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[on:]

Hi all,

I am using Arduino to become more electronicly savy as a mechanical engineer. So I am pretty much a noob.

I build a 4x4x4 cube following the example in the link below.
http://www.instructables.com/id/4x4x4-LED-Cube-Arduino/#intro

One thing i did different, because I dont have the NPN transistors. I used a Darlington transitor array uln2803A.

Now I want to write some of my own code.
But when I just want to light up one led the whole collum lights up. What am I doing wrong??



The code is below.

Code:

#include <avr/pgmspace.h> // allows use of PROGMEM to store patterns in flash

#define CUBESIZE 4
#define PLANESIZE CUBESIZE*CUBESIZE
#define PLANETIME 500 // time each plane is displayed in us -> 100 Hz refresh
#define TIMECONST 20 // multiplies DisplayTime to get ms - why not =100?

// LED Pattern Table in PROGMEM - last column is display time in 100ms units
// TODO this could be a lot more compact but not with binary pattern representation
prog_uchar PROGMEM PatternTable[] = {
// blink on and off

B1000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,100,

B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,10,

// this is a dummy element for end of table (duration=0) aka !!!DO NOT TOUCH!!!
B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, 0
};

/*
** Defining pins in array makes it easier to rearrange how cube is wired
** Adjust numbers here until LEDs flash in order - L to R, T to B
** Note that analog inputs 0-5 are also digital outputs 14-19!
** Pin DigitalOut0 (serial RX) and AnalogIn5 are left open for future apps
*/

int LEDPin[] = {13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 14, 15};
int PlanePin[] = {16, 17, 18, 19};

// initialization
void setup()
{
int pin; // loop counter
// set up LED pins as output (active HIGH)
for (pin=0; pin<PLANESIZE; pin++) {
pinMode( LEDPin[pin], OUTPUT );
}
// set up plane pins as outputs (active LOW)
for (pin=0; pin<CUBESIZE; pin++) {
pinMode( PlanePin[pin], OUTPUT );
}
}

// display pattern in table until DisplayTime is zero (then repeat)
void loop()
{
// declare variables
byte PatternBuf[PLANESIZE]; // saves current pattern from PatternTable
int PatternIdx;
byte DisplayTime; // time*100ms to display pattern
unsigned long EndTime;
int plane; // loop counter for cube refresh
int patbufidx; // indexes which byte from pattern buffer
int ledrow; // counts LEDs in refresh loop
int ledcol; // counts LEDs in refresh loop
int ledpin; // counts LEDs in refresh loop

// Initialize PatternIdx to beginning of pattern table
PatternIdx = 0;
// loop over entries in pattern table - while DisplayTime>0
do {
// read pattern from PROGMEM and save in array
memcpy_P( PatternBuf, PatternTable+PatternIdx, PLANESIZE );
PatternIdx += PLANESIZE;
// read DisplayTime from PROGMEM and increment index
DisplayTime = pgm_read_byte_near( PatternTable + PatternIdx++ );
// compute EndTime from current time (ms) and DisplayTime
EndTime = millis() + ((unsigned long) DisplayTime) * TIMECONST;

// loop while DisplayTime>0 and current time < EndTime
while ( millis() < EndTime ) {
patbufidx = 0; // reset index counter to beginning of buffer
// loop over planes
for