**CIGAL Reference Manual, Chapter 3 (Functions): comread**
===== Comread -- Read from serial communication port =====
**usage: vdst = comread(chan,nchars,flag)**

Read byte data from a serial input port. CHAN must be 1 or 2. NCHARS is the
maximum number of bytes to read; if NCHARS is 0, all the bytes currently in
the buffer are read. FLAG can be used to specify reading options (its default
value is 0).
           FLAG options:
                          1 - wait until NCHARS characters have been read otherwise reads current
                          available data up to NCHARS bytes
                          2 - return current byte count only (don't read data)

NOTE:  The serial input port must be configured before it is read. To configure
the port you load the configuration bit-flag into the COM1 (or COM2) number variable (see [[jvs:cigal:manual:chapter4:com1|COM1(4)]]).

**See Also:**\\
[[jvs:cigal|CIGAL Home]], 
[[jvs:cigal:manual|CIGAL Manual]], 
[[jvs:cigal:manual:chapter3|Functions List]], 
[[jvs:cigal:manual:help|Manual Help]]