# Parallel port i/o

**URL:** <https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/parallel-port-i-o/1366>\
**Category:** Uncategorized\
**Created:** [August 30, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/parallel-port-i-o/1366 "2002-08-30T15:36:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Allen\_Ingling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a183cd/32.png) [@Allen\_Ingling](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/u/Allen_Ingling)\
**Post date:** [August 30, 2002, 3:36pm UTC](https://psychtoolbox.discourse.group/t/parallel-port-i-o/1366/1 "2002-08-30T15:36:41Z")

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Greetings,  
  
 I have been unable to find any functions to work with the parallel port  
in the PsychToolBox. Do any exist? And there any plans for such functions?  
  
 Here is my situation: I am configuring an ASL (http://www.a-s-l.com) eye  
tracking system (Model 504) using the Model 5000 controller and want to use  
its parallel XDAT port to receive events from a seperate computer, which  
runs Matlab/PsychToolBox to generate visual stimuli.  
  
 Does anyone else have a similar setup?  
  
 I need to be able to automatically set specific bits on the parallel  
port from within my matlab program.  
  
 Both of the systems are running Windows 2000, so I've been told I need  
special drivers to access the low level functionality of the port. I came  
across this DLL (http://geekhideout.com/iodll.shtml), and was wondering if I  
could make use of its functions from directly within matlab as opposed to  
writing a seperate C program and having my matlab program call that. I could  
probably accomplish what I needed just using the PortOut function.  
  
Any help/suggestions are appreciated!  
  
Thanks for your time,  
Michael Topan  
--  
University Of Guelph  
Ontario, Canada