Programming the Parallel Port: Interfacing the PC for Data Acquisition and Process Control

Why purchase expensive add-on cards or bus interfaces when you can develop effective and economical data acquisition and process controls using C programs? Using the under-employed printer adapter (that is, the parallel port of your PC), you can turn your computer into a powerful tool for developing microprocessor applications. Learn how to build a complete data acquisition system and such varied applications as a CCD camera controller, a photometer interface, and a wave form generator. The book also covers the enhanced parallel port (EPP), the extended capabilities port (ECP), interfacing analog-to-digital converters, and data acquisition under Linux. This extraordinary software approach to interfacing through the parallel port will be especially appealing to programmers involved in control systems design and device development, as well as to those who work with real-time and embedded systems. ;

Dhananjay V. Gadre wrote these parallel port programs while developing instruments for the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics in Ganeshkind, India. He is currently on leave from the IUCAA to pursue a Ph.D. at the University of Idaho. Gadre's publication credits include Dr. Dobb's Journal, Embedded Systems Programming magazine, Electronics World, Computers in Physics, and EDN.