How to read GPIO pins in Windows 8

Question

I have to read a GPIO pin in a specific motherboard (Jetway JNF9F). From the documentation I have a clue about the register address to read, but I just don't know how to.

In my research I found that I have to write a Kernel Mode driver, which will talk to GpioClx (using windows 8 is not an issue). GpioClx will, as I understand, be queried by the application I wan't to write. One reference

Is this approach correct? Is there a simpler way of doing this?

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Obs: What my application is: a C++ software that needs to constantly watch 2 GPIO pins. When the value of those pins change, an action has to be taken (take a printscreen, or whatever). This software, reading the GPIO, must not ask for admin rights - but those pins have to be set somehow (may be by the driver) to input mode.

Obs2: I contacted the manufacturer and they said: "Oh, its very simple, you just have to read the register. Goodbye." They also gave a .dll an sample code. I've implemented a solution using this .dll, but the .dll loading requires admin rights - so I can't use it.

Thanks in advance

Answer 1

I think writing a device driver is pretty much the only way to accomplish what you want if you need to read and write to hardware registers. After all, that's what a device driver is there for.