pportd(1) - Linux man page

Name

pport - set/toggle parallel port pins on and off

Synopsis

pportd [ OPTIONS ]

Description

pportd is the counterpart of the pport program. It reads the input pins of the parallel port and executes commands based on a configuration file called pportd.conf that is meant to reside in the sysconfdir of the system.

pportd will read a configuration file, calibrate your parallel port to its internal functions and then depending on your flags, will fork into the background or stay in the foreground, being either verbose or silent, executing commands.

pportd will read the input pins of the parallel port also called the status port and after a relaxation period will execute a configurable command. The PC parallel port is a 25 pin D-shaped female connector in the back of the computer. It is conventionally used to connect a printer to the computer, but also other types of hardware available for this port. Not all 25 pins are always needed. pportd reads the status pins of the parallel port. Notably pins 10, 11, 12, 13 and 15. Some pins are also simple grounding pins, which you will probably need, in order to ground your circuit. Here is a scheme of the parallel port:

   SLCT|PPR|BSY|ACK|
  _____|___|___|___|________________________________________
*      |   |   |   |                                         *
*     13  12  11  10   9   8   7   6   5   4   3   2   1     *
 *                                                          *
  *     25  24  23  22  21  20  19  18  17  16  15  14     *
   *____|___|___|___|___|___|___|___|____|_______|________*
        |   |   |   |   |   |   |   |    |       +-+
         +---+---+---+---+---+---+---+----+-----+  |
                                                |  +_ERROR_

                                               ---
                                              ////

pportd uses ACK (Acknowledge), BSY (Busy), PPR (Paper Empty), SLCT (Select) and ERROR (Error). Pins 17 through 25 are the ground pins of the parallel port.

Options

-h | --help: Causes pportd to pint out a quick help reference.
-f | --foreground: Hinders pportd from forking into the background.
-y | --nosyslog: Prevents pportd to print to the syslog.
-r | --resolution: will check the hardware status at the number of milliseconds specified. Otherwise pportd defaults to 1ms.
pportd: with no arguments launches the daemon into the background.

History

This program is an extension of the uttermost practical Coffee-HOWTO originally written by Fotis Georgatos, < gef@hellug.gr> and Annie Pinder, < ajp@leguin.org.uk>. It tries to provide a standard for collecting the status pins of the parallel port quickly and simply. The "custom" howto provided, notably Franky-HOWTO, contains various hardware applications that can be used. It provides an updated set of ideas that could help you realize the functionality you seek.

Authors

Written by Corcalciuc V. Horia (rain@sevenrains.ro)