Our next step is to combine several of these flicker free effects. The obvious thing we have to take care of is the (flash) memory consumption. Since the compiler compiles the previous sketch to ~4kBytes we can store ~8 animations in flash memory. Now the question arises how to achieve this. Since everything is now generated by macros we can not use a „case“ statement for branching.
One approach would be to generate one array per animation. Another approach is store all animations in succession in just one array. Both approaches have pros and cons. As it turned out though the actual catch is the expanded size of the macros. At least on my machine it was impossible to compile such a large macro because the compiler hit the memory limits of my machine. As I already said this is due to the recursive expansion. The obvious fallback to a (python) generator script defers the whole idea of having everything in the sketch. So we need some means to „store“ intermediate results at compile time. Before I explain how it works lets have a look at the final sketch.
//
// www.blinkenlight.net
//
// Copyright 2011 Udo Klein
//
// This program is free software: you can redistribute it and/or modify
// it under the terms of the GNU General Public License as published by
// the Free Software Foundation, either version 3 of the License, or
// (at your option) any later version.
//
// This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
// but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
// MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the
// GNU General Public License for more details.
//
// You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License
// along with this program. If not, see http://www.gnu.org/licenses/
#include <EEPROM.h>
#include <MsTimer2.h>
#include <avr/io.h>
#include <avr/pgmspace.h>
const uint8_t patterns = 3;
const uint8_t ports = 3;
const uint8_t brightness_levels = 32;
const uint8_t period = 38;
const uint8_t half_period = period>>1; // 19
// phase will loop from 0 to period
#define cursor(phase) (phase<half_period? phase: period-phase)
#define distance_to_cursor(LED, phase) abs(LED-cursor(phase))
#define brightness_by_distance(distance) \
(distance==0? 32: \
(distance==1? 16: \
(distance==2? 8: \
(distance==3? 2: 1))))
#define b1(LED, phase) (brightness_by_distance(distance_to_cursor(LED, phase)))
#define p1(LED, phase) b1(LED, phase)
#define b2(LED, phase) (brightness_by_distance(distance_to_cursor(LED, ((phase+half_period)%period))))
#define p2(LED, phase) max(b1(LED, phase), b2(LED, phase))
#define tmp(LED, phase) ((phase<half_period? phase: period-phase)-abs(2*LED-19)+3)
#define p3(LED, phase) (tmp(LED, phase)? (3*tmp(LED, phase))/2: 0)
#define brightness_LED(pattern, LED) \
enum brightness_##pattern##_##LED { \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_0 = pattern(LED, 0), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_1 = pattern(LED, 1), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_2 = pattern(LED, 2), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_3 = pattern(LED, 3), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_4 = pattern(LED, 4), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_5 = pattern(LED, 5), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_6 = pattern(LED, 6), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_7 = pattern(LED, 7), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_8 = pattern(LED, 8), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_9 = pattern(LED, 9), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_10 = pattern(LED,10), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_11 = pattern(LED,11), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_12 = pattern(LED,12), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_13 = pattern(LED,13), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_14 = pattern(LED,14), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_15 = pattern(LED,15), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_16 = pattern(LED,16), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_17 = pattern(LED,17), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_18 = pattern(LED,18), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_19 = pattern(LED,19), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_20 = pattern(LED,20), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_21 = pattern(LED,21), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_22 = pattern(LED,22), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_23 = pattern(LED,23), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_24 = pattern(LED,24), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_25 = pattern(LED,25), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_26 = pattern(LED,26), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_27 = pattern(LED,27), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_28 = pattern(LED,28), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_29 = pattern(LED,29), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_30 = pattern(LED,30), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_31 = pattern(LED,31), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_32 = pattern(LED,32), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_33 = pattern(LED,33), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_34 = pattern(LED,34), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_35 = pattern(LED,35), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_36 = pattern(LED,36), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_37 = pattern(LED,37), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_38 = pattern(LED,38) }
