This kernel mode driver and Win32 library combination allow Win32 applications to execute IN and OUT instructions to the parallel port device hardware I/O ports.

Access is coordinated with the standard Windows parallel driver to ensure that the parallel port is only 'claimed' if no other process is currently using it. Once the port is 'claimed', other processes are blocked from using the port (assuming they also use the standard parallel port arbitration scheme).

Once the application has finished using the parallel port, it may either exit or call the 'release' API and the parallel port is free for use by any other process again.

Now, with one simple command, you can grant parallel port access to a specific application.

The program RUNAPP.EXE comes with the ParPort 2000 and can be run to allow another application the Parallel Port.

To run a 32bit app use this command:

RUNAPP <Parallel Port#> <Application>

To run a 16bit DOS app use this command:

RUNAPP <Parallel Port#> command.com /c <Application>

The driver works by changing the I/O permission map (IOPM) for the process that 'claims' the indicated parallel port. Changing the IOPM, allows the process free access to the I/O port range of the parallel port hardware. It also supports additional parallel ports added using expansion cards.

The API calls are documented here:

Include the header file for definitions and function prototypes.

#include "ParPort2k.h"

The GetParallelPortCount API returns the number of parallel ports present in the PC.

INT WINAPI GetParallelPortCount(VOID)

Return value:

The GetParallelPortInfo API returns information about the a particular indicated parallel port, such as the physical I/O port address and number of I/O port addresses spanned by the hardware device.

BOOL WINAPI GetParallelPortInfo(
  DWORD        dwPort,
  PPARLLIOINFO pinfo)

Arguments:

Return value:

typedef struct {
  // size of structure
  DWORD dwParllIoInfoSize;
  // address of parallel port
  DWORD dwPortAddress;
  // span of parallel port
  DWORD dwPortSpan;
} PARLLIOINFO, *PPARLLIOINFO;

The ClaimParallelPort API attempts to allocate the specified parallel port from the standard Windows NT parallel driver. A timeout may be specified to wait for the port to become free if already allocated. Additionally, either no wait may be specified or wait indefinitely.

BOOL WINAPI ClaimParallelPort(
  DWORD dwPort,
  DWORD dwTimeout)

Arguments:

Return value:

The ReleaseParallelPort API frees the parallel port for use by another process. Direct I/O should not be performed after this function is called. If this function is not called, the application will own the parallel port until the application exits or is terminated.

BOOL WINAPI ReleaseParallelPort(
  DWORD dwPort)

Arguments:

Return value:

The EnableIOPortRange API allows an application to read/write to a range of I/O addresses. Specifing the start I/O address and the span enables access to the given I/O ports.

BOOL WINAPI EnableIOPortRange(
  HANDLE hReserved,
  DWORD  dwIOStart,
  DWORD  dwIOSpan)

Arguments:

Return value:

For Visual Basic users six functions are provided for input and output as follows:

VOID WINAPI OutByte(
  DWORD dwAdrs,
  INT   nByte)

VOID WINAPI OutWord(
  DWORD dwAdrs,
  INT   nWord)

VOID WINAPI OutDWord(
  DWORD dwAdrs,
  INT   nDWord)

INT WINAPI InByte(
  DWORD dwAdrs)

INT WINAPI InWord(
  DWORD dwAdrs)

INT WINAPI InDWord(
  DWORD dwAdrs)

ParPort 2000 runtime edition consists of two files, a kernel mode driver ParPort2k.sys and a dynamic link library, ParPort2k.dll. These files should be distributed with the application.

The driver may either be loaded on-demand or may be loaded when the system boots. If the driver is loaded on-demand, the user running the application must have NT administrator rights.

If it is envisaged that the user running the program will not have NT administrator rights, the driver can be installed to load at boot. NT administrator rights are still needed during setup, but once completed the driver can be used by non administrative users.

A setup program is provided to create the necessary registry entries to load the driver at boot. It can be run in quiet mode so that it can be called from the application setup program or in interactive mode.

If the driver will be loaded on-demand, the application setup program can copy the files into the application directory.

Running the command setup /h show the setup program options.

To perform a quiet mode installation from another setup program, run the following command setup /q.This will copy ParPort2k.sys to the system32\drivers directory and ParPort2k.dll to the system32 directory and make the necessary registry entries to load the driver on boot.

Alternatively, use the setup program in interactive mode as shown below.

Unlimited distribution license is $995USD.

On-line payment with PayPal

Order here

For further information please email sales@zeecube.com

Please email support questions to support@zeecube.com