Serial Input Monitor - Arduino Serial to Keyboard/Mouse Control

📖 Overview

Serial Input Monitor is a comprehensive system that enables Arduino serial keyboard control and Arduino serial mouse control through serial communication with an Arduino Uno. Unlike solutions that require Arduino Leonardo or other HID-capable microcontrollers, this system works with the standard Arduino Uno that most makers already have.

Perfect for Arduino automation, serial communication projects, Arduino remote control, and Arduino HID emulation without needing special hardware!

This system bridges the gap by making Arduino Uno work like an HID device through intelligent serial communication!

📸 Screenshots

Main Interface

The main interface provides real-time monitoring of serial communication with automatic baud rate detection, professional logging, and intuitive controls.

📁 More Screenshots

Port Selection

The port selection automatically refreshes available COM ports when you open the dropdown, making it easy to detect newly connected Arduino devices without restarting the application.

Application Started

When a port is opened, all received serial data is displayed in real-time on screen for monitoring. However, the actual mouse/keyboard actions are only executed when you press Start - you can use Stop to pause actions while still viewing the incoming data.

🎯 Key Advantages

✅ Works with Arduino Uno

• No need for Arduino Leonardo or other HID-capable boards
• Uses standard Arduino Uno with serial communication
• Cost-effective solution for input automation projects

✅ Professional Features

• Automatic baud rate detection (9600, 115200, 57600, 38400, etc.)
• Real-time data monitoring with technical and friendly key names
• Comment support (lines starting with # for debugging)
• Thread-safe operation with non-blocking UI
• Comprehensive error handling and validation

✅ Complete Development Environment

• Arduino examples for testing without hardware
• SerialInputMonitor library for complex Arduino projects
• Modern Qt6 interface with professional styling
• IntelliSense support for Arduino development

🔧 System Requirements

• Python 3.8+ with PySide6
• Arduino Uno (or compatible)
• Windows (primary support) / Linux (partial support)
• USB-to-Serial connection

Platform Support

• ✅ Windows: Full support with native mouse/keyboard control
• ⚠️ Linux: Serial communication works, mouse/keyboard control needs additional setup
• ❓ macOS: Not tested, may work with modifications

🚀 Quick Start

1. Python Environment Setup

You can choose from different installation methods:

Option A: Using Installation Helper (Recommended)

# Clone the repository
git clone <repository-url>
cd SerialInputMonitor

# Run the installation helper to see all options
python install_helper.py

The installation helper will show you:

• Basic installation (core features only)
• Full installation (with Windows shortcuts)
• Modern installation (using pyproject.toml)
• Current environment status

Option B: Manual Installation

# Create virtual environment
python -m venv .venv
.venv\Scripts\activate

# Install dependencies
pip install -r requirements.txt

# For Windows shortcut features (optional)
pip install winshell pywin32

Option C: Modern Setup (Development)

# Install in editable mode
pip install -e .

# With Windows extras
pip install -e .[windows]

# With development tools
pip install -e .[dev]

2. Arduino Setup

Upload one of the provided examples to your Arduino Uno:

• example_minimal.ino - Basic data sending
• example_simple_test.ino - Mouse and keyboard simulation
• example_auto_demo.ino - Automated testing sequence
• example_comments_and_commands.ino - Demonstrates comment usage

3. Run the Application

python src/main.py

📁 Project Structure

SerialInputMonitor/
├── src/
│   ├── main.py                 # Main application with auto-detection
│   ├── key_mappings.py         # Comprehensive key mapping system
│   └── ui/
│       ├── main_ui.py          # Generated UI code
│       ├── main_ui.ui          # Qt Designer interface file
│       └── themes/
│           └── default.qss     # Professional styling
├── arduino/
│   ├── SerialInputMonitor.h    # Arduino library header
│   ├── SerialInputMonitor.cpp  # Arduino library implementation
│   └── examples/               # Testing examples
├── install_helper.py           # Installation guidance script
├── setup.py                    # Modern setuptools configuration
├── pyproject.toml             # Project metadata and dependencies
├── config.ini                 # Application configuration
└── requirements.txt           # Python dependencies

🎮 Arduino Examples Explained

Simple Examples (No Library Required)

These examples only send data to the PC and don't require the SerialInputMonitor library:

example_minimal.ino

// Sends basic mouse movements
Serial.println("0 1 5 -3");  // Mouse move: device=0, event=1, x=5, y=-3

example_simple_test.ino

// Simulates mouse clicks and keyboard presses
Serial.println("0 2");        // Mouse left click
Serial.println("1 1 0x41");   // Keyboard: press 'A'

example_auto_demo.ino

// Automated testing sequence with comments
Serial.println("# Starting mouse test");
Serial.println("0 1 10 0");   // Move mouse right
Serial.println("# Mouse movement completed");

