The book is designed to serve readers with a variety of backgrounds and interests: Programmers will find code examples that show how to use the port in all of its modes. If you program in Visual Basic, you can use the routines directly in your programs.
For hardware designers, there are details about the port circuits and how to interface them to the world outside the PC. I cover the port’s original design and the many variations and improvements that have evolved. Examples show how to design circuits for reliable data transfers.
System troubleshooters can use the programming techniques and examples for finding and testing ports on a system.
Experimenters will find dozens of circuit and code examples, along with explanations and tips for modifying the examples for a particular application. Teachers and students have found the parallel port to be a handy tool for experiments with electronics and computer control. Many of the examples in this book are suitable as school projects.
And last but not least, users, or anyone who uses a computer with printers or other devices that connect to the parallel port, will find useful information, including advice on configuring ports, how to add a port, and information on cables, port extenders, and switch boxes.