[Dx4win] Solved with v6.04! Multiple PCI parallel ports under Win2K and WinXP

[Larry Gauthier (K8UT)]

Thanks to the Paul's efforts (as well as programmers for other products), 
you can now interface to multiple parallel (LPT) ports under Windows XP and 
Windows 2000. This means that products like: DX4Win's CW driver, the 
WaveNode WN-1 wattmeter, band decoders (remote antenna switches) from ON4AOI 
and TopTen, and the ARSWin rotor interface from EA4TX can all simultaneously 
interface to PCI parallel ports.

The 4 parallel ports that worked properly for me under this new 
configuration were:
  1. Dell motherboard LPT port as LPT1 at 0378
  2. A LAVA parallel card
  3. A Memos parallel card
  4. A Byte serial/parallel card (VSCOM drivers - see note below)

I am running DX4WIN with 4 of 5 of the devices listed above, and they all 
happily coexist using 3 LPT ports in my computer. If anyone has problems 
with this, I'd be happy to respond to any questions.

-larry
K8UT

The following is a short tutorial for DX4WIN users. If you are using a 
product from one of the vendors listed above you may also need to configure 
their programs -- all of them have recently modified their configuration 
software to accommodate PCI LPT ports.
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DESCRIPTION
The new Plug&Play features of Windows 2000 and Windows XP has simplified the 
installation of additional parallel ports by eliminating the need for manual 
configuration. Unfortunately, this simplification has created complications 
for computers with parallel ports connected to custom (non-printer) devices 
like transceivers, CW keying, band decoders, rotors, and wattmeters. As a 
result, devices connected to the traditional parallel port of LPT1 at memory 
address 0378(hex) will work properly, but any devices connected to parallel 
ports LPT2 and LPT3 will not work properly.

Version 6.04 of DX4WIN supports these new virtual-memory parallel ports (LPT 
ports). The DX4WIN604\SAVE directory includes PORTMAP.INI that defines the 
memory location of virtual-memory parallel cards. For each LPT port (LPT1, 
LPT2, LPT3) in DX4WIN, the user can define the decimal memory location of 
the card driver. Here is how to perform that task.

CONFIGURATION
1. INSTALL THE PARALLEL CARD - Use the installation instructions from the 
manufacturer.

2. FIND THE MEMORY LOCATION OF THE CARD - Right-click on  "My 
Computer", ->Properties ->Hardware ->Device Manager ->Ports. Double-click on 
the LPT port, and on the <Resources> tab, note the starting memory location 
(EXAMPLES: LPT1 should be 0378, a motherboard LPT2 should be 0278, 
virtual-memory LPT addresses will be located much higher in memory with 
address like "DC50"). [NOTE: **See special instructions below for finding 
memory locations for ByteRunner or VSCOM cards.]

3. CONVERT THE HEX MEMORY ADDRESS TO A DECIMAL NUMBER  - The number from 
Device Manager is in hexadecimal, and you must convert that number to 
decimal format for entry into the PORTMAP.INI file. There are many 
hex-to-decimal converters on the web ( 
http://www.ronshardwebapps.com/Numbers.asp ) [EXAMPLES: 0378 hex converts to 
888 decimal address, DC50 hex converts to 56400 decimal address)

4. EDIT THE PORTMAP.INI FILE - Using Notepad, navigate to the DX4WIN604\SAVE 
directory (or wherever you installed DX4WIN) and open the file PORTMAP.INI. 
Add the decimal address for the appropriate card. (EXAMPLES: LPT1=888, 
LPT2=56400). Save the file.

5. LAUNCH DX4WIN. Under <F>ile <P>references, assign the LPT ports (LPT1, 
LPT2, LPT3) as required. If you get an error that DX4WIN cannot open the LPT 
port, you have plugged the wrong address into PORTMAP.INI.

**Special instructions below for finding memory locations for ByteRunner or 
VSCOM cards
These cards have been very popular with DX4WIN clients who use them for 
additional serial and parallel ports.  Unfortunately, the driver software 
included with these cards does not display the virtual memory address under 
Properties ->Hardware ->Device Manager ->Ports. You will need a small 
utility program called VSSHOW.COM (downloadable from several sites on the 
web or from ByteRunner/VSCOM support). This utility, which must be run from 
a DOS boot disk (NOT from within Windows CMD prompt), searches for their 
card and gives you the address in hex.
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