Hi,
I am new to VB and VBA and am working on a powerpoint presentation and
need to connect to the serial port.
If I use a form and create the MSComm object by adding a control
(button with phone on it), it works fine.

But as the serial connection is needed all over the powerpoint
presentation and also I do not want to have forms popping up all the
time, I tried to do use a global MSComm object but get an error and the
connection does not work.

It would be great, if you could tell me how to either use the
connection from the nice litte telephone button all over the
presentation or help me debug the following code.

I very much appreciate your help!

phabs

CODE:
If I run the following code, I get an error like:
"Object variable or With-Blockvariable not defined"
Also, the connection to the serial device failed
(I know that because after this line it is still possible to
connect to the serial device with an other program)
******************************************************************************************************

'declaring variable
'(I would like to use this all over the presentation in different
"modules")
Public MSComm3 As MSComm

Sub test()
     On Error Resume Next              'Error handler

   'init serial communication
   'signal adjusted for 1 Byte, text mode
   MSComm3 = New MSComm
   MSComm3.CommPort = 1
   MSComm3.DTREnable = True
   MSComm3.EOFEnable = False
   MSComm3.Handshaking = comNone
   MSComm3.InBufferSize = 1024
   MSComm3.InputLen = 1
   MSComm3.InputMode = comInputModeText
   MSComm3.NullDiscard = False
   MSComm3.OutBufferSize = 512
   MSComm3.ParityReplace = False
   MSComm3.RThreshold = 0
   MSComm3.RTSEnable = True
   MSComm3.Settings = "9600.n,8,1"
   MSComm3.SThreshold = 0
   'MSComm3.Width = 28
   'MSComm3.Height = 28
   'MSComm3.Left = 10
   'MSComm3.Top = 30
   'MSComm3.Tag = "tag"

   If MSComm3.PortOpen = False Then   'check if serial port is open
       MSComm3.PortOpen = True           'open port  '***** ERROR HERE
   End If
   If Err Then MsgBox Error$, 48               '***** ERROR HERE

   'set text to be sent to COM1
   MSComm3.Output = "k"

   '"watchdog" if no answer from device within specified time..
   Dim StartTime, WaitTime
   StartTime = Timer
   WaitTime = 2

   'wait for response from serial device:
   Dim Rx As String
   Rx = MSComm3.Input

   Do
       Rx = MSComm3.Input
   Loop While (Timer < (StartTime + WaitTime) And (StrComp(Rx, "") =
0))

   'Show input from device and close connection
   MsgBox Rx
   MSComm3.PortOpen = False
End Sub

******************************************************************************************************