controlling port with VB. is it possible?

[luisg]

My project includes a controller, sensor switches, valve and
steppers. I am wondering how to write program in visual basic
(using .DLL to controll paralel port in c language) to move the
stepper without loosing step. I heard that pulse are not sent
properly in a windows enviroment and that is why most CNC programs
are writen in DOS or linux to prevent this but I need to run my
applications in a windows enviroment so my question is how can the
pulse or signal can be sent properly to the parallel
port so stepper motors can run smoothly without loosing steps?


luis..

 

[wri]

To do this with windows would probably always be messy because you cannot guarantee the timming to the port. What you might want to explore is building a simple hardware interface wuit a BasicStamp microcontroller

http://www.parallaxinc.com

and interface it to your serial port for control messages.

There are several working projects for stepper motor control you can from from that site.

The BStamp is very easy to work with and comes ready to communicate with a serial port.