#!/usr/bin/python3
# ===================================================================
# send a message to an Arduino and receive a reply
# ===================================================================

from time import sleep

import serial

import sys

# ---- Establish a connection on a specific port
# ---- ser = serial.Serial('COM7',19200)
# ---- ser = serial.Serial('COM7', 115200, timeout=.1)

ser = serial.Serial()
ser.port     = 'COM7'
ser.baudrate = 9600
ser.timeout  = 0.1

ser.open()                     # open connection

# ---- loop

cnt = 0

while True:

    if cnt > 5:
        break

    cnt += 1

    print('loop {}'.format(cnt))

    # ---- send message to Arduino

    ser.write("Sabcdefg".encode())

    sleep(0.2)

    # ---- process Arduino reply    

    s = ser.readline()

    print(type(s))
    print(str(s))

    # ---- flush the input buffer

    ser.flushInput()                     # for Python 3+

    # ---- clear the message string

    msg = "";

ser.close()

##ser.is_open