nope

Just switch the power off if you can as an extra precaution but shouldnt really matter.
Hood

direction pin for x is 6. about to test. can you hold one of these.

Okay brothers. That was hard to do alone. If I did it right there was 0.241 volts DC with or without keyboarding. When I would keyboard left or right the DRO would show movement but the voltmeter was completely unaffected.

OK check at the computer now, if the same and you are certain that the port address is correct and that you are connecting to thr right pins then its either a dead port or its not installed in windows properly.
Hood

Thats prob not right. There is a setting for MOTOR OUTPUTS (what I used) and there is a SIGNAL INPUTS. Which one? In signal inputs the pin is 10 rather than 6. I'll measure that one.

Motor Outputs Dir pin for X. and Jog X, you could also try Dir for Y and Z as well
Hood

"OK check at the computer now...."

I thought that's what I was doing. I was checking the breakout board end of the cable (disconnected from the bb) while it was still connected to the computer. Is that not right?

Hood,

I am directionally challenged here but it looks like the pinout you posted is what we want and the google one is looking at inside out wiring side of the connector, so he may be testing the wrong pins.

Yes the pic he posted is the male mines the female, much prefer the females .
Hood