[boydage]

I just cant work out the in and out pin assignments, some clarity would be awesome. I have 2 BOBs connected to my ESS. Number 1 BOB is 100% full with inputs and outputs. BOB #2 I have a bunch of pins but they are mostly all input pins shown on the ESS configuration page with just a few random ones being output pins.

My question is pins 3,4,5 for example on BOB #2 are all listed in the ESS config as input. I want to use them for outputs. I have no idea how to change them. Or, does it not matter, I can just assign my outputs to them and they will work? I have sussed out how to put a small on/off script to these pins.

What am I missing here?

[joeavaerage]

Hi,
according to the old parallel port pin standard it was possible to assign pins #2-#9 of a parallel port as either inputs OR outputs, as a block of eight only.
Thus if pin #2 was an input then pins #3-#9 were also inputs.

The ESS has what amounts to three parallel ports, and this in turn dates back to when everyone used Mach3 and a parallel port. The prospective customers
were already with the parallel port numbering and so Warp9 continued that tradition.

Port one (of the ESS) is output dominated, that is to say pins #2 thru #9 are always outputs, as befit use for Step/Dir signals. Ports 2 and 3 (of the ESS) the pins #2 thru #9
can be assigned as inputs or outputs. The attached pic shows where the setting are found in the ESS Mach4 plugin.

My breakout board that I made for myself treats all pins #2 thru #9 of both ports as inputs. Thus I have 31inputs and 20 outputs in total. The MB3 of CNCRoom has
pins #2 thru #9 of port2 as inputs and pin#2 thru #9 of port three as outputs....so its whatever floats your boat.

Craig