Do some updates to the serial reference docs

docs/device/serial.md

@@ -26,14 +26,17 @@ Unfortunately, using the serial library requires quite a bit of a setup.
 
 ### ~ hint
 
-**Windows earlier than 10**
+#### Windows earlier than 10
 
 If you are running a Windows version earlier than 10, you must [install a device driver](https://os.mbed.com/docs/latest/tutorials/windows-serial-driver.html) (for the computer to recognize the serial interface of the micro:bit).
 
-## ~
+### ~
+
 Also, if you don't see the serial port as one of your computer's devices, you might need to [update the firmware](/device/firmware) on the @boardname@. Find the device name for the attached serial port in the following instructions for your operating system.
 
-### Windows > Tera Term
+## Windows
+
+### Tera Term
 
 * Install the terminal emulator [Tera Term](https://ttssh2.osdn.jp/index.html.en). At the time of this writing, the latest version is 4.88 and can be downloaded [from here](http://en.osdn.jp/frs/redir.php?m=jaist&f=%2Fttssh2%2F63767%2Fteraterm-4.88.exe). Follow the instructions from the installer.
 
@@ -47,7 +50,7 @@ You should be good. Feel free to hit `Setup` > `Save Setup` in the menus to eras
 
 Please note that Windows will assign you a different COM port if you plug in another micro:bit. If you're juggling between micro:bits, you'll have to change the COM port every time.
 
-### Windows > Putty
+### Putty
 
 If you prefer another terminal emulator (such as [PuTTY](https://www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty/)), here are some instructions.
 

docs/reference/serial/on-data-received.md

@@ -1,8 +1,7 @@
-# Serial On Data Received
+# on Data Received
 
 Registers an event to be fired when one of the delimiter is matched.
 
-
 ```sig
 serial.onDataReceived(",", function() {})
 ```
@@ -13,17 +12,16 @@ serial.onDataReceived(",", function() {})
 
 ## Example
 
-Read values separated by `,`:
+Read values separated by a comma `,`.
 
 ```blocks
-serial.onDataReceived(serial.delimiters(Delimiters.Comma), () => {
+serial.onDataReceived(serial.delimiters(Delimiters.Comma), function() {
     basic.showString(serial.readUntil(serial.delimiters(Delimiters.Comma)))
 })
 ```
 
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
-[serial write value](/reference/serial/write-value)
-
+[write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
+[write value](/reference/serial/write-value)

docs/reference/serial/read-buffer.md

@@ -34,7 +34,7 @@ Read character data from the serial port one row at a time. Write the rows to an
 serial.setRxBufferSize(10)
 for (let i = 0; i < 24; i++) {
     let rowData = serial.readBuffer(10)
-    pins.i2cWriteBuffer(65, rowData, false);
+    pins.i2cWriteBuffer(65, rowData, false)
 }
 ```
 

docs/reference/serial/read-line.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Serial Read Line
+# read Line
 
 Read a line of text from the serial port.
 
@@ -14,7 +14,6 @@ This function expects the line it reads to be terminated with the `\n`
 character. If your terminal software does not terminate lines with
 `\n`, this function will probably never return a value.
 
-
 You can override the ``serial.NEW_LINE_DELIMITER`` field to change the newline delimiter.
 
 ### ~
@@ -30,7 +29,7 @@ The following example requests the user's name, then repeats it to greet the use
 ```blocks
 basic.forever(() => {
     serial.writeLine("What is your name?")
-    let answer = serial.readLine();
+    let answer = serial.readLine()
     serial.writeString("Hello,")
     serial.writeLine(answer)
 })
@@ -39,5 +38,5 @@ basic.forever(() => {
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
-[serial write value](/reference/serial/write-value)
+[write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
+[write value](/reference/serial/write-value)

docs/reference/serial/read-string.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Serial Read String
+# read String
 
 Read the buffered serial data as a string.
 
@@ -23,5 +23,5 @@ basic.forever(function() {
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
-[serial write value](/reference/serial/write-value)
+[write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
+[write value](/reference/serial/write-value)

docs/reference/serial/read-until.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Serial Read Until
+# read Until
 
 Read a text from the serial port until a delimiter is found.
 
@@ -24,5 +24,5 @@ basic.forever(() => {
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
-[serial write value](/reference/serial/write-value)
+[write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
+[write value](/reference/serial/write-value)

docs/reference/serial/write-line.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Serial Write Line
+# write Line
 
 Write a string to the [serial](/device/serial) port and start a new line of text 
 by writing `\r\n`.
@@ -57,6 +57,6 @@ basic.forever(function() {
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write number](/reference/serial/write-number),
-[serial write string](/reference/serial/write-string),
-[serial write value](/reference/serial/write-value)
+[write number](/reference/serial/write-number),
+[write string](/reference/serial/write-string),
+[write value](/reference/serial/write-value)

docs/reference/serial/write-number.md

@@ -1,27 +1,58 @@
-# Serial Write Number
+# write Number
 
 Write a number to the [serial](/device/serial) port.
 
 ```sig
 serial.writeNumber(0)
 ```
 