#define brightness_enumeration(pattern) \
brightness_LED(pattern, 0); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 1); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 2); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 3); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 4); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 5); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 6); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 7); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 8); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 9); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 10); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 11); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 12); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 13); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 14); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 15); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 16); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 17); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 18); \
brightness_LED(pattern, 19)
// cycle will loop from 0 to brightness_level
#define LEDstate(pattern, LED, phase, cycle) (( cycle > brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_##phase )? 0: 1)
#define PortstateC(pattern, phase, cycle) ( \
(LEDstate(pattern, 14, phase, cycle) ) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 15, phase, cycle)<<1) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 16, phase, cycle)<<2) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 17, phase, cycle)<<3) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 18, phase, cycle)<<4) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 19, phase, cycle)<<5) )
#define PortstateB(pattern, phase, cycle) ( \
(LEDstate(pattern, 8, phase, cycle) ) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 9, phase, cycle)<<1) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 10, phase, cycle)<<2) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 11, phase, cycle)<<3) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 12, phase, cycle)<<4) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 13, phase, cycle)<<5) )
#define PortstateD(pattern, phase, cycle) ( \
(LEDstate(pattern, 0, phase, cycle) ) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 1, phase, cycle)<<1) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 2, phase, cycle)<<2) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 3, phase, cycle)<<3) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 4, phase, cycle)<<4) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 5, phase, cycle)<<5) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 6, phase, cycle)<<6) + \
(LEDstate(pattern, 7, phase, cycle)<<7) )
#define Ports(pattern, phase, cycle) PortstateC(pattern, phase, cycle), PortstateB(pattern, phase, cycle), PortstateD(pattern, phase, cycle)
#define pwm(pattern, phase) \
Ports(pattern, phase, 0), Ports(pattern, phase, 1), Ports(pattern, phase, 2), Ports(pattern, phase, 3), \
Ports(pattern, phase, 4), Ports(pattern, phase, 5), Ports(pattern, phase, 6), Ports(pattern, phase, 7), \
Ports(pattern, phase, 8), Ports(pattern, phase, 9), Ports(pattern, phase, 10), Ports(pattern, phase, 11), \
Ports(pattern, phase, 12), Ports(pattern, phase, 13), Ports(pattern, phase, 14), Ports(pattern, phase, 15), \
Ports(pattern, phase, 16), Ports(pattern, phase, 17), Ports(pattern, phase, 18), Ports(pattern, phase, 19), \
Ports(pattern, phase, 20), Ports(pattern, phase, 21), Ports(pattern, phase, 22), Ports(pattern, phase, 23), \
Ports(pattern, phase, 24), Ports(pattern, phase, 25), Ports(pattern, phase, 26), Ports(pattern, phase, 27), \
Ports(pattern, phase, 28), Ports(pattern, phase, 29), Ports(pattern, phase, 30), Ports(pattern, phase, 31)
#define the_pattern(pattern) \
pwm(pattern, 0), pwm(pattern, 1), pwm(pattern, 2), pwm(pattern, 3), pwm(pattern, 4), \
pwm(pattern, 5), pwm(pattern, 6), pwm(pattern, 7), pwm(pattern, 8), pwm(pattern, 9), \
pwm(pattern,10), pwm(pattern,11), pwm(pattern,12), pwm(pattern,13), pwm(pattern,14), \
pwm(pattern,15), pwm(pattern,16), pwm(pattern,17), pwm(pattern,18), pwm(pattern,19), \
pwm(pattern,20), pwm(pattern,21), pwm(pattern,22), pwm(pattern,23), pwm(pattern,24), \
pwm(pattern,25), pwm(pattern,26), pwm(pattern,27), pwm(pattern,28), pwm(pattern,29), \
pwm(pattern,30), pwm(pattern,31), pwm(pattern,32), pwm(pattern,33), pwm(pattern,34), \
pwm(pattern,35), pwm(pattern,36), pwm(pattern,37)
