C# LPT inpout32.dll

Question

I don't get any error or exception.

Button in one Window:

private void button1_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
{
    ControlPort.Output(0x378, 0xff);
}

and inpout.dll interface:

class ControlPort
{
    [DllImport("inpout32.dll", EntryPoint = "Out32")]
    public static extern void Output(int adress, int value);
}

What is wrong? LED on D2 is on all the time.

I have Windows 7 x64 Ultimate.

Explant

Answer 1

For x64 you should use "InpOutx64.dll".

Visit: http://www.highrez.co.uk/Downloads/InpOut32/default.htm There you can read more and find samples.

Jataka

Answer 2

Working code if somebody needs it.

 using System;
using System.Runtime.InteropServices;

namespace ParallelPort
{
    public class PortAccess
    {
        //inpout.dll

        [DllImport("inpout32.dll")]
        private static extern UInt32 IsInpOutDriverOpen();

        [DllImport("inpout32.dll")]
        private static extern void Out32(short PortAddress, short Data);

        [DllImport("inpout32.dll")]
        private static extern char Inp32(short PortAddress);

        [DllImport("inpout32.dll")]
        private static extern void DlPortWritePortUshort(short PortAddress, ushort Data);

        [DllImport("inpout32.dll")]
        private static extern ushort DlPortReadPortUshort(short PortAddress);

        [DllImport("inpout32.dll")]
        private static extern void DlPortWritePortUlong(int PortAddress, uint Data);

        [DllImport("inpout32.dll")]
        private static extern uint DlPortReadPortUlong(int PortAddress);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll")]
        private static extern bool GetPhysLong(ref int PortAddress, ref uint Data);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll")]
        private static extern bool SetPhysLong(ref int PortAddress, ref uint Data);

        //inpoutx64.dll

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "IsInpOutDriverOpen")]
        private static extern UInt32 IsInpOutDriverOpen_x64();

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "Out32")]
        private static extern void Out32_x64(short PortAddress, short Data);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "Inp32")]
        private static extern char Inp32_x64(short PortAddress);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "DlPortWritePortUshort")]
        private static extern void DlPortWritePortUshort_x64(short PortAddress, ushort Data);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "DlPortReadPortUshort")]
        private static extern ushort DlPortReadPortUshort_x64(short PortAddress);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "DlPortWritePortUlong")]
        private static extern void DlPortWritePortUlong_x64(int PortAddress, uint Data);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "DlPortReadPortUlong")]
        private static extern uint DlPortReadPortUlong_x64(int PortAddress);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "GetPhysLong")]
        private static extern bool GetPhysLong_x64(ref int PortAddress, ref uint Data);

        [DllImport("inpoutx64.dll", EntryPoint = "SetPhysLong")]
        private static extern bool SetPhysLong_x64(ref int PortAddress, ref uint Data);

        private bool _X64;
        private short _PortAddress;

        public PortAccess(short PortAddress)
        {
            _X64 = false;
            _PortAddress = PortAddress;

            try
            {
                uint nResult = 0;
                try
                {
                    nResult = IsInpOutDriverOpen();
                }
                catch (BadImageFormatException)
                {
                    nResult = IsInpOutDriverOpen_x64();
                    if (nResult != 0)
                        _X64 = true;

                }

                if (nResult == 0)
                {
                    throw new ArgumentException("Unable to open InpOut32 driver");
                }
            }
            catch (DllNotFoundException)
            {
                throw new ArgumentException("Unable to find InpOut32.dll");
            }
        }

        //Public Methods
        public void Write(short Data)
        {
            if (_X64)
            {
                Out32_x64(_PortAddress, Data);
            }
            else
            {
                Out32(_PortAddress, Data);
            }
        }

        public byte Read()
        {
            if (_X64)
            {
                return (byte)Inp32_x64(_PortAddress);
            }
            else
            {
                return (byte)Inp32(_PortAddress);
            }
        }
    }
}

Explant

I get System.EntryPointNotFoundException: Unable to find an entry point named 'IsInpOutDriverOpen' in DLL 'inpoutx64.dll'. when trying to call IsInpOutDriverOpen_x64(). – Ninth

Now they have this BOOL _stdcall IsXP64Bit(); //Returns TRUE if the OS is 64bit (x64) Windows. which is part of both dll files. – Bowse

Answer 3

You are not going to get an exception when you get this wrong, at most a blue screen. Pick one of:

• you are using the wrong address (0x3bc, 0x2f8)
• you wired the LED wrong
• you broke into the wrong museum to get the hardware

The question is too poorly documented to help you beyond this.

Alanson

None of this. First answer is correct. I was using wrong version dll. – Explant

Hmm, using a 32-bit DLL in a 64-bit process always produces an exception. – Alanson

Answer 4

I resolved a problem with LPT port on Windows 2000 on my old laptop, where the data port (pin2-pin9) could not be set.

Using this imported function:

[DllImport("inpout32.dll", EntryPoint = "Out32")]
public static extern void Out32(int address, int value);

after every reboot or restart of Windows I have to call this line:

Out32(0x378 + 2, 0x00);

so that the port works properly. I think the problem is in the bi-directional settings (control port at 6th bit on 0x37A).

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