Post by thread:[OT] Windows and the Parallel Port

Hello (I'm back!)... :) I was wondering, since so many of you have used PICs to interface with a PC, if anyone has (example) code of how to use the parallel port under Windows (98). I've tried the assembly thing (mov al,data mov dx,port out dx,al) but it only seems to allow me to transmit 16 bytes, after which it just stops transmitting altogether. My device is not being over-run or anything like that... It just seems to stop transmitting. Anyone got some suggestions? :) TIA, -- ~Keith spam_OUTtsk3000TakeThisOuTProdigy.Net http://pages.prodigy.net/tsk3000/ ICQ UIN 15590177

Did you try to do it in pure bare DOS? Not windows DOS partition... Keith Burzinski wrote: > > Hello (I'm back!)... :) > > I was wondering, since so many of you have used PICs to interface with a PC, > if anyone has (example) code of how to use the parallel port under Windows > (98). I've tried the assembly thing (mov al,data mov dx,port out dx,al) > but it only seems to allow me to transmit 16 bytes, after which it just > stops transmitting altogether. My device is not being over-run or anything > like that... It just seems to stop transmitting. Anyone got some > suggestions? :) > > TIA, > -- > ~Keith > .....tsk3000KILLspam@spam@Prodigy.Net > http://pages.prodigy.net/tsk3000/ > ICQ UIN 15590177

Keith, Jan Axelson of Lakeview Research has a DLL (inpout32.dll) which allows Visual Basic and other languages to directly access ports. I use it with Windows 98 and VB5. Jan has become a `legend' with such books as "Parallel Port Complete", "Serial Port Complete", and much more. For more information about Jan and Lakeview Research products and to download the DLL, goto: http://www.lvr.com - Tom At 05:10 PM 2/27/00 -0600, Keith Burzinski wrote: {Quote hidden}>Hello (I'm back!)... :) > >I was wondering, since so many of you have used PICs to interface with a PC, >if anyone has (example) code of how to use the parallel port under Windows >(98). I've tried the assembly thing (mov al,data mov dx,port out dx,al) >but it only seems to allow me to transmit 16 bytes, after which it just >stops transmitting altogether. My device is not being over-run or anything >like that... It just seems to stop transmitting. Anyone got some >suggestions? :) > >TIA, >-- >~Keith ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Tom Handley New Age Communications Since '75 before "New Age" and no one around here is waiting for UFOs ;-)

> Van: Keith Burzinski <tsk3000KILLspamPRODIGY.NET> > Aan: .....PICLISTKILLspam.....MITVMA.MIT.EDU > Onderwerp: [OT] Windows and the Parallel Port > Datum: maandag 28 februari 2000 0:10 Hello Keith, It sounds like a problem with the buffer in the RS-232 -chip. You could try to wire the RTS to the CTS, and the DTR to the DSR & DCD. I hope that helps ... Regards, Rudy Wieser > Hello (I'm back!)... :) > > I was wondering, since so many of you have used PICs to interface with a PC, > if anyone has (example) code of how to use the parallel port under Windows > (98). I've tried the assembly thing (mov al,data mov dx,port out dx,al) > but it only seems to allow me to transmit 16 bytes, after which it just > stops transmitting altogether. My device is not being over-run or anything > like that... It just seems to stop transmitting. Anyone got some > suggestions? :)

part 0 2943 bytes He's not using the serial port.  The parallel port shouldn't need any handshaking lines tied.  However, using direct port access under Windows 95/98 is a bit risky.  Although the OS dosen't throw an exception, if another device is trying to use the port you will get unpredictable results.  Make sure you don't have any print jobs running or scanner software active. Cheers Mike <UL> Hello Keith,   It sounds like a problem with the buffer in the RS-232 -chip. You could try to wire the RTS to the CTS, and the DTR to the DSR & DCD. I hope that helps ... Regards,   Rudy Wieser > Hello (I'm back!)...  :) > > I was wondering, since so many of you have used PICs to interface with a PC, > if anyone has (example) code of how to use the parallel port under Windows > (98).  I've tried the assembly thing (mov al,data  mov dx,port  out dx,al) > but it only seems to allow me to transmit 16 bytes, after which it just > stops transmitting altogether.  My device is not being over-run or anything > like that...  It just seems to stop transmitting.  Anyone got some > suggestions?  :) </UL> </BODY> </HTML> </x-html>

