ParallelPort.DLL has bad format

[SpiritualMadMan]

I am just starting to "play" with the parallel port and I downloaded a demo program Parallel Port Control in C# and I am running under Windows 10 and using Visual Studio 2019.

How do I fix this or download a replacement DLL

[Jan Axelson]

I'm not aware of any direct port access dlls for current OSes.

[SpiritualMadMan]

Jan, I downloaded the Parallel Port Master Control and can't get it to work.

I finally noticed that NET 2.0 is called out on the web page. Which OS and Which Visual Studio is this designed to work in?

And, finally, can you give a 70 year old out of practice tinkerer any direction on how to research doing this in more modern environments.

Thanks.

[Renate]

... can't get it to work.

Sorry, the parallel port is pretty much a dead end these days.
You won't find it on most computers and Windows doesn't support directly playing with it.

Depending on what you want to do a serial port (or a serial port over USB) is much easier.
If you only want to turn off/on one or two things you could use the serial port DTR and RTS.
On the other hand, since these are used for communications purposes it's a bit insecure to use something that Windows itself toggles.
I ran a bread baker on that once.

If you really need multiple control lines may I suggest a Cypress FX2LP module?
Ok, that needs firmware downloaded.
You can do the same sort of thing with most small USB microcontrollers.

In the final analysis, the question is: what do you actually want to do?

[SpiritualMadMan]

Renate,

I really need parallel I/O for a project on legacy computers, specifically the TS2068 doing DMA. To do so I will need, at a minimum, 3 8 bit 3/S latches, a 3/s 8 bit counter and the glue logic.

The parallel port on an old XP machine would get me started. But, I balked at not seeing anything hinting at using the modern PCI-e cards or USB adapters.

Using the parallel port would have allowed all the intelligence to be in my C# code on the PC. Without a Parallel Port I will need to add a USB or Serial bridge and not only write for the PC side but also learn a completely new language to program an Arduino or PIC.

So, yeah, this 70 year old tinkerer is a bit disappointed.

Have a great day.

[Renate]

I'm still a bit unclear.
Are you looking to have a TS2068 (Timex Sinclair 2068 home computer) "print" to a modern computer?
There was a RS232 interface for that, but that's serial.

About a zillion years ago I wrote a serial/parallel converter for printers.
I programmed that with an EEPROM programmer that only had toggle switches.