brightness_enumeration(p1);
brightness_enumeration(p2);
brightness_enumeration(p3);
uint8_t const pov_pattern[patterns*ports*brightness_levels*period] PROGMEM = {
the_pattern(p1),
the_pattern(p2),
the_pattern(p3)
};
uint8_t get_next_count(const uint8_t count_limit) {
// n cells to use --> 1/n wear per cll --> n times the life time
const uint16_t cells_to_use = 128;
// default cell to change
uint8_t change_this_cell = 0;
// value of the default cell
uint8_t change_value = EEPROM.read(change_this_cell);
// will be used to aggregate the count_limit
// must be able to hold values up to cells_to_use*255 + 1
uint32_t count = change_value;
for (uint16_t cell = 1; cell < cells_to_use; ++cell) {
uint8_t value = EEPROM.read(cell);
// determine current count by cummulating all cells
count += value;
if (value != change_value ) {
// at the same time find at least one cell that differs
change_this_cell = cell;
}
}
// Either a cell differs from cell 0 --> change it
// Otherwise no cell differs from cell 0 --> change cell 0
// Since a cell might initially hold a value of -1 the % operator must be applied twice
EEPROM.write(change_this_cell, (EEPROM.read(change_this_cell) % count_limit + 1) % count_limit);
// return the new count
return (count + 1) % count_limit;
}
static uint16_t mode_offset = 0;
volatile uint16_t base_index = 0;
void iterate() {
base_index += ports*brightness_levels;
if (base_index >= sizeof(pov_pattern)/patterns) { base_index = 0; }
}
void setup() {
mode_offset = get_next_count(patterns)*ports*brightness_levels*period;
DDRD = 0b11111111; // set digital 0- 7 to output
DDRB = 0b00111111; // set digital 8-13 to output
DDRC = 0b00111111; // set digital 14-19 to output (coincidences with analog 0-5)
MsTimer2::set(60, iterate);
MsTimer2::start();
}
void loop() {
static uint16_t index;
cli();
index = base_index + mode_offset;
sei();
for (uint8_t cycle=0; cycle<brightness_levels; ++cycle) {
PORTC = pgm_read_byte(pov_pattern+(index++));
PORTB = pgm_read_byte(pov_pattern+(index++));
PORTD = pgm_read_byte(pov_pattern+(index++));
}
}
Let’s dissect this sketch. The runtime is basically the same. The only thing that was added is the code for selecting the desired offset depending on the number of resets counted. Again the reset switch becomes the mode selection switch.
But the macros are now somewhat more complicated. The two new complications are:
- There are several patterns that are passed around as a parameter.
- Enumerations are used as a means to tell the compiler to store intermediate results.
Let’s look at (1) first. Many macros now contain a „pattern“ parameter. Since macros are evaluated recursively it is possible to pass a macro name as this parameter. This subtle point is very important. The macro processor just substitutes and expands strings. So it will not care how this macro name is actually used. Thus we can use it for two different purposes. The main purpose is to have a parameter for the desired pattern. Eventually this parameter gets substituted with the desired brightness computation.
Now let’s look at (2). The reason why the compiler fails with the macros is that macros like the portstate macros will call macros like the LEDstate macro 20 times with the same values. This happens with other macros as well. The recursively expanded macros become to bloated for the compiler to swallow. Remember that the compiler would compute an integer value out of these macros? So we need some entity that exists at compile time that can store an integer value. Then we can use this entity to avoid recursing the macros. The typical choice for such an entity are enumeration values. So we will store the intermediate compile time values in suitable enumerations. In order to avoid name clashes these enumerations will contain the parameter names.
That’s what the following macro is for.
#define brightness_LED(pattern, LED) \
enum brightness_##pattern##_##LED { \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_0 = pattern(LED, 0), \
brightness_##pattern##_##LED##_1 = pattern(LED, 1), \
...
The ##pattern## tells the macro processor to insert the pattern string without further expanding it. The enumeration definition it will generate from e.g. pattern = 1, LED = 3 will look like
enum brightness_p1_3 { \
brightness_p1_3_0 = pattern(LED, 0), \
brightness_p1_3_1 = pattern(LED, 1), \
...
Instead of expanding the macros over and over again it is now possible to refer to these enumerations over and over again. This in turn decreases the expanded macro size and will make the compiler happy.
If this is to hard to understand just ignore it and DO NOT USE THIS TECHNIQUE. It just serves as an example of how far the macro processor can be pushed. If you understand this example reimplement it with template meta programming and post your results 😉
All others: it is fine to use scripts to generate this kind of code. I just was investigating how far this can be pushed. I would not recommend such code for a production system. Still for educational purposes I think it can be justified to demonstrate this kind of technique.
Blinkenlight 