Editing Parallel port (section)

===Access===
DOS-based systems make the logical parallel ports detected by the BIOS available under device names such as ''LPT1'',  ''LPT2'' or ''LPT3'' (corresponding with logical parallel port 1, 2, and 3, respectively). These names derive from terms like '''Line Print Terminal''', '''Local Print Terminal''' (both abbreviated as '''LPT'''), or Line Printer. A similar naming convention was used on [[Incompatible Timesharing System|ITS]], [[Digital Equipment Corporation|DEC]] systems, as well as in [[CP/M]] and [[86-DOS]] (''LST'').

In [[DOS]], the parallel printers could be accessed directly on the [[command line]]. For example, the command "<code>TYPE C:\AUTOEXEC.BAT &gt; LPT1:</code>" would redirect the contents of the [[AUTOEXEC.BAT]] file to the printer port. A '''PRN''' device was also available as an alias for LPT1. Some operating systems (like [[Multiuser DOS]]) allow to change this fixed assignment by different means. Some DOS versions use resident driver extensions provided by MODE, or users can change the mapping internally via a [[CONFIG.SYS]] [[PRN (CONFIG.SYS directive)|PRN]]=n directive (as under DR-DOS 7.02 and higher). [[DR-DOS]] 7.02 also provides optional built-in support for ''LPT4'' if the underlying BIOS supports it.

PRN, along with CON, AUX and a few others are invalid file and directory names in DOS and Windows, even on [[Windows XP]] and later. This set of invalid file and directory names also affects [[Windows 95]] and [[Windows 98|98]], which had an [[MS-DOS]] device in path name vulnerability in which it causes the computer to crash if the user types "C:\CON\CON", "C:\PRN\PRN" or "C:\AUX\AUX" in the Windows Explorer address bar or via the Run command.{{citation needed|date=May 2013}} [[Microsoft]] has since released a patch to fix this issue, however new installations of Windows 95 and 98 are not patched with this fix and will still have this issue.

A special "<code>PRINT</code>" command also existed to achieve the same effect. [[Microsoft Windows]] still refers to the ports in this manner in many cases, though this is often fairly hidden.

In [[SCO UNIX]] and [[Linux]], the first parallel port is available via the filesystem as <code>/dev/lp0</code>. Linux IDE devices can use a ''paride'' (parallel port IDE) driver.<ref>
{{cite book
| last1                 = Barkakati
| first1                = Naba
| title                 = Linux All-in-One Desk Reference For Dummies
| url                   = https://books.google.com/books?id=1BPAJhqtsQwC
| edition               = 2
| publisher             = John Wiley & Sons
| date      = 2006
| page                  = 482
| isbn                  = 9780471793137
| access-date            = 2015-09-11
| quote                 = Some IDE devices use a parallel port IDE adapter — that's what the PARIDE option refers to.
}}
</ref>