Use counter lines for DIO

Hi

I am using PCIe-6612 and PCI-6601.

I use both counters and DIO simultaneously.

My question is if I can use counter lines (such as OUT and Gate) as DIO if they are not specifically used in the counter that is setup?

I use NI-DAQMX C called from a C# application.

Example A:

I use ctr0 for monitoring a linear encoder where the value is simply polled from the counter. Thus Gate (PFI 38) is not used and OUT (PFI 36) is not used and not configured.

Is there a way to release the unused lines so that they can be configured as digital output/input lines, while the counter is running?

The counter is setup with DAQmxCreateCILinEncoderChan

Example B:

Here the counter is used as a pulse generator and thus only OUT is used. The remaining 3 PFI channels are not used and should therefore be useable for DIO - but they are not accessible while the counter task is running.

This counter is setup with DAQmxCreateCOPulseChanFreq + DAQmxCfgImplicitTiming