LinuxQuestions.org - Accessing I/O in Raspberry Pi

HI all,

So I've got my Pi and have loaded it up with the cut-down version of Arch with no gui; just a command line.

I want to use this Pi as a controller for a programmable time delay lock which will open at certain pre-determined times.

I'd prefer to do this in C rather than Bash on balance, being very much more familiar with the former. Problem is, I've only ever written utilities that read and write to and from files, the keyboard and the screen. Now I have to somehow access the GPIO pins of the Pi and have no idea how to go about it.

Can anyone tell me how these pins can be brought into service in C or Bash? Do I need to install any additional software for their support? There seems to be a distinct dearth of info on the subject, so any pointers/advice would be very welcome.

Cheers,

CC.