serial-web-terminal

A web terminal for usb serial devices like Bitlash + Arduino, based on tty.js

Prerequisites

• git
• node.js
• npm
• npm modules: tty.js, serialport, shelljs, and optimist are npm-installed for you

Install and Test Drive

git clone https://github.com/billroy/serial-web-terminal.git
cd serial-web-terminal
npm install
node index.js

The server should be running on port 8080. Connect an arduino via USB, then browse to:

openurl http://localhost:8080

Your browser will want credentials. The default username is 'bitlash' and the default password is 'open sesame'. Please change the username and password; see below.

Once Bitlash comes up in the terminal you can type commands just like any other terminal emulator. You can stop Bitlash with Control-C and quit the shell with Control-].

Security

Change the default passwords!

Edit index.js -- add/change "username":"password" pairs in the config.users section, like this:

var config = {
	'users': {
		'bitlash':'closed sesame',
		'frodo': 'heavyring',
		'pippin': 'oopsie'
	}, ...
}

Runtime options

$ node index.js --help
Usage: node ./index [flags]

Options:
  -p, --port  virtual serial port name (auto-detects FTDI ports on Mac/Linux)
  -b, --baud  virtual serial port baud rate (default 57600)                  
  -h, --http  http port (default 8080)                                       

$ node index.js -p serialport -b baudrate -h httpport

Raw bitty.js

Auto-detects first FTDI serial port on Mac and Linux.

$ node bitty.js --help	Usage: node ./bitty.js [flags]

Options:
  -p, --port  virtual serial port name (auto-detects FTDI ports on Mac/Linux)
  -b, --baud  virtual serial port baud rate                                  

$ node bitty.js -p serialport -b baud

Bugs

• BUG: seems to reset the Arduino twice, most times.

• BUG: clicking the tilde allows second shell, which interferes with first

  • allow multiple viewers?
  • disable new-tab?

• BUG: The usernames and passwords should be SHA-hashed for tty.js