Parallel Port

[Continuity Check]

Hey Guys,

Quick question:

Is there any way to change the name of a particular parallel port? In my case, change it from USB001 to LPT1?

I recently purchased a new Dell Laptop, didn't have a parallel port so I purchased a port replicator which did. I'd like to connect the port to a Horizon lighting controller. I've been able to confirm that the port works by printing via "USB001", what the print window calls the port. However, the Horizon interface does not have this option. It only allows "LPT1", "LPT2" and "LPT1alt". Is there any way to make one of these port names map to th USB001?

Thanks!
-Griffin

[MickeyMania]

Is this some sort of DOS Box accessory or program? Usually they are in these cases. Guess it doesn't matter, though. Even if it's not, the answer is still the same:

I have made attempts to have Windows automatically map all requests from LPT1 to USB001, but never been successful. If your device cannot see USB001, then you're out of luck. Sorry.

[Continuity Check]

That's dissapointing!

The device I'm trying to control is the "Horizon Interface Box" which operates with "Horizon" a PC-based lighting control program. Maybe I'll give them a call and see if they can give me a patch or something.

Thanks for your help,
-Griffin

[Tech_Disney]

That's yet another reason why Macintosh is better than Windows.

[Jspider]

That's yet another reason why Macintosh is better than Windows.

say apple or mac comon man be hip and edgy don't be like all old school 90's and spell out Macintosh


anywho I think Linux is really da bomb

(I'm sorry that was uncalled for )

[Tech_Disney]

Maybe it is starting to become "cool" to use full words, correct spelling, correct punctuation, and non-slang. Or maybe I should just go back to living in my cage where I know nothing about how to be "cool."

[Socapex]

I love early 90's macintoshs. Those green/black screens were awesome!

[MickeyMania]

That's yet another reason why Macintosh is better than Windows.

Not really. PC-based parallel ports don't exist on Mac. They used their own standard Printer/Modem ports until USB came around on iMac.

By the way, Continuity Check, this device or a competitor like it may be the answer, as long as your laptop has a slot for PCMCIA cards.

[Tech_Disney]

I would like to publicly appologize to everyone offended by the fact that I like Macs better than PCs. Apparently some people felt this one line joke was meant to derail the thread and that was not my intention. I simply thought since the question had been answered, it would be safe to insert a one line joke, but obviously it was not safe. I will try my hardest to make all future jokes through PM so that nobody will be distracted from the topic at hand with my blatent disregard for the rules set down by our Administrators and Moderators.

[Demigod]

Unfortunately, I've looked everywhere to see if there is a way to redirect or rename the port and I can't find it.

I seem to recall something about redirecting output to ports, but I can't put it all together. I'll keep looking and thinking about it and if I come up with something I'll post it.

[The Mad Hatter]

Have you rummaged through the BIOS?? I'm not positive, but that's usually the place to do all those types of changes. just press delete or f8 or whatever your computer says to press when it starts up and take a look around.
if worse came to worse you could always reinstall windows.

[Demigod]

Have you rummaged through the BIOS?? I'm not positive, but that's usually the place to do all those types of changes. just press delete or f8 or whatever your computer says to press when it starts up and take a look around.
if worse came to worse you could always reinstall windows.

I'm not sure reinstalling Windows would be an answer. This is more of a hardware problem, not software - although, you may want to look into software that can do what is needed. It's possible someone out there has something that can do that.

[Continuity Check]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the replys. I briefly looked around the BIOS last night, might have to look again. I'll also check in to some thrid-party software. That PCMCIA card looks promising. I spoke with a tech from Horizon, and he was saying that even I was to get the port re-mapped, the port replicator might not work b/ it does not support the array of features which the program requires... which tends to be more than the average printer.

We'll see how it goes...
Thanks again for your help!
-Griffin

[The Mad Hatter]

I'm not sure reinstalling Windows would be an answer.

Yeah your right...i had originally thought he had changed the port and wanted to change it back to the original. my bizad.

[Bruce Bergman]

Hey Guys,

Thanks for the replys. I briefly looked around the BIOS last night, might have to look again. I'll also check in to some thrid-party software. That PCMCIA card looks promising. I spoke with a tech from Horizon, and he was saying that even I was to get the port re-mapped, the port replicator might not work b/ it does not support the array of features which the program requires... which tends to be more than the average printer.

Sounds like it needs an Enhanced Parallel Port, which is a two-way connection that IIRC H-P developed. The adapter you use needs to be able to do that, one-way only connections won't suffice if the computer lighting control software needs to know the status of the dimmer rack. Keeps your program from asking for the impossible by sending an error message back, or flashes a warning on your computer that a module is dead or overheating.

What OS is the laptop running? I have working (more or less...) PC-based computers here loaded with about every OS known - back to the IBM PC-XT that I think is updated to MS-DOS 6... (6.22??)

I'm pretty sure that the parallel port calls can be redirected, or at least you could in MS-DOS up to and through Win 98. You did it in a DOS box or ran a script at start-up, and from there on the computer automagically translated all calls to 'Port X' to whatever port you needed.

I had to do it on a few old computers (Windows 3.11 For Workgroups?) where the newer modem (a blazing fast 9600 baud IIRC) was a card using COM4 and the legacy comm program would ONLY talk to modems on COM1 or COM2...

--<< Bruce >>--