Driver for Windows XP

A driver is required in order to control a cnc machine with the CncPlayer under Windows XP. Without a driver you will get an Access Violation error if you use a CncPlayer function that tries to access the printer port of your Windows XP computer. Please read below where to get a driver and how to install it.

1: Some background information

The CncPlayer runs under Windows XP. Though, under Windows XP the CncPlayer can not access the computer's printer port (where your cnc machine is connected to). If the CncPlayer accesses the printer port anyway (e. g. because you try to move your machine by menu Action / Jog) an Access Violation error occurs. Under Windows 9x and Windows ME a program can access the computer's hardware (here: printer port) directly. Though, under Windows NT and Windows XP a driver is required in order to access the hardware. Think of the driver as a kind of middleman. Instead of direct access like under Windows 9x the CncPlayer controls the driver and the driver controls the printer port.

2: Driver download

To get the free driver please go to

http://www.specosoft.com/

and download the file portio.zip by

http://www.specosoft.com/download/portio.zip

and save it in a random directory on your hard drive, e. g. in

c:\test

Extract the portio.zip file. You will get several files but only the file zlportio.sys (size is 4096 byte) is of interest. Keep this file and delete all other files.

3: Install the driver

Driver installation is very easy.

I. Terminate the CncPlayer in case he is running.

II. Move the zlportio.sys file into the CncPlayer directory. The CncPlayer directory is that directory where the file cp.exe (= the CncPlayer) is.

III. Start the CncPlayer.

That's it. Each time the CncPlayer starts he checks if the operating system is Windows XP. If this is the case then a search for zlportio.sys is done in the CncPlayer directory. If found zlportio.sys is automatically loaded. Now the CncPlayer is able to indirectly access the printer port and therefore able to control your cnc machine.

4: Backup the driver

Make sure you have a backup of the zlportio.sys driver file. In case the programmer http://www.specosoft.com/ will remove the file from his homepage then the driver has gone! I can not send you a copy because the copyright is owned by http://www.specosoft.com/

5: Comments

The zlportio.sys driver is a so-called generic or universal purpose driver. The driver is not optimized for a cnc environment. On a given computer your cnc machine will not run as well as under Windows 9x or Windows ME.

The zlportio.sys driver works with the CncPlayer demo, too.