<x-flowed>At 05:10 PM 2/27/00 -0600, Keith wrote: >I was wondering, since so many of you have used PICs to interface with a PC, >if anyone has (example) code of how to use the parallel port under Windows >(98). I've tried the assembly thing (mov al,data mov dx,port out dx,al) >but it only seems to allow me to transmit 16 bytes, after which it just >stops transmitting altogether. My device is not being over-run or anything >like that... It just seems to stop transmitting. Anyone got some >suggestions? :) The 16 bytes corresponds to the USART buffer size. This is adjustable from windows. You may be experiencing overrun, regardless of your comment to the contrary. Look at the signals and control port to make sure you aren't putting the USART in a wait state inadvertently. ================================================================ Robert A. LaBudde, PhD, PAS, Dpl. ACAFS e-mail: EraseMEralspam_OUTTakeThisOuTlcfltd.com Least Cost Formulations, Ltd. URL: http://lcfltd.com/ 824 Timberlake Drive Tel: 757-467-0954 Virginia Beach, VA 23464-3239 Fax: 757-467-2947 "Vere scire est per causae scire" ================================================================ </x-flowed>

What a RS232 chip has to do with the PC parallel port? Caisson wrote: {Quote hidden}> > > Van: Keith Burzinski <tsk3000spam_OUTPRODIGY.NET> > > Aan: @spam@PICLISTKILLspamMITVMA.MIT.EDU > > Onderwerp: [OT] Windows and the Parallel Port > > Datum: maandag 28 februari 2000 0:10 > > Hello Keith, > > It sounds like a problem with the buffer in the RS-232 -chip. You could > try to wire the RTS to the CTS, and the DTR to the DSR & DCD. > > I hope that helps ... > > Regards, > Rudy Wieser > > > Hello (I'm back!)... :) > > > > I was wondering, since so many of you have used PICs to interface with a > PC, > > if anyone has (example) code of how to use the parallel port under > Windows > > (98). I've tried the assembly thing (mov al,data mov dx,port out > dx,al) > > but it only seems to allow me to transmit 16 bytes, after which it just > > stops transmitting altogether. My device is not being over-run or > anything > > like that... It just seems to stop transmitting. Anyone got some > > suggestions? :)

How do you hook up PIC "talking" to the PC parallel port? In full parallel 8 bits + control? or just using few parallel port pins, like 4 or even 2 bits at a time? I still don't see how PC's USART can interfere with PC parallel port... it is a complete diferent chip set, addressing and operation mode. I think there are confusion between this post "subject" and the real thing, and only the original poster can clarify if the subject is wrong or not. PARALLEL PORT! In any situation, under Win95/98 is not "that" easy to control directly I/O ports. Under Win95/98 you never get control over the machine, Bill Gates has. "Robert A. LaBudde" wrote: {Quote hidden}> > At 05:10 PM 2/27/00 -0600, Keith wrote: > >I was wondering, since so many of you have used PICs to interface with a PC, > >if anyone has (example) code of how to use the parallel port under Windows > >(98). I've tried the assembly thing (mov al,data mov dx,port out dx,al) > >but it only seems to allow me to transmit 16 bytes, after which it just > >stops transmitting altogether. My device is not being over-run or anything > >like that... It just seems to stop transmitting. Anyone got some > >suggestions? :) > > The 16 bytes corresponds to the USART buffer size. This is adjustable from > windows. > > You may be experiencing overrun, regardless of your comment to the contrary. > > Look at the signals and control port to make sure you aren't putting the > USART in a wait state inadvertently. > > ================================================================ > Robert A. LaBudde, PhD, PAS, Dpl. ACAFS e-mail: KILLspamralKILLspamlcfltd.com > Least Cost Formulations, Ltd. URL: http://lcfltd.com/ > 824 Timberlake Drive Tel: 757-467-0954 > Virginia Beach, VA 23464-3239 Fax: 757-467-2947 > > "Vere scire est per causae scire" > ================================================================

<x-flowed>At 10:44 AM 2/28/00 -0500, Wagner wrote: >How do you hook up PIC "talking" to the PC parallel port? In full >parallel 8 bits + control? or just using few parallel port pins, like 4 >or even 2 bits at a time? I still don't see how PC's USART can >interfere with PC parallel port... it is a complete diferent chip set, >addressing and operation mode. I think there are confusion between this >post "subject" and the real thing, and only the original poster can >clarify if the subject is wrong or not. PARALLEL PORT! In any >situation, under Win95/98 is not "that" easy to control directly I/O >ports. Under Win95/98 you never get control over the machine, Bill Gates >has. Under Win 95/98 you CAN write to the parallel port with no problems. Each write is to the port latch, and you can easily attain rates > 100 kB/s. The port has no memory of previous I/O, no 16 writes would mean nothing to it. It can be overrun, but this would only result in lost characters, not a complete stop in transmission. The 16 characters plus stopped transmission suggested a 16550 USART, rather than a parallel port. PS. It's WinNT where you can't access hardware directly. This is part of the security system. You have to supply an installable device driver to function as an intermediary. ================================================================ Robert A. LaBudde, PhD, PAS, Dpl. ACAFS e-mail: RemoveMEralTakeThisOuTlcfltd.com Least Cost Formulations, Ltd. URL: http://lcfltd.com/ 824 Timberlake Drive Tel: 757-467-0954 Virginia Beach, VA 23464-3239 Fax: 757-467-2947 "Vere scire est per causae scire" ================================================================ </x-flowed>

