As an alternative to DoIO() you can use an asynchronous I/O request to transmit the command. Asynchronous requests are initiated with SendIO(). Your task can continue to execute while the device processes the command. You can occasionally do a CheckIO() to see if the I/O has completed. The write request in this example will be processed while the example continues to run: SerialIO->IOSer.io_Length = -1; SerialIO->IOSer.io_Data = (APTR)"Save the whales! "; SerialIO->IOSer.io_Command = CMD_WRITE; SendIO((struct IORequest *)SerialIO); printf("CheckIO %lx\n",CheckIO((struct IORequest *)SerialIO)); printf("The device will process the request in the background\n"); printf("CheckIO %lx\n",CheckIO((struct IORequest *)SerialIO)); WaitIO((struct IORequest *)SerialIO); /* Remove message and cleanup */ Most applications will want to wait on multiple signals. A typical application will wait for menu messages from Intuition at the same time as replies from the serial device. The following fragment demonstrates waiting for one of three signals. The Wait() will wake up if the read request ever finishes, or if the user presses Ctrl-C or Ctrl-F from the Shell. This fragment may be inserted into the above complete example. /* Precalculate a wait mask for the CTRL-C, CTRL-F and message * port signals. When one or more signals are received, * Wait() will return. Press CTRL-C to exit the example. * Press CTRL-F to wake up the example without doing anything. * NOTE: A signal may show up without an associated message! */ WaitMask = SIGBREAKF_CTRL_C| SIGBREAKF_CTRL_F| 1L << SerialMP->mp_SigBit; SerialIO->IOSer.io_Command = CMD_READ; SerialIO->IOSer.io_Length = READ_BUFFER_SIZE; SerialIO->IOSer.io_Data = (APTR)&SerialReadBuffer[0]; SendIO(SerialIO); printf("Sleeping until CTRL-C, CTRL-F, or serial input\n"); while (1) { Temp = Wait(WaitMask); printf("Just woke up (YAWN!)\n"); if (SIGBREAKF_CTRL_C & Temp) break; if (CheckIO(SerialIO) ) /* If request is complete... */ { WaitIO(SerialIO); /* clean up and remove reply */ printf("%ld bytes received\n",SerialIO->IOSer.io_Actual); break; } } AbortIO(SerialIO); /* Ask device to abort request, if pending */ WaitIO(SerialIO); /* Wait for abort, then clean up */ WaitIO() vs. Remove(). ---------------------- The WaitIO() function is used above, even if the request is already known to be complete. WaitIO() on a completed request simply removes the reply and cleans up. The Remove() function is not acceptable for clearing the reply port; other messages may arrive while the function is executing. High Speed Operation Use Of BeginIO() With The Serial Device Ending A Read Or Write Using Termination Characters Using Separate Read And Write Tasks