Parallel port direct access under DOS on WinXP machine
I have a legacy app written in DOS Turbo Pascal that talks to hardware over a parallel printer port - i.e the printer port is used as 8-bit ports. Under Win98 it works fine in a DOS box but I need to run the same app in a DOS box on a WinXP machine. WinXP of course does not permit direct access to ports.
Does anyone know of a solution that works?. I've tried a couple that involve running an app to reset the permissions or such like but these hang my machine.
Does anyone know of a solution that works?. I've tried a couple that involve running an app to reset the permissions or such like but these hang my machine.
ASKER
There is no mention of DOS compatibility in that dialog, only Win95, 98, NT, 2k. I will try it under Win98 however.
ASKER
JohnnyCanuck:
It's not a printing problem I'm having. Before Windows the printer port was implemented as a hardware addressed 8-bit port at address $378 etc. and you accessed it via x86 In and OUT instructions. This worked in Win3x, and Win9x platforms but WinXP prevented applications from directly addressing the I/O space, so DOS programs that use the printer port in this way don't work.
SysExpert:
Putting the DOS box into Win98 compatible mode didn't work either
It's not a printing problem I'm having. Before Windows the printer port was implemented as a hardware addressed 8-bit port at address $378 etc. and you accessed it via x86 In and OUT instructions. This worked in Win3x, and Win9x platforms but WinXP prevented applications from directly addressing the I/O space, so DOS programs that use the printer port in this way don't work.
SysExpert:
Putting the DOS box into Win98 compatible mode didn't work either
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ASKER
Thanks Johnny. DIrect I/O did the trick, but not without some head-scratching. However the support I got from Michael at Direct-io.com was responsive and helpful, even after I had paid up my $29 !
The main issue that had me stumped was that (in XP anyway) the range of port addresses you need to specify for access to LPT1 is not what you would expect from reading the printer base address from the DOS BIOS at 0000:0408.
There are some other snags you have to watch for but these are all covered in the knowledge base.
The main issue that had me stumped was that (in XP anyway) the range of port addresses you need to specify for access to LPT1 is not what you would expect from reading the printer base address from the DOS BIOS at 0000:0408.
There are some other snags you have to watch for but these are all covered in the knowledge base.
windows Xp DOS programs compatability
http://www.sysopt.com/tutorials/article.php/12034_3532691_2
I hope this helps !