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zok

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Parallel port communication (dll, ocx) ?

I need to comm' with the PC's parallel port. Anyone now of a way to do this ? The MS-Comm control is serial port only!
Preferably for 32 bit solution.
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rmichels

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If rmichels's answer will not help you solve the problem, I have a DLL that enables you to read and write to the parallel port as well as to the other computer ports in VB.
Give me your e-mail address, and I will send it to you with a sample project. (Please unlock the question first).
Regards
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rmichels

ARe the requirements to work under NT? Because if so, the DLL solution will not work.
You are right rmichels. The DLL solution will only work under Win95, and what you have suggested regarding WinRT is one of the feasible solution for Win NT.
CreateFileEx is supposed to work with parallel ports, serial ports, files, mailslots, named pipes, and almost anything else.  I have used it to create a driver for a custom RS232 device.  If you like, I can provide you with some code for that as an answer.
but can you actually control all of the lines in the port for create file?...more than just the data and handshaking lines?  If   the create file solution works, then reject my answer.

Honestly, rmichaels, I'm not sure.  I never had the need to go past data transmission for my project, since the RS232 device only had 3 lines to begin with.  But Microsoft claims that this is the "new and improved solution."  You know how that goes.  The always go and fix something that isn't broken.
I can understand using the CreateFileEx for sending/receiving data across the RS232 or Parallel port, but to me that is a limiting solution. It depends upons Zok's needs.  Anytime I have used the parallel port, I had to tweak and diddle the control lines and data lines to control an external device.