+A number value is written to the serial port as characters in a string representation. The number `876`, for example:
+
+```block
+serial.writeNumber(876)
+```
+
+The receiving serial port will see this number as the 3 characters:
+
+```
+876
+```
+
 ## Parameters
 
 * `value` is the [number](/types/number) to write to the serial port
 
-## Example: one two three
+### ~ reminder
+
+#### Simulator data log
+
+When a number is written to the serial port, it's sent immediately over the serial connection. However, when you code with  ``||serial:write number||`` in the Editor, the simulator's data log may not display the output data right away. The characters that represent the number may get queued in the data log buffer and won't display until:
 
-This program repeatedly writes a 3-digit number to the serial port.
+* a 'newline' line character is received (`\n`)
+
+-- or --
+
+* log data buffer limit is reached (currently set at `256` characters).
+
+If you want to see the string displayed immediately, use a ``||serial:write line||`` with an empty string right after the ``||serial:write number||``.
+
+### ~
+
+## Examples
+
+### One, Two, Three
+
+This program repeatedly writes a 3-digit number as a line to the serial port.
 
 ```blocks
 basic.forever(function() {
     serial.writeNumber(123)
+    serial.writeLine("")
     basic.pause(5000)
 });
 ```
 
-## Example: plot bar graph does serial
+### Plot bar graph does serial
 
 If you use the ``led.plotBarGraph`` function, it writes the number
 being plotted to the serial port too.
@@ -36,7 +67,6 @@ basic.forever(function() {
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
-[serial write value](/reference/serial/write-value),
-[serial write numbers](/reference/serial/write-numbers)
-
+[write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
+[write value](/reference/serial/write-value),
+[write numbers](/reference/serial/write-numbers)

docs/reference/serial/write-numbers.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Serial Write Numbers
+# write Numbers
 
 Write an array of numbers to the [serial](/device/serial) port.
 
@@ -41,5 +41,5 @@ basic.forever(function() {
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
-[serial write value](/reference/serial/write-value)
+[write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
+[write value](/reference/serial/write-value)

docs/reference/serial/write-string.md

@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-# Serial Write String
+# write String
 
 Write a string to the [serial](/device/serial) port,
 without starting a new line afterward.
@@ -7,6 +7,22 @@ without starting a new line afterward.
 serial.writeString("")
 ```
 
+### ~ reminder
+
+#### Simulator data log
+
+When a string is written to the serial port, it's sent immediately over the serial connection. However, when you code with  ``||serial:write string||`` in the Editor, the simulator's data log may not display the output data right away. The characters that represent the string may get queued in the data log buffer and won't display until:
+
+* a 'newline' line character is received (`\n`)
+
+-- or --
+
+* log data buffer limit is reached (currently set at `256` characters).
+
+If you want to see the string displayed immediately, use a ``||serial:write line||`` with an empty string right after the ``||serial:write string||``.
+
+### ~
+
 ## Parameters
 
 * `text` is the [string](/types/string) to write to the serial port
@@ -26,6 +42,6 @@ basic.forever(function() {
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
-[serial write number](/reference/serial/write-number),
-[serial write value](/reference/serial/write-value)
+[write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
+[write number](/reference/serial/write-number),
+[write value](/reference/serial/write-value)

docs/reference/serial/write-value.md

@@ -40,15 +40,17 @@ basic.forever(function() {
 
 ### ~hint
 
+#### Radio-Serial gateway
+
 The [send value](/reference/radio/send-value) function broadcasts
-string/number pairs.  You can use a second @boardname@ to receive them,
+string/number pairs. You can use a second @boardname@ to receive them,
 and then send them directly to the serial port with ``write value``.
 
 ### ~
 
 ## See also
 
 [serial](/device/serial),
-[serial write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
-[serial write number](/reference/serial/write-number),
+[write line](/reference/serial/write-line),
+[write number](/reference/serial/write-number),
 [send value](/reference/radio/send-value)

libs/core/console.ts

@@ -27,7 +27,7 @@ namespace console {
         if (priority < minPriority) return;
         let text = inspect(message);
         // add new line
-        text += "\n";
+        text += "\r\n";
         control.__log(priority, text)
         // send to listeners
         if (listeners)

sim/state/serial.ts

@@ -26,15 +26,15 @@ namespace pxsim {
         serialOutBuffer: string = "";
         writeSerial(s: string) {
             this.serialOutBuffer += s;
-            if (/\n/.test(this.serialOutBuffer) || this.serialOutBuffer.length > SERIAL_BUFFER_LENGTH) {
+            //if (/\n/.test(this.serialOutBuffer) || this.serialOutBuffer.length > SERIAL_BUFFER_LENGTH) {
                 Runtime.postMessage(<SimulatorSerialMessage>{
                     type: 'serial',
                     data: this.serialOutBuffer,
                     id: runtime.id,
                     sim: true
                 })
                 this.serialOutBuffer = '';
-            }
+            //}
         }
 
         writeCsv(s: string, type: "headers" | "row" | "clear") {