Parallel Port problem

Andy writes: I read with interest the post a couple days ago about interfacing the

Parallel Port with C, using a special driver.

However, my problem is a little different. Perhaps some of the gurus here can give me a similarly easy solution.

I like to write programs in GWBASIC. Yes, I know it is an obsolete language, but I have been using it for 40 years and have no need to do anything more "modern". And I have dozens of programs that I wrote in olden times, that I still like to use.

If my computer boots into Windows98SE , and I load BASIC, the OUT X,y command to the printer port doesn't work. I have to boot in DOS from a floppy. Of find an "old" computer and use Windows 3.1 and shell to DOS.

So, what are the OTHER ways that I can load GWBASIC and write a program that doesn't require loading special drivers and stuff if I use a computer that automatically boots into one of the later WINDOWS op systems....?

Thanks for your advice. I am aware of my obsolescence, but I have retired, and see no desire to learn later languages (grin)...

Andy in TExas

Reply to
Andy
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Most likely, since Win98 is running in protected mode, it is blocking the ports to the virtual86(i.e. real mode) instance that GWBasic is running in.

Several possible solutions are,

Instal GWBasic onto a boot disk and update the autoexec.bat file to run it after boot up. You will probably need to get a hold of an older dos boot image(like dos 3 through dos 6). They can be found online with explinations on how to put them onto the floppy. If you use the Win98 boot disk method it may or may not work as, if I remember correctly, it does some stuff with the memory... basicaly to get more than 1 meg of memory it uses protected mode. By doing that it can take control of the ports(which seems to be the problem in this case). Although it can't hurt to try it as it might be a quick and easy solution.

Find a newer version of Basic that runs in windows. This is probably the best solution as you'll get the benefit of running it in windows and probably some other things too(maybe debugging and multiple instances, etc...). (ofcourse there is no guarantee that the ports will work but I don't see any reason why they shouldn't... except that windows still can take control of the ports(for multi tasking and such) so you might have to figure out another way then simply using the OUT command(but it will probably work).

Jon

Reply to
Abstract Dissonance

Andy,

W98SE like - W95 and WME - still have DOS underneath. If you press F8 on boottime, you'll get a menu in which you can choose "Command line only". I never tried out but I'm pretty sure your OUT X,Y will work when you start GWBASIC from that command line. Guess it's worth a try.

Once Windows has started, you get a DOSbox when going to the command line. Windows fires up a virtual DOS machine which it keeps isolated from the hardware. Even if you "Restart in MSDOS mode", Windows keeps some influence in the background. DOS programs do not always act the same in both DOS modes.

DOS programs that start directly in Windows - generally .EXE programs - do not use a virtual DOS machine but run on the underlying DOS. In that case direct IO does not give problems. Of course you need to start them directly from Windows (double clicking the .EXE or using a shortcut) and not from the DOS box.

petrus bitbyter

Reply to
petrus bitbyter

Or upgrade to "Liberty Basic", its a little clunkier then GW basic but it takes advantage of windows and supports the parallel port with "inp" and "Out" and supports a lot of windows functions.

Steve Roberts

Reply to
osr

schreef in bericht news: snipped-for-privacy@g43g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...

steve,

Never heard about it. Where can I find it?

petrus bitbyter

Reply to
petrus bitbyter

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-Carl Gundel, author of Liberty BASIC

Reply to
carlg

Do you have to use the parallel port or can you use serial port?

-Le Chaud Lapin-

Reply to
Le Chaud Lapin

I use the last DOS-based BASIC (and compiler) that M$ made, "Professional Development System" ver 7.1 (or 7.2, do not remember). In Win98SE or Win2000, i shell to MSDOS (or COMMAND for Win2K) and QBX .BAS to run non-compiled programs, or just type in the prog name if compiled. I have never had any problems. Have the manual in scanned format if anyone needs that; with all of the PDS programs and support files it easily fits on a CD with room to spare.

Reply to
Robert Baer

Liberty Basic looks good from what I've seen with a quick websearch.

Being a cheapskate, I've been using "yabasic" which is completely free, but has no development environment so you have to have to integrate it with one of the many free "programmer's editors" - which is actually the way I prefer it. It also has a compiler to convert the basic into a Windows executable, if you want.

No "inp" and "out" so you have to treat the ports as files called "lpt1:", "com1:" etc.

I like it because I can dash out a few lines of code to do some engineering calculation, and even pop up a graphics window if needed.

This just for amusement:

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--
Dave Farrance
Reply to
Dave Farrance

Well, from what I remember of QBASIC, the later BASIC that came with DOS 5, you could treat the parallel and serial ports as files instead. GWBASIC is probably the same.

For example, to access the serial ports via the operating system, rather than via direct access to the hardware, I would set the baud rate to 115200 in the Windows config, then output from QBASIC to a file called "COM1:", and it worked fine.

I guess the parallel port would be more problematic - you'd use "LPT1:" as the filename, but you'd need to have the Centronics handshake working on the port. So you'd feed the /STRB ouput back into the /ACK input, and put an 8-bit d-type latch onto the end of the cable, latched on the rising edge of /STRB.

Then again, maybe it is time that you switched to Liberty Basic. ;)

--
Dave Farrance
Reply to
Dave Farrance

I've got a page below with some simple parallel port stuff. There is usually no hardware access problems on win 95/98. On NT/2K/XP you may need the driver fix to get access. Qbasic comes on the win 95/98 CD and accesses the parallel port easily.

formatting link

Reply to
Si Ballenger

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