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I have a windows program that accesses a device connected to a LPT (1-3) 25 pin port. The communication is bidirectional, and I suspected the control lines are also accessed directly.

I would like to migrate the device to a machine that does not have a LPT port.

I saw the dos2usb software, but that takes the output (from a DOS program) and 'prints' it formatted for a specific printer. I need a raw LPT connection, and a cable that provides access to all the control signals.

I do have a USB to 36-pin Centronics that may have the extra signals. I use it with a vinyl cutter that doesn't like most of the USB dongles. It comes up as USB001. Would adding and sharing a generic printer, then mapping LPT1 to the share get me closer? Would that work for a parallel port scanner?

My preferred solution is a USB cable with a driver that will map it to LPT1, LPT2, or LPT3.

MadHatter
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Michael Pruitt
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1 Answers1

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This might depend a lot on the type of access to the parallel port...

If it uses the proper API, a converter should be available... (Or, with some time, you should be able to build one using a microcontroller) (The LUFA library might provide most of the code needed for it)

If the application directly write to the parallel port (if it requires admin rights), it would be a lot harder... (Virtualization MIGHT work, if it converts direct "OUT" assembler commands to something that can work with a USB<-> parallel converter)

Gert van den Berg
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  • Thank you for the insights. I'll have to look closer at what the app requires. Assuming it's using the proper API, is there a way to map LPT1 to a USB001 IEEE-1284 device? – Michael Pruitt Nov 20 '12 at 19:56