# Virtual I/O

> Symcon documentation · English · generated on 2026-09-26  
> Index: https://www.symcon.de/en/llms.txt

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/

_Requires Symcon >= 3.3_

The virtual I/O opens an interface that is used for communication between the gateway/splitter instance and the connected device. It does not use a specific protocol, but is used for test purposes to ensure correct behavior of the connected entities.

The virtual I/O is able to send data packets of the type [Simple](../developer/sdk-tools/sdk-php.md) and [Extended (Socket)](../developer/sdk-tools/sdk-php.md). The rule is that functions with "text" use such simple data packets. Connect, Disconnect and Functions with "Packet" use the extended data packet (Socket).

### Integration in IP-Symcon

A new virtual I/O instance can be created via "+" in the object tree.
The following settings can be made on the configuration page.

| Option | Description                                     |
| ------ | ----------------------------------------------- |
| Active | Whether the interface should be open or closed. |
Only a click on "Apply" saves the settings and then an attempt is made to establish the connection.

![Configuration page](https://www.symcon.de/media/pages/service/dokumentation/modulreferenz/io/virtualio/c763a2b341-1790424939/io-virtualio.png)

For a better understanding, the graphic shows which direction and data packet types are used by the individual commands.

![Graphic for commands](https://www.symcon.de/media/pages/service/dokumentation/modulreferenz/io/virtualio/a51f070b9a-1790424939/io-virtualio-graph.png)

## VIO_Connect

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-connect/

`bool VIO_Connect(int $InstanceID, string $ClientIP, int $ClientPort)`

_Requires Symcon >= 5.1_

sends a Connect Data-Packet

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the Virtual I/O to be updated
- `$ClientIP` (string): The ClientIP to be connected
- `$ClientPort` (int): The port to be connected

**Returns** (bool): If the command succeeds, it returns __TRUE__, otherwise __FALSE__.

The port to be connected

**Example**

```php
// Sends a data packet to the virtual I/O instance with the ID 12345 with the IP-address 192.168.0.8 and port 502
VIO_Connect(12345, "192.168.0.8", 502);
```

## VIO_Disconnect

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-disconnect/

`bool VIO_Disconnect(int $InstanceID, string $ClientIP, int $ClientPort)`

_Requires Symcon >= 5.1_

sends a Disconnect Data-Packet

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated
- `$ClientIP` (string): The ClientIP to be connected
- `$ClientPort` (int): The port to be connected

**Returns** (bool): If the command succeeds, it returns __TRUE__, otherwise __FALSE__.

The port to be connected

**Example**

```php
// Sends a data packet to the virtual I/O instance with the ID 12345 with the IP-address 192.168.0.8 and port 502
VIO_Disconnect(12345, "192.168.0.8", 502);
```

## VIO_GetPacketList

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-getpacketlist/

`array VIO_GetPacketList(int $InstanceID)`

_Requires Symcon >= 5.1_

supplies an array of extended Data-Packets

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated

**Returns** (array): Supplies an array of extended Data-Packets

ID of the virtual I/O to be updated

**Example**

```php
// Returns an array of all extended data packets of the virtual I/O instance with the ID 12345
$allPackets = VIO_GetPacketList(12345);
print_r($allPackages);

/* returns, for example:
Array
(
    [0] => Array
    (
        [Type] => 0
        [Buffer] => Hello world
        [ClientIP] => 192.168.0.8
        [ClientPort] => 502
    )

    [1] => Array
    (
        [Type] => 0
        [Buffer] => IP-Symcon
        [ClientIP] => 192.168.0.4
        [ClientPort] => 3777
    )
    ...
)
*/
```

## VIO_GetTextList

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-gettextlist/

`array VIO_GetTextList(int $InstanceID)`

_Requires Symcon >= 5.1_

returns an array of simple Data-Packets

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated

**Returns** (array): Returns an array of simple Data-Packets

ID of the virtual I/O to be updated

**Example**

```php
// Returns an array of all simple data packages of the virtual I/O instance with the ID 12345
$allTexts = VIO_GetTextList(12345);
print_r($allTexts);

/* returns, for example:
Array
(
    [0] => Hello world
    [1] => IP-Symcon
    ...
)
*/
```

