[comp.sys.ibm.pc] inserial printers to PCs

gjp@sei.cmu.edu (George Pandelios) (06/15/89)

Dion Hollenbeck writes:
>From article <626@acheron.UUCP>, by clarke@acheron.UUCP (Ed Clarke/10240000):
>> From article <3484@i.sei.cmu.edu>, by gjp@sei.cmu.edu (George Pandelios):
>> -    My AT-class computer is unable to print a file at data rates greater
>> -    than 150 baud without overflowing the printer's buffer.  This is be-
>> -    cause the LQP03 uses an XON/XOFF protocol, whereas DOS implements a 
>> -
>> -            SUPERSPL  which I believe to be a commercial product.  I
>> - 		     was unable to discover who makes it, though.
>> 
>> Hmmm - I've been using the following to drive my LaserJet at 9600 baud.
>> The LaserJet uses XON/XOFF protocol:
>> 
>> MODE COM1:9600,N,8,1,P
>> MODE LPT1:=COM1
>> 
>What you have done with the above commands does not have anything to
>do with XON/XOFF protocol handling.  Neither does the BIOS support
>it nor the above commands turn it on.  All you are doing is setting
>the serial port to the appropriate baud rate, data bits, stop, bits,
>parity and retry on timeout.  The P parameter merely causes continuous
>retries on timeouts to the asynchronous adapter.  I would guess that
>you are able to get this to work only on a fluke.  You have done
>nothing to implement XON/XOFF protocol.

Exactly.  That's what I was trying to say (poorly).  In discussing the
relative buffer sizes and throughput speeds of the LQP03 and LaserJet,
I was trying to point out how Ed might be avoiding a buffer overrun
condition by the skin of his teeth.  I also speculated that the LaserJet
might implement the hardware flow control protocol.  As you said, the
MODE commands do not affect/implement the protocol involved.  I did not
mean to imply (by omission) that they did.

>If anyone is interested in a discussion of XON/XOFF protocol in
>greater detail, I can supply it.  I have implemented XON/XOFF
>protocol in 6 different operating systems and know what it is
>supposed to do and how it actually works.  I can also supply information
>about hardware handshaking and ETX/ACK protocols.  Much of what I
>do for a living is implement serial device drivers on all kinds of
>operating systems and proprietary hardware.  I also program at the
>very lowest level extensively on the PC (I have ported MS-DOS to
>several different PC hardware environments).

I would certainly like to hear about the XON/XOFF protocol.  Based
upon the number of requests I have had for XONXOFF.ASM and FLOW.ASM,
I think there are some people out there who would benefit by such a
discussion (myself included).  At the very least, please e-mail to me.

Thanks, Dion.

George

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tj@gpu.utcs.utoronto.ca (Terry Jones) (06/21/89)

A great utility that someone once sent me was LPTCOM1 which redirects
output destined for any lpt port to com1 with xon/xoff handshaking.

xonxoff.asm (if it is the one I have used) is a device driver
and I have had unexplained lockups with it on many different machines.
tj