Thanks for the response Hood. However you misunderstood my post. Mach3 does not accept the MPG when configured as an MPG, but the disgnotics page when it is assigned as something else shows the pins working correctly for an MPG.
I installed a programme called Lpttest. and with it and my oscilloscope I was able to prove the function of each and every pin of the LPT port, yet no matter how I try I am unable to get Mach3 to use the port.
The port is the standard port built into the motherboard, and the address for the port is the default address.
The only discrepancy I have found is that windows device manager reports the port as "0378 - 037F" yet this format is not usable by Mach3 which has the address as 0x378.
I also checked all the pins of the parallel port, and while mach3 so far is able to accept "limited" inputs on the parallel port it is unable to produce an output, bearing in mind I am using an oscilloscope I checked the whole range of the output from 5volts down to the noise on the cable and Mach3 is producing no output at all.
I am beginning to wonder if this is a driver issue, given that many people use Mach3, however as the port works but does not work with Mach3 I am running out of options.
I am even at the point of considering EMC2 if Mach3 is unable to be sorted, however this is not too attractive given the use of linux