parallel port?!?

[Chris Gonnerman]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Richard B" <boegli at iinet.net.au>


> I would like to know how to communicate with the parallel port under
> python. Is this possible? If so can it be done under all operating
> systems that support python.

Ouch.  That's gotta hurt.  Do you REALLY need cross-platform?

> I need to interface with the parallel port to send commands to a board
> connected to it. I have just come to grips with python, it is my first
> language, so I think this is what I should use to communicate with the
> parallel port so that I can implement new features latter on. If it is
> not possible to communicate directly with the parallel port, are there
> any open source communication programs which work under Windows and
> Linux which I could communicate to through python.
> Sorry for long message but this is kind of important.

For the Win32 platform, look at:

    http://www.geocities.com/dinceraydin/python/indexeng.html

specifically the winioport module.

For Linux, you will need a module providing abstractions for the lp(4)
ioctl's.  AFAIK there is no such module currently... somebody tell me
if I am wrong.

For any other OS, who knows?

> Thanks in advanced.

Hope this helps...