diff --git a/pyparallel/parallel/parallelutil.py b/pyparallel/parallel/parallelutil.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a1a262a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/pyparallel/parallel/parallelutil.py
@@ -0,0 +1,124 @@
+class BitaccessMeta(type):
+    """meta class that adds bit access properties to a
+    parallel port implementation"""
+    
+    def __new__(self, classname, bases, classdict):
+        klass = type.__new__(self, classname, bases, classdict)
+        #status lines
+        klass.paperOut = property(klass.getInPaperOut, None, "Read the PaperOut signal")
+        #control lines
+        klass.dataStrobe = property(None, klass.setDataStrobe, "Set the DataStrobe signal")
+        #XXX ... other bits
+        #data bits
+        for bit in range(8):
+            mask = (1<<bit)
+            def getter(self, mask=mask):
+                return (self.getData() & mask) != 0
+            def setter(self, b, mask=mask):
+                if b:
+                    self.setData(self.getData() | mask)
+                else:
+                    self.setData(self.getData() & ~mask)
+            setattr(klass, "D%d" % bit, property(getter, setter, "Access databit %d" % bit))
+        #nibbles
+        for name, shift, width in [('D0_D3', 0, 4), ('D4_D7', 4, 4)]:
+            mask = (1<<width) - 1
+            def getter(self, shift=shift, mask=mask):
+                return (self.getData() >> shift) & mask
+            def setter(self, b, shift=shift, mask=mask):
+                self.setData((self.getData() & ~(mask<<shift)) | ((b&mask) << shift))
+            setattr(klass, name, property(getter, setter, "Access to %s" % name))
+        return klass
+
+class VirtualParallelPort:
+    """provides a virtual parallel port implementation, useful
+    for tests and simulations without real hardware"""
+    
+    __metaclass__ = BitaccessMeta
+    
+    def __init__(self, port=None):
+        self._data = 0
+        
+    def setData(self, value):
+        self._data = value
+
+    def getData(self):
+        return self._data
+
+    #inputs return dummy value
+    def getInPaperOut(self): return self._dummy
+    #...
+    #outputs just store a tuple with (action, value) pair
+    def setDataStrobe(self, value): self._last = ('setDataStrobe', value)
+    #...
+
+#testing
+if __name__ == '__main__':
+    import unittest, sys
+    
+    class TestBitaccess(unittest.TestCase):
+        """Tests a port with no timeout"""
+        def setUp(self):
+            self.p = VirtualParallelPort()
+    
+        def testDatabits(self):
+            """bit by bit D0..D7"""
+            p = self.p
+            p.D0 = p.D2  = p.D4 = p.D6 = 1
+            self.failUnlessEqual(p._data, 0x55)
+            self.failUnlessEqual(
+                [p.D7, p.D6, p.D5, p.D4, p.D3, p.D2, p.D1, p.D0],
+                [0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1]
+            )
+            p._data <<= 1
+            self.failUnlessEqual(
+                [p.D7, p.D6, p.D5, p.D4, p.D3, p.D2, p.D1, p.D0],
+                [1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 0]
+            )
+            
+        def testDatabitsGroups(self):
+            """nibbles D0..D7"""
+            p = self.p
+            p.D0_D3 = 14
+            self.failUnlessEqual(p._data, 0x0e)
+            p.D0_D3 = 0
+            p.D4_D7 = 13
+            self.failUnlessEqual(p._data, 0xd0)
+            p.D0_D3 = p.D4_D7 = 0xa
+            self.failUnlessEqual(p._data, 0xaa)
+            #test bit patterns
+            for x in range(256):
+                #test getting
+                p._data = x
+                self.failUnlessEqual((p.D4_D7, p.D0_D3), (((x>>4) & 0xf), (x & 0xf)))
+                #test setting
+                p._data = 0
+                (p.D4_D7, p.D0_D3) = (((x>>4) & 0xf), (x & 0xf))
+                self.failUnlessEqual(p._data, x)
+        
+        def testStatusbits(self):
+            """bit by bit status lines"""
+            #read the property:
+            self.p._dummy = 0
+            self.failUnlessEqual(self.p.paperOut, 0)
+            
+            self.p._dummy = 1
+            self.failUnlessEqual(self.p.paperOut, 1)
+            
+            #read only, must not be writable:
+            self.failUnlessRaises(AttributeError, setattr, self.p, 'paperOut', 1)
+    
+        def testControlbits(self):
+            """bit by bit control lines"""
+            self.p.dataStrobe = 0
+            self.failUnlessEqual(self.p._last, ('setDataStrobe', 0))
+            self.p.dataStrobe = 1
+            self.failUnlessEqual(self.p._last, ('setDataStrobe', 1))
+            
+            #write only, must not be writable:
+            self.failUnlessRaises(AttributeError, getattr, self.p, 'dataStrobe')
+            
+    sys.argv.append('-v')
+    # When this module is executed from the command-line, it runs all its tests
+    unittest.main()
+ 
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