ANY-maze Help > The ANY-maze reference > The I/O page > Testing I/O using the I/O page

Testing I/O using the I/O page

Introduction

An I/O device is usually an interface between your computer and some piece of apparatus. For example, you might use an ANY-maze interface to connect to a lever and to a pellet dispenser, but having made the physical connections, you will almost certainly want to test that the system is actually detecting lever presses and is able to cause a pellet to be dispensed. This is one of the principal functions of the I/O page.

Details

To test a device you should first select it in the list on the left side of the I/O page. When you do this you will find that the device opens to show a list of the ports it contains. For example, selecting an ANY-maze interface will show a list of ports like those in figure 1, below, (note that the exact ports shown may depend on the way the device has been configured).

To test one of the ports you just need to select it in the list, this will cause the rest of the I/O page to show a section entitled Information and a larger area showing the device's individual ports - as in figure 1.

Figure 1. The I/O page showing the output switches of an ANY-maze interface

The way you actually test a port depends on the specific port type, but the Information section always provides detailed instructions. In the example in figure 1, where we're testing some output switches, you simply click the switch image for a port to turn the switch on and click it again to turn it off. In the figure, ports 1 and 2 have been turned on, which is why they're shown in green, and ports 3 to 8 are off, and therefore shown in red.

No matter what device you are using or which port you select, the Information panel will always include a section titled Further information which will include links to help topics specific to the selected device and port.

ANY-maze help topic T0923