09-24-2008, 08:05 AM
If you have a parallel port and you can get a switch to open/close via a relay or something like a photoresistor that would open a circuit...then you could easily just use a set up with that.
The parallel port provides 5V on the pins when configured right...when you short it to ground it pulls the pin low. With the right dll...this is easy to grab. With the right photoresistor, you could open the signal from a voltage pin to ground...therefor activating a program command.
On most computers the status, control, and data pins can be configured to read data...that's 17 different inputs on the parallel port!
Too bad your probably on a laptop and do not have a parallel port. I don't know if the Parallel Port to USB converters work...I haven't tried them out to see how they actually register as a port.
Another way to do something like this is through midi....of course you'd have to have a trigger to midi converter...used $150ish...and you'd have to have a midi to USB converter...like $50 for a cheap-o..M-Audio is about the cheapest you'll get. Then you'd have to figure out what would trigger the Midi.
The parallel port provides 5V on the pins when configured right...when you short it to ground it pulls the pin low. With the right dll...this is easy to grab. With the right photoresistor, you could open the signal from a voltage pin to ground...therefor activating a program command.
On most computers the status, control, and data pins can be configured to read data...that's 17 different inputs on the parallel port!
Too bad your probably on a laptop and do not have a parallel port. I don't know if the Parallel Port to USB converters work...I haven't tried them out to see how they actually register as a port.
Another way to do something like this is through midi....of course you'd have to have a trigger to midi converter...used $150ish...and you'd have to have a midi to USB converter...like $50 for a cheap-o..M-Audio is about the cheapest you'll get. Then you'd have to figure out what would trigger the Midi.