Okay... obviously I was not coherent enough when I made the original post.
;)

I _AM_ using the PARALLEL PORT.  It is in ECP mode.  I am using the eight
(8) data lines as OUTPUTS ONLY to the PIC that I have connected.  There are
two additional lines that a parallel port uses in ECP mode to accomplish
hand-shaking (I pull my line, you pull yours, then we both reset).  THAT IS
ALL.  It is intended (and used) for one-way communication.  I am _not_
attempting to read anything from the PIC; I am only transmitting data TO the
PIC.

Next:  The device is not experiencing (sp?) over-run.  The communication
works PERFECTLY when done in DOS.  As was mentioned, over-run would result
in the loss of random characters, not a complete halt in communications.

Basiclly what I'm doing is porting a _working_ DOS program to Windows (98).

I already know that accessing the parallel port will cause unpredictable
results if I have anything else hooked up to it (printers, scanners,
etc....); let's assume for now that MY device is the ONLY device physically
connected to (and being accessed by) the parallel port.

What is my device?  A Parallel-Port to DMX-512 transmitter.  I'm working on
a PC lighting console for my smart lights.  :)

Here's exactly what happens:  When my Windows application starts, I have it
transmitting a "test pattern" to my device.  Only the first 16 bytes arrive
there, however.  After that, no matter what I do, I can't get anything more
out of the port.  It just dies.  If I want to use it again, I have to quit
my application and start it again.  Then I get 16 more bytes...

So, like, what is going on?  Why does it die after 16 bytes?  :)
Perhaps there is something I need to initialize (other than the port itself)
before I can use it (the port)?  Are there some API calls I should be
placing?  I know this has been done before... Why does it have to be so
difficult?

I'm seriously considering just writing this for X and leaving it at that.
*smirk*

Cheers,
--
~Keith
tsk3000@Prodigy.Net
http://pages.prodigy.net/tsk3000/
ICQ UIN 15590177