Unpacking serial data from arduino

Processing Electronics (Arduino, etc.)
3 
void loop()
{
  if (Serial.available() > 0) { // If data is available to read,
    val = Serial.read(); // read it and store it in val

    buttons(val);
    //delay(scanspeed);
    // Serial.println(scanspeed);
  }
  else {


    for (int i = minbrg; i <= maxbrg; i++)
    {
      val = Serial.read(); // read it and store it in val
      buttons(val);

      servo_1.write(i);
      servo_2.write(j);
      //Serial.println(scanspeed);
      delay(scanspeed);


      //delay(5);
      sonar_distance = calculatesonar_distance();
      Serial.print(i);
      Serial.print(",");
      Serial.print(sonar_distance);
     // Serial.print(",");
     // IR_Range();
     // Serial.println(ir_range);
      Serial.println(".");
    }

    for (int i = maxbrg; i > minbrg; i--)
    {
      val = Serial.read(); // read it and store it in val
      buttons(val);

      //int i = 180;
      servo_1.write(i);
      servo_2.write(j);
      delay(scanspeed);

      // delay(5);
      sonar_distance = calculatesonar_distance();
      Serial.print(i);
      Serial.print(",");
      Serial.print(sonar_distance);
     // Serial.print(",");
     // IR_Range();
     // Serial.println(ir_range);
      Serial.println(".");
    }




    // Serial.println("Hello, world!"); //send back a hello world
    //Serial.print(sonar.ping_cm()); // Send ping, get distance in cm and print result (0 = outside set distance range)

    delay(scanspeed);
    //  delay(10);

  }
}