Hello!
I have the problem that i can not print in dosbox using a old dbase programm that uses the LPT1 under win7x64.

Under "dosbox svn" i can not find any working "porttalk" - always getting an error of "can not open porttalk driver"

Now i tried megabuild and the "InpOut" as you describe.

In dosbox.conf I added
parallel1=reallpt realbase:e800 ecpbase:e807

Can you tell me how i can integrate the directlpt_win32.cpp in megabuild??

Or is there an other solution to make a dbase program run and print unter win7 x64?
Would be perfect if i would be able to print through Windows installed printers because it may be a problem to have a hardware lpt output in future.
best regards
volker

to compile dosbox follow this guide:
http://www.dosbox.com/wiki/Building_DOSBox_wi … _C_2008_Express

you need to download dosbox megabuild 6 sources
http://source.dosbox.com/mb6/dosbox-mb6.tar.gz
and change the
directlpt_win32.cpp original with the new one

then compile the project (adding some libraries required by Vc project)
to run dosbox.exe you would need some dll you can find on the megabuild or through google

In your dosbox.conf you need to add the correct address related to your lpt card (in win control panel, system, device manager, LPT)

parallel1=reallpt realbase:ADD1 ecpbase:ADD2

but if your prob is only to print through parallel port and if your sw allow you to print to file and accept PCL drivers (e.g. most HP laserjet printers) you can convert your print file from pcl to pdf and then print it in any system through your real printer...
just download
http://ghostscript.com/GhostPCL.html
and run pcl6 to obtain pdf file from your printed pcl file

to panpeter: I'm going to see if I can upload the compiled version (then you'll need to get the required dll from megabuild distro or google)

😀

I attached a compiled dosbox for direct lpt access under win 7 64bit

The executable needs some dll (you can find them in db megabuild 6 or with google) and these two other files:
inpout32.dll, inpoutx64.sys from HighRez
http://www.highrez.co.uk/Downloads/InpOut32/default.htm
http://www.highrez.co.uk/scripts/download.asp … ut32_dll_source

consider that I only modify LPT parallel port direct access and not soundblaster OPL passthrough which is on porttalk support (so do not enable OPL in conf)

the db GUI has close button disabled to avoid closing the running app (you can quit db through exit command)

Hello!
First of all - thanks a lot - I had to download the dll´s and dosbox starts without a fail

I tried as you wrote - but no sucess

when I start the dosbox it lists:
parallel1 Base 378h --> seems to be LPT1
no parallel port detected at 0xe800! --> why not 😕

I do have a Moschip pci bus card installed with 1 LPT and 2 Com
- LPT Port Nr.: LPT1
- enable legacy Plug and Play dedection
- try not to use an interrupt

I edit in the conf:
printer=true (i think that does not matter)
- parallel1:reallpt realbase:e800 ecpbase:e807 (dont know where to get ??)

when I type "dir > LPT1" in dosbox it works 😕

best regards
Volker

you can find your parallel port address as in my previous post:
In your dosbox.conf you need to add the correct address related to your lpt card (in win control panel, system, device manager, LPT)

parallel1=reallpt realbase:ADD1 ecpbase:ADD2
(attached there is a screenshot)

I'm not shure but I also disabled win 7 UAC
http://www.petri.co.il/disable-uac-in-windows-7.htm
hoping this will help
😀

Hello again!

After intensive looking at my system i found the right adress:

so it comes:
parallel1: Base 376h
the port at 0xd010 was detected as ECP Port
- fine 😊
but no printing from dbaseIV - programm 😢

any idea
printer still works with "dir > LPT1" or "dir > PRN"

- would it make sense to look for a virtual machine - and witch one is easy and free?
best regards
volker

the port at 0xd010 was detected as ECP Port
that means the port is 'connected' through the driver
please consider that I only modify LPT parallel port direct access, to access dongle on parallel port... i didn't tried any parallel direct printing...

to print I use the solution that I suggested in previous post:
if your sw allow you to print to file and accept PCL drivers (e.g. most HP laserjet printers) just print to file
then you can convert your print file from pcl to pdf and then print it in any system through your real printer...
just download
http://ghostscript.com/GhostPCL.html
and run pcl6 to obtain pdf file from your printed pcl file

leaving db, vmware is the only virtual machine that I know that can manage parallel port passthrough (but you get no full screen in pure dos, nor vmware tools etc)

moreover if you can print from inside db with e.g. dir > LPT1, the printer port is correctly driven by the driver inpout32 ... if you cannot print from your app it could be a problem of driver or printer compatibility...

Hello!
Yes I can print via "dir>LPT1" that works fine.
In my other machine where Win7 x32 i use "Printfil" and it works fine

Now i tried the virtual xp mode (had to make a new system with ultimate)
but i think it is poor running

Where can i get the porttalk files and where do i copy them to work with the normal mb6?
Volker

if you are using "Printfil" to print that means you don't need LPT direct access from dosbox... you just print through a redirection of your print spooler... so you are missing something in your system configuration

Hello!
I am using "printfil" at an other older machine with Win7 X32 using kompatibility settings there it works fine

I am just preparing a new computer and have to use some essential programs written in dbase IV some years ago. The new system ist Win7 X64 and there i have until now no chance to print terms coming from the dbase programms.