Advanced Examples (Library Required)

Use the SerialInputMonitor library when you need the Arduino to receive and process commands from the PC:

example_using_library.ino

#include "SerialInputMonitor.h"

SerialInputMonitor monitor;

void setup() {
  monitor.begin();  // Initialize command processing
}

void loop() {
  monitor.processIncomingData();  // Handle PC commands
  // Arduino can now receive: "LED_ON", "SERVO_90", etc.
}

📋 Communication Protocol

Data Format

DEVICE EVENT [PARAM1] [PARAM2]

Device Types

• 0 = Mouse
• 1 = Keyboard

Mouse Events

• 1 = Move relative (0 1 deltaX deltaY)
• 2 = Left click (0 2)
• 3 = Right click (0 3)
• 6 = Scroll (0 6 scrollAmount)
• 7 = Set position (0 7 x y)

Keyboard Events

• 1 = Key press (1 1 0x41 = Press 'A')
• 0 = Key release (1 0 0x41 = Release 'A')

Comments

# This is a comment - shown in log but no action taken

🔍 When to Use SerialInputMonitor Library

❌ Library NOT Required:

• Sending data from Arduino to PC
• Testing the PC application
• Simple sensor readings
• Basic automation (Arduino → PC)

✅ Library Required:

• Receiving commands from PC to Arduino
• Controlling Arduino hardware via PC commands
• Complex communication protocols
• Bidirectional control (PC ↔ Arduino)

Example Comparison:

Without Library (Simple):

// Arduino only SENDS data
Serial.println("0 1 5 -2");  // Send mouse movement

With Library (Advanced):

// Arduino can RECEIVE and PROCESS commands
#include "SerialInputMonitor.h"
SerialInputMonitor monitor;

void loop() {
  monitor.processIncomingData();  // Handle "LED_ON", "SERVO_90", etc.
}

⚙️ Features in Detail

Automatic Baud Rate Detection

• Tests common baud rates: 9600, 115200, 57600, 38400, 19200
• Prioritizes previously successful rates
• Quick data test before full detection
• Fallback to configured rate if no data detected

Smart Data Processing

• Validates data format before processing
• Handles partial/malformed data gracefully
• Converts hex key codes to friendly names
• Technical logging with styled output

Professional UI

• Non-blocking interface with threading
• Real-time data monitoring
• Port checking before connection
• Status indicators and progress feedback

Comment System

Serial.println("# Debug: Starting sequence");  // Shown in gray, italic
Serial.println("0 1 10 0");                   // Processed as mouse move
Serial.println("# Debug: Movement completed"); // Another comment

🛠️ Development Setup

VS Code Configuration

The project includes IntelliSense configuration for Arduino development:

• .vscode/c_cpp_properties.json - C++ paths and settings
• .vscode/arduino.json - Arduino-specific configuration
• .copilot-instructions.md - AI assistant guidelines

Python Dependencies

PySide6==6.8.0      # Modern Qt6 interface
pyserial==3.5       # Serial communication
keyboard==0.13.5    # Keyboard control

📝 Configuration

config.ini

[Serial]
last_port = COM3
baud_rate = 9600
auto_detect_baud = true

[UI]
log_font_size = 9
max_log_lines = 1000

🐛 Troubleshooting

Arduino Not Detected

1. Check USB connection
2. Verify correct COM port
3. Try different baud rates
4. Click "Check" before "Open"

No Data Received

1. Upload example sketch to Arduino
2. Check serial monitor for output
3. Verify baud rate matches Arduino code
4. Enable auto-detection

Key Mapping Issues

• Check key_mappings.py for supported keys
• Use hex format for key codes (0x41 for 'A')
• Verify DEVICE EVENT format

Linux Compatibility

Current status:

• ✅ Serial communication: Works perfectly
• ✅ GUI interface: Runs with PySide6
• ⚠️ Mouse/Keyboard control: Requires additional setup

For Linux support, you may need:

# Install additional dependencies
pip install pynput
# Or for X11 systems
sudo apt-get install python3-xlib

Note: The application will monitor serial data on Linux, but mouse/keyboard actions may need platform-specific implementation.

📄 License

This project is released under the MIT License. Feel free to use, modify, and distribute according to the license terms.

👥 Contributing

Contributions are welcome! Please:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Test your changes thoroughly
4. Submit a pull request

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Made with ❤️ for the Arduino and Python communities