SCSTerm
Scott's Communication Software
Current Version: 17.95
This page last updated March 14, 2026

The latest version is here:
or here:

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What is SCSTerm?
It's a Windows program that communicates with any device that uses a standard serial port. It improves productivity with many special features including color highlighting, programmable buttons and many lines in the scroll buffer.

Features

1. Interprets ANSI x3.64 / ECMA-48 / VT100 / xterm escape sequences
2. Up to 15,000 lines in the scroll buffer
3. The ability to search the text buffer. (a.k.a. a FIND command
4. Text highlighting - the program can highlight text strings
The strings, text color, and text background are all user configurable. While working on a piece of code, you can highlight messages from that code. This makes it much easier to see your messages buried within the output. For example, default strings include "Error" and "Fatal". By default, these are displayed with white text on a red background.
5. String highlighting can be saved in a standard HTML file. This helps identify important text for later diagnosis
6. On serial ports that report framing errors, SCSTerm will change baud rates to try to find the right one. (a.k.a. "auto" baud
7. Automatically download and install program updates
8. Runs on Windows XP, Vista, 7, 8, and 10
9. Address lookup - the program can use FindAddr.dll (if available) to translate address into symbols
10. Strings can be used to reset a "running" time
The running time is displayed continuously in the status line. The running time can also used as a prefix for all lines on the screen to "timestamp" the line.
11. Strings can optionally trigger a PC speaker beep or play a wav file
With sounds, you don't have to keep a sharp eye on the screen for that rare event.
12. All settings are saved in the INI file. (The INI file is in the same directory as the EXE file
These settings include the serial port information, window size and position, capture information and all of the strings, colors and buttons.
13. The program currently works with only one serial port at any given time
However, the program can be run multiple times, once per serial port.
14. Serial ports can be added manually if SCSTerm doesn't automatically add the port
In the File / Port dialog box use the "Add" button. SCSTerm will display an error message if there's a problem accessing the new port.
15. If you're having problems with SCSTerm recognizing serial ports
you can run the program . That program uses the windows API EnumPorts to create a list of valid port names. Serial ports in that list are valid for SCSTerm. (Serial ports begin with "COM". For example "COM1:")

Subscriptions
One year subscriptions are only $30 per computer and are available through PayPal
SCSTerm is fully functional without a subscription, but only works for 15 minutes. A subscription includes all bug fixes & enhancements.

After using Paypal, click in the "Help" menu then "Buy Subscription". This will compose an email with system specific information for the subscription.
Subscriptions are automatically downloaded from the server and saved in the .INI file. To force an update you can use "Help" menu then "Check Subscription".
For questions, contact:

Subscriptions help me support the Southeastern Railway Museum



Current Limitations

• Currently supports 115200, 57600, 38400, 9600, 1200, 300, 110 baud. (All are 8,N,1)
• Maximum number of lines displayed: 15,000
• Maximum number of strings to detect: 255
• Maximum number of buttons: 250
• Maximum number of characters per button: 2000

Release History

• Version 17.95:
• Added support for InsertReplaceChar
• Added support for 8 bit and 24 bit ANSI colors

• Version 17.94:
• Buttons can include pause
• Display milliseconds and date is now configurable per port
• Status bar contains wrap, blink, xor, origin, application key, and cursor key (and they can be toggled)
• Added support for CursorNextLine CNL and CursorPreviousLine, CPL

• Version 17.93:
• Implemented reverse video DECSCNM.
• Added set tabs & DECST8C.
• Added support for Tab Clear TBC.
• Added CursorNextTab CHT and CursorPrevTab CBT.
• Added support for smooth scroll, but only for full page. (not yet scrolling regions)

• Version 17.92:
• Improved performance checking for strings within a line.
• Allow switching to/from alternate screens multiple times.
• There are 2 saved cursors: DECSC / DECRC & alternate screen.
• When changing settings, don't reconnect the port unless needed.

• Version 17.91:
• Many settings can now be saved per port:
   Capture filespec has port name
   Capture filespec has prefix
   Capture when started
   Connect when started
   Confirm exit,
   Display line prefix
   Display control characters

• Version 17.90:
• Support for ANSI x3.64 / ECMA-48 / VT100 / xterm escape sequences
• The "Send Date" command format is now configurable
• Remote date/time prefix is "Time set to:" or "Current time/date:"
Date/time is either "Fri Oct 5 2015, 9:32:02 AM EST" or "2007/10/05 09:32:02"
• Rate limit BEL sounds: no more than 5 sounds in 2 seconds, wait 5 seconds to reset
• All strings can be ignored per port
• All strings can be set to blink (to help identify local colors from strings vs host color)
• UTF8 character support (current font must support requested characters)

• Version 17.44:
• Added message about beta version

• Version 17.43:
• Work around false positive in virus scanner

• Version 17.4:
• Improved serial port handling
• Improved screen updates
• Improved sending files
• Fixed problem saving window position
• Send DEL when user presses DELETE key
• Now displays CD, CTS, DSR and RING

• Version 17.3:
• Display new version number available
• Improved support for multiple monitors

• Version 17.2:
• Fixed race condition that affected CR/LF in strings
• Improved subscription support
• Changed to new website
• Internal performance optimizations

• Version 17.1:
• Improved download & subscription message boxes
• Added warning for subscription expiration

• Version 17:
• Added support for subscriptions
• Prompt first (if needed) when using "Clear, Reset and Restart
• Added menu item for "Clear buffer, Reset running and Restart Capture"
• Fixed problem saving window size & position
• Optimized serial buffer management
• Corrected race condition that could forget current port
• Fixed race condition that could cause memory corruption and crashes
• Allow up to 200 buttons
• Fixed "Start Capture Append"
• The "auto baud" support now switches between 57600, 115200 and 38400
• Internal performance optimizations

