software to controll devices by parallel port

[grebator]

I have got few questions:

1. Is on the earth any free software that i could controll devices by parallel port? I do not mean NC code!!
For example: Haveing connected one step or servo motor, sensor, mehanical relays over optobreakout board to PC and controll outputs and inputs from devices.
Building programs maight be something similar like programming in Visual Basic

2. Does exist any low cost USB optobreakout board (not Gecko) to controll step/servo drives by (outputs and /or inputs)?

Thanks
Marko

[Andre' B]

Looking for somthing like this?

http://www.lvr.com/parport.htm

[plasmaplasma]

http://www.usbcnc.com

[NinerSevenTango]

http://www.linuxcnc.org/

Check out the excellent documentation about the HAL, hardware abstraction layer.

It has ladder logic built in.

I haven't tried it yet, but it looks like you could control just about anything with it.

--97T--