 3 – The Unexpected Hero User: LegacyCoder interrupts: "Why overcomplicate? Just use Virtual COM Port drivers. Pair your Bluetooth device – Windows creates a new COM port. Then use good old SerialPort from .NET:" Imports System.IO.Ports Public Sub SendViaComPort(comPort As String, data As String) Using sp As New SerialPort(comPort, 9600, Parity.None, 8, StopBits.One) sp.Open() sp.WriteLine(data) sp.Close() End Using End Sub
Dim stream As NetworkStream = client.GetStream() Dim data As Byte() = System.Text.Encoding.ASCII.GetBytes(message & vbCrLf) stream.Write(data, 0, data.Length) stream.Close() client.Close() End Sub User: BT_Frustrated replies: "Thanks, but my device uses BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy) – not classic Bluetooth!" SerialPortSavior responds: "Ah, different beast. For BLE in VB.NET, you’ll need Windows.Devices.Bluetooth (UWP APIs) – but you can call them from WinForms with a little trick:" Imports Windows.Devices.Bluetooth Imports Windows.Devices.Bluetooth.GenericAttributeProfile Imports System.Threading.Tasks Public Async Function ConnectToBLE(deviceId As String) As Task Dim device As BluetoothLEDevice = Await BluetoothLEDevice.FromIdAsync(deviceId) Dim services As GattDeviceServicesResult = Await device.GetGattServicesAsync()
' In Package Manager Console: ' Install-Package InTheHand.Net.Personal
Public Sub SendData(device As BluetoothDeviceInfo, message As String) Dim ep As New BluetoothEndPoint(device.DeviceAddress, BluetoothService.SerialPort) Dim client As New BluetoothClient() client.Connect(ep)
Connecting the Unconnectable – A VB.NET Bluetooth Journey Prologue – The Forum Post Posted by CodeNewbie_42 on VBForums, 3:14 AM: "Help! I need to send a simple string from my VB.NET Windows app to a Bluetooth-enabled Arduino. I’ve tried SerialPort, 32feet.NET, even PowerShell – nothing works. The device pairs, but no data flows. What am I missing?" Chapter 1 – The Reply from a Guru User: SerialPortSavior (MVP, 12,847 posts) Replied: "Ah, young coder. Bluetooth on Windows with VB.NET is not magic – it’s emulated serial over RFCOMM . Here’s the path:" Step 1: Install 32feet.NET (the de facto library)