- in the dosbox with inoutport the port was detected as ECP and i can print with "dir -> LPT1" but no printing with dbase

in the orginal Sun_MB6:
i get:
- porttalk service is not installed
- error: could not open porttalk driver 😢

i got the following porttalk drivers:
-Porttalk.sys 10.6k date 29.11.2009 in windows\system32\drivers
-Porttalk.dll 47.0k date 30.11.2009 in windows\system32\
-Porttalk.dll 36.0k date 30.11.2009 in windows\syswow64

i hope someone can help
volker

Hi!
I also need the LPT and i'm using the Delock 6620 (real LPT).
In the Device Manager it's set as LPT2 with the Base 3CF8.

But DOSBOX always says "no parallel port detected at 0x3CF8".

I also installed porttalk. I'm very depressed because it worked a few days and now something happend, but i don't know what 😢

Is there any idea?!

Thanks

Sorry to bump an oldie, but I'm running through the paces here to try and get a Sentinel CPlus dongle working with C&G Survey software running in DOSBox in a Windows 7 64bit environment. I tried everything easyw3 suggested and I get a "the port at 0xd010 was detected as ECP Port" and the same for "the port at 0xe010 was detected as ECP Port" as well (with moschip pciexpress addon cards).

Just a quick question. When using the precompiled version easyw3 has created, do I just add the dlls as necessary, or do I overwrite the dosbox.exe from megabuild 6 and then fill in dlls as necessary. I found that MB6 still requested about 4 other dlls even after putting in the inpout32/64 ones.

I've probably shagged up Windows 7 inout config anyway, because I got frustrated and ran the installer for one of HiRez's packs (build 1500 w32 installer I believe).

Any ideas? Should I just start from scratch and use easyw3's build and copy over the dlls needed from MB6? I've read the instructions on how to dump the dongles and emulate them within DOSbox but that seems MUCH more complicated.

Hi pestul,

you should rename (and save) the original dosbox.exe and then replace it with the precompiled one from easyw3.
Then add the required dll's to the directory (had exactly the same with the additional 4 dll's here).

But this works only with inpout (not sure if the installation of the high-rez stuff does cause problems).

If you got the message 'the port at 0xd010 was detected as ECP Port' you should be successful (the dongle must be connected on the lpt port)

After some problems with the installation of the inpout dll's (message that the installation was ok, but no dll's found in the directories), I was successful printing from Win7 64-bit with an old DOS program.

Many thanks to you easy3w!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (hope you read that)

Good luck pestul

panpeter1

Hi ! I followed the instructions in this thread and I'm now able to print from a legacy DOS accounting system running dosbox megabuilod with the custom compiled dosbox.exe under w7 x64. I still has some problems: I'm using an oki microline 280 printer (epson 9 pin emulation) with Norwegian language. The Norwegian letters ÆØÅ is discarded in the printout and the sign - is printed as D.

I know this id dosbox specific since the printer prints correctely when running the same program from a terminal in windows 2000. The program prints directely to the printer also in win 2000 ( the printer is just connected to the LPT1 but not installed in WIN 2000)

Sorry to dig up and old thread...

But I used easyw3's compiled (thank you) dosbox executable and replaced my old one (previous megabuild 6). After doing that I went and found the three missing dll's (zlib1.dll, freetype6.dll, and libpng12.dll - got from www.dlldump.com) and now dosbox opens, but I get the following lines in the status window...

Parallel1: BASE 378h
LoadLibrary Failed.

And my config line look like this:

parallel1=reallpt realbase:378 ecpbase:37F

And it doesn't work (duh). I wonder if the dll's I got online were the correct versions. I also tried two different versions of inpoutx64.dll and inpoutx64.sys (initial 1.2, which I found online, and replaced with 1.4 which is attached above). Any suggestions on where to find the correct dll's or what the issue could still be?

Thanks for the help so far!

Some additional information, I put the inpout32.dll into C:\windows\system32 (I ran the install file for the inpout32 1500 build and it moved the x64 .sys and .dll but not the 32) and I still get the same Loadlibrary failed message but occasional now Dosbox.exe crashes (windows pops up with application has stopped working) whenever my program tries to access the LPT1 port.

Just like to say thanks guys for the support in getting it working properly with a parallel port SW dongle and Windows 7 Pro 64bit.

Now I've run into a dilemma. The office just purchased a Windows 8 PC with very similar specs. I tried going the same route as the last machine but it doesn't seem to be able to detect the port through the moschip add-on card.

The I/O addresses are quite a bit different than in W7 64bit. I'm getting values like DFF8 and DFF0 etc. DOSBox is saying 'no parallel port detected at 0xdff8'. Am I screwed with Windows 8 do you think, where I followed the same procedure that worked under W7?

Oh, also I should mention the reason it wouldn't work in W7 before is because I was using the wrong SW dongle 🤣.. stupid me. Thanks for the help in advance guys. PC is an HP P7-1449 with Windows 8 64bit.

ControlsEng wrote:

Some additional information, I put the inpout32.dll into C:\windows\system32 (I ran the install file for the inpout32 1500 build and it moved the x64 .sys and .dll but not the 32) and I still get the same Loadlibrary failed message but occasional now Dosbox.exe crashes (windows pops up with application has stopped working) whenever my program tries to access the LPT1 port.

bit late, but the inpout32.dll should reside in the same folder as your DOSbox exe regardless of system architecture otherwise you'll get the LoadLibrary failed error. also using the install.exe in the the inpout32.dll folder to install the driver is the best way to go about driver installation even on 64 bit systems.

a massive thank you goes to easyw3 for his/her modified dosbox executable and screenshots of how to find the relevant info on setting up a printer, Thank you easyw3.