Okay... obviously I was not coherent enough when I made the original post. ;) I _AM_ using the PARALLEL PORT. It is in ECP mode. I am using the eight (8) data lines as OUTPUTS ONLY to the PIC that I have connected. There are two additional lines that a parallel port uses in ECP mode to accomplish hand-shaking (I pull my line, you pull yours, then we both reset). THAT IS ALL. It is intended (and used) for one-way communication. I am _not_ attempting to read anything from the PIC; I am only transmitting data TO the PIC. Next: The device is not experiencing (sp?) over-run. The communication works PERFECTLY when done in DOS. As was mentioned, over-run would result in the loss of random characters, not a complete halt in communications. Basiclly what I'm doing is porting a _working_ DOS program to Windows (98). I already know that accessing the parallel port will cause unpredictable results if I have anything else hooked up to it (printers, scanners, etc....); let's assume for now that MY device is the ONLY device physically connected to (and being accessed by) the parallel port. What is my device? A Parallel-Port to DMX-512 transmitter. I'm working on a PC lighting console for my smart lights. :) Here's exactly what happens: When my Windows application starts, I have it transmitting a "test pattern" to my device. Only the first 16 bytes arrive there, however. After that, no matter what I do, I can't get anything more out of the port. It just dies. If I want to use it again, I have to quit my application and start it again. Then I get 16 more bytes... So, like, what is going on? Why does it die after 16 bytes? :) Perhaps there is something I need to initialize (other than the port itself) before I can use it (the port)? Are there some API calls I should be placing? I know this has been done before... Why does it have to be so difficult? I'm seriously considering just writing this for X and leaving it at that. *smirk* Cheers, -- ~Keith spamBeGonetsk3000spamBeGoneProdigy.Net http://pages.prodigy.net/tsk3000/ ICQ UIN 15590177

> Van: Wagner Lipnharski <TakeThisOuTwagnerlEraseMEspam_OUTEARTHLINK.NET> > Aan: RemoveMEPICLISTTakeThisOuTMITVMA.MIT.EDU > Onderwerp: Re: [OT] Windows and the Parallel Port > Datum: maandag 28 februari 2000 16:37 > > What a RS232 chip has to do with the PC parallel port? Hello All, A RS232-chip has got nothing to do with the PC's parallel port. I overread the part mentioning that he used the PC's parallel port :-( I thought I recognized the troubles due to the magical number 16. Ah well, have to read more carefully ... Regards, Rudy Wieser

I've seen programming languages and operating systems do all sorts of interesting things "on your behalf" that you really didn't want done. So my first guess would be that the language you are using is not really doing what you expect it to with the port. Knowing the development environment and seeing some of the code might allow us to help with that point. My second guess is that Windows doesn't like things other then VDX's monkeying with its ports in 32bit modes (it buffers DOS and 16 bit stuff) and is inserting its own signal changes which are interfering with yours. You might peruse one of the many books on writing device drivers. If you do, let me know if any are worth a damn <GRIN>. >From what I've seen, the number of people in the world who can write a parallel port device driver for anything other than SPP mode can be counted on your fingers and toes. Or at least that's all the people who will admit to it. And they aren't talking. EPP and ECP windows drivers (especially printer drivers) are apparently black art. You get this "we could tell you but then we would have to kill you", x-files feeling when you talk to these people. Someday, I'm going to learn how to do that and tell everybody if no one else has... wait! what's that sound? AHHHH! ITS THE BLACK HELECOPTERS!!!! <GRIN> Anyway, I have a bit of information about the hardware signals http://techref.massmind.org/io/parallel/port but nothing really about the software side except for a very good understanding of the PCL 5 printer language which doesn't relate to your project. I'd be very interested in working with you on this project if you don't mind the result being free source. --- James Newton jamesnewtonEraseME.....geocities.com 1-619-652-0593 http://techref.massmind.org NEW! FINALLY A REAL NAME! Members can add private/public comments/pages ($0 TANSTAAFL web hosting) {Original Message removed}