## VIO_PushPacket

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-pushpacket/

`bool VIO_PushPacket(int $InstanceID, string $Text, string $ClientIP, int $ClientPort)`

_Requires Symcon >= 5.1_

sends an extended Data-Packet

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated
- `$Text` (string): The string to be sent
- `$ClientIP` (string): On the ClientIP to be sent
- `$ClientPort` (int): On the port to be sent

**Returns** (bool): If the command succeeds, it returns __TRUE__, otherwise __FALSE__.

On the port to be sent

**Example**

```php
// Sends the text "Hello World" to the virtual I/O instance with the ID 12345, and with the IP address 192.168.0.8 and port 502
VIO_PushPacket(12345, "Hello World", "192.168.0.8", 502);
```

## VIO_PushPacketHEX

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-pushpackethex/

`bool VIO_PushPacketHEX(int $InstanceID, string $Text, string $ClientIP, int $ClientPort)`

_Requires Symcon >= 5.1_

sends an extended Data-Packet

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated
- `$Text` (string): The string to be sent in HEX
- `$ClientIP` (string): On the ClientIP to be sent
- `$ClientPort` (int): On the port to be sent

**Returns** (bool): If the command succeeds, it returns __TRUE__, otherwise __FALSE__.

On the port to be sent

**Example**

```php
// Sends the hex string "1a2fee" with the IP address 192.168.0.8 and port 502 to the virtual I/O instance with the ID 12345
VIO_PushPacketHEX(12345, "1A 2F EE", "192.168.0.8", 502);
```

## VIO_PushText

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-pushtext/

`bool VIO_PushText(int $InstanceID, string $Text)`

_Requires Symcon >= 3.3_

sends a simple Data-Packet

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated
- `$Text` (string): The string to be sent

**Returns** (bool): If the command succeeds, it returns __TRUE__, otherwise __FALSE__.

The string to be sent

**Example**

```php
// Sends the text "Hello world" to the virtual I/O instance with the ID 12345
VIO_PushText(12345, "Hello World");
```

## VIO_PushTextHEX

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-pushtexthex/

`bool VIO_PushTextHEX(int $InstanceID, string $Text)`

_Requires Symcon >= 3.3_

sends a simple Data-Packet

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated
- `$Text` (string): The string to be sent in HEX

**Returns** (bool): If the command succeeds, it returns __TRUE__, otherwise __FALSE__.

The string to be sent in HEX

**Example**

```php
// Sends the hex string "1a2fee" to the virtual I/O instance with ID 12345
VIO_PushTextHEX(12345, "1A 2F EE");
```

## VIO_SendPacket

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-sendpacket/

`bool VIO_SendPacket(int $InstanceID, string $Text, string $ClientIP, int $ClientPort)`

_Requires Symcon >= 5.1_

sends an extended Data-Packet to itself

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated
- `$Text` (string): The string to be sent
- `$ClientIP` (string): On the ClientIP to be sent
- `$ClientPort` (int): On the port to be sent

**Returns** (bool): If the command succeeds, it returns __TRUE__, otherwise __FALSE__.

On the port to be sent

**Example**

```php
// Sends the text "Hello world" with the IP address 192.168.0.8 and the port 502 to the Virtual I/O instance with the ID 12345
VIO_PushPacket(12345, "Hello World", "192.168.0.8", 502);
```

## VIO_SendText

Source: https://www.symcon.de/en/service/documentation/module-reference/i-o-instances/virtualio/vio-sendtext/

`bool VIO_SendText(int $InstanceID, string $Text)`

_Requires Symcon >= 3.3_

sends a simple Data-Packet to itself

**Parameters**

- `$InstanceID` (int): ID of the virtual I/O to be updated
- `$Text` (string): The string to be sent

**Returns** (bool): If the command succeeds, it returns __TRUE__, otherwise __FALSE__.

The string to be sent

**Example**

```php
// Sends the text "Hello world" to the virtual I/O instance with ID 12345
VIO_SendText(12345, "Hello World");
```