• Version 16:
• Program exit confirmation (Options/Confirm Exit)
• Display port name in window title when disconnected
• For "Options/Filespec has port name", use port label if set otherwise use port name
• Use port name or label in capture filespec even when disconnected
• Change baud on serial errors (a.k.a. auto baud) - not more than 1 change per second
• Sort INI file contents when written
• Automatically download program update

• Version 15:
• Increased from 10,000 to 15,000 lines
• Capture can be enabled by default
• Different capture file names for each serial port
• Display FindAddr.dll filename & version

• Version 14:
• Option to include/exclude the timestamp in the capture file
• Can now display "system time" in addition to "running time" and "settop time"
• Added support for 2007 Daylight Saving Time changes
• Added hyperlinks in about box
• Added menu items to check for new version

• Version 13:
• Serial ports can be added or deleted manually
• Option to enable/disable auto-baud toggle per port
• Command line program parameter can be port name or port label
• Buttons are disabled while sending a string
• Buttons are disabled when not connected
• Now supports 38400 in addition to the previous 57600, 115200 and 9600
• The auto-baud feature now only toggles between 57600 and 115200
• Changed EOL handling to support different line endings
   The EOL detection has been changed to watch for LF and ignore CR. The previous method watched for CR and ignored LF.
   The "copy" and "file save" code to is now hard-coded to ignore CR and change LF to CR/LF.
• There is a new option to display control characters. (Not yet saved in INI file

• Version 12:
• Added support for FindAddr (requires FindAddr.dll). Addresses are translated
   Any 8 digit hex number between '{' and '}'
   Hex numbers after either "Backtrace:" or "Stacktrace:"
• Can disable control key shortcuts - allows sending all control keys
• Optimized HTML code generation
• Improved text selection code

• Version 11:
• Save selected text or the whole buffer to a file
• Text can be saved using HTML format to retain colors
• Read existing text file to use text highlighting
• Fixed edge condition that could cause incorrect timestamps with edit/copy
• More performance enhancements

• Version 10:
• Added new "reset running" string: "System Initialization START"
• The time prefix is now based on last character received on the line
• Ctrl-Insert is same as copy
• Warn user if typing when not connected
• Capture file now includes COM port name & label
• If COM port changes while capturing, new COM port & label is listed in capture file
• Start capture now can append or overwrite
• Can now include the date/time stamp when copying text
• More performance enhancements

• Version 9:
• Added programmable buttons to send configurable text
• Added configurable delay between chars and EOL for buttons and pasted text
• Added auto scroll while selecting text
• Added left mouse double-click to highlight current word
• Fixed multiple speaker beeps and playing wav files
• Optimized received text processing to reduce cpu usage
• If elapsed time is reset while not connected, don't start counting until connected again
• Added an option to display a line prefix with the settop date & time instead of the elapsed time
• If the INI file is changed on disk, read new the file. This can happen if the program is running multiple times for multiple serial ports
• Added context sensitive help to most dialog boxes
• Added support for 9600 bau
• Added new "reset running" strings

• Version 8:
• Save the baud rate setting in INI file
• Added descriptive label for each COM port. For example, "First", "Second"
• Prefix the serial port name with "\\.\" to handle port numbers > 9. (This works around a windows bug
• Worked around win2000 INI file problem. (Windows writes INI entries one by one - very inefficient
• Added mouse wheel scrolling. (The mouse wheel must be supported by windows.
• Captured text now contains the timestamp prefix
• The mouse cursor is now the height of current font
• Added a text caret at current position

• Version 7:
• Disconnect menu item releases COM port
• Display the current baud rate in the title bar
• Added send file elapsed time, estimated time remaining, and completion percentage

• Version 6:
• F12 toggles between 57600 & 115200 baud (not saved in INI file)
• If a framing error is detected, automagically toggle between 57600 & 115200. Unfortunately framing errors are not detected by all serial port drivers
• Added raw file send. This sends a file with no translation and no handshaking
• Send the PC's current date & time as "date" monitor command
• Added a short delay between chars when sending a string because some devices would miss or drop characters

• Version 5:
• Can easily run multiple instances now - each one on a different COM port
• Added command line parameter for COM port
• Handle "access denied" on startup
• Fixed problem with "restart capture"
• Remember capture filespec for "Options/Capture" filespec
• Fixed problem that didn't save wave filenames in INI file
• Fixed problem with reading daylight savings time from settop
• When minimized, will stay at the bottom of the scroll range, which is the newest text from settop

• Version 4:
• Current COM port shown in title bar
• Now runs on Windows NT (corrected problem with WINSPOOL.DLL)
• Watches for date & time set messages from the settop, and displays it in the status line
   (Watches for the strings "Time set to:", "Current time/date:" and requires a valid date & time)
If SCSTerm missed the date & time set message, use the monitor's "date" command, with or without arguments.

• Version 3:
• The font can be changed
• Optimized "paint" processing
• Code now uses all 8-bits for characters
• Can run multiple instances of the program
• The settings of the menu items "Connect" & "Disconnect" are no longer saved in the INI fil
   The new "Start Connected" & "Start Disconnected" menu items are saved.
• When disconnected, the elapsed time blinks
• Strings can now
   Reset the running timer (Used to be hard-coded to be "Testing the POST")
   Beep the PC speaker
   Play a specified wave file

• Version 2:
• Added horizontal scrolling
• Optimized "paint" processing
• Added Connect & Disconnect functionality
• Added some on-line help about special keys

• Version 1:
• First version released which includes all the basic functionality

Feedback
If you have suggestions, ideas, comments, etc. please let me know.
If the program does something unexpected, let me know.
Thanks,
Scott