DRO usage

HI guys,
I have a little old manual bench mill.
I'd like to retrofit to cnc, but first i'd like to visualize it for manual usage
I mean.. What I like to do is
- Visualize the machine with linear scale.
- Using it by hand to make the pieces for the retrofit.
- Mount servo motor (I already have 3 axis Yaskawa kit ) and use Emc2.

The question is...

Is possible to use Emc like a standard manual DRO ?
This because if it's possible I can save money not buying the dro diplay and use saved money for higher resolutoin scale....


P.S: sorry for my english...

I've tried this but the number on the DRO don't chamge.
I 've used an ELTRA rotary encoder for my test.
Connecting directly the encoder to the parallel port.
The encoder has 250 pulse per rev, and the signal are line driver (TTL?) with A,/A,B,/B,Z,/Z.
I have attached A & B only.
Using Xoscope I can verify that the encoder is perfectly working.
My parallelp port s in ECP mode. Using demesg| grep parport I see this

parport_pc 00:07: reported by Plug and Play ACPI
[ 10.754377] parport0: PC-style at 0x378 (0x778), irq 7, dma 3 [PCSPP,TRISTATE,COMPAT,ECP,DMA]
[ 10.845263] lp0: using parport0 (interrupt-driven).

Maybe a problem on the parallel port configuratioN?
I need a breakoutboard?

Can you post a link to the HAL file you are using?

You should be able to start debugging this by using either halmeter
or the show hal configuration menu option in Axis and trace from
parallel port input pins (which should toggle as you rotate your encoder)
to the encoder components input and then count output

I use this HAL file .

The ancoder cable was cut away so i clamp the single signal wire
to an interface that have screw connectors on one side and DB25 connector to the other side
using this INTERFACE .

The encoder spec are here
I have the EL40 A 250 Z 5 L 6 model

I refer to enc cable.
wire1 = +5V
wire2 = gnd
wire3 = A
wire4 = B
wire5 = Z
wire6 = /A
wire7 = /B
wire8 = /Z

I connect wire 3 to DB25 pin 2
and
wire 4 to DB25 pin3.

With wire 1 and 2 I use the power supply.

No other ecnoder wires connected to parallel port.