7i76e pin configuration, flash firmware, do it in HAL files, etc. ???

Actually, I was thinking  afterwards that you probably don't need to worry about the index signal when homing. That probably only had value to the old controller. To start with, set the machine up for immediate homing per the docs so you can home the machine and check it moves then set the homing up later using linuxcnc's normal homing sequence without an index. Just make sure when a home switch is triggered, it stays triggered until the end of travel.

Thanks for the help guys!!

one thing I think might work, I can assign the same pins the same fuctions, right? I may just assign a stepper motor output with a spindle direction signal. Any time the spindle is moving, it has a direction, and so the spindle should be enabled. That would solve the spindle enable problem pretty easily. I am not sure what might happen if I send a signal inverted to what it normally is to these pins on the VFD (the enable pins on VFD are differential signal 5V, is there a chance an inverted signal could be bad?)

I'll take your approach on the homing Rod, I don't know C at this time. I really want to make it perfect! (or like it worked from the factory) However I'm not able to dive so deep into it at this time. I really see setting all of this up as a good skill to have so I'll put a list of finishing touches on the back burner I think and develop these skills as I go.

So for now the only thing I'm worried about then is the spindle (stepper motors already figured out) and then just wiring up the limit switches, door switch, E stop.

Today I had an odd but short lived success controling the spindle.
 

  I hooked everythingn up basically as you would think you would for pins 1-4, except using a breadboard and 5V power adapter.
So what happened was I hooked pin 11 (IA, analog signal interm. circ) to positive and pin 12 (GND control part) to gnd / 0V.  I had the positive on my linear variable power supply.  As I increased the voltage, the spindle speed increased.  Except I never got anywhere close to maximum spindle speed by about 10V, and shortly after 10V the VFD shut down and indicated an error.  Analog speed input MD and MD/ (pins 5 and 6) were disconnected and connecting them and/or other wires did not seem to make any kindof a difference in regards to the maximum speed achieved by the spindle.  

Very odd, let me know if you have any ideas!  I'm going to sleep on it and if I can't figure it out I'm going to get a new VFD tomorrow.  I figure I'd prefer a USB controllable VFD anyway because they transmit the PC some cool information, is that right?  I can see amps and other statistics?