Par port input issues.

I am using this breakout board. I am trying to add some limit switch for my machine so it can auto-home on start up.

Before wiring up the switches, I wanted to see if shorting a the x-input to the ground would be recognized. Much to my dismay, it wasn't.

I have used HAL in the machine tab to "Watch" the pins, both in and in-not, while shorting the pins to the local ground. PDF page 5 Nothing happened.

Next I wen to HAL example programs and tested the 0x378 par port address. All of the outputs were red, and the inputs were green. Nothing changed upon shorting all of the inputs to the ground on the left side of the board

I can control my steppers, old spindle(haven't set up the new one yet) and succesfully use the onboard relay. So it would be odd for everything to work except for these inputs.

Any idea what I am doing wrong?

Do you have both power to the 12v and power to 5volt or usb plug? I believe that the 5volt side of those boards has to be powered for the inputs to work. Also was the ground you shorted the input to connected to the ground on the breakout board?

You are not the first person to struggle with the inputs on those boards. I don't think they are the most wonderful of designs.

I have the usb plugged in for the 5v. Ill try to supply 12v and see if that helps.

I think the ground next to the input is connected internally to the board ground. Ill tinker around with it.
If it is a board design issue, do you have any recommendations for reliable breakout boards?

*There looks to be an LED for the 12-24V input right below the switch inputs. I don't know if it means anything, but it is something I did not notice before.*

I had the 5v in, the 12-24v was not hooked up correctly and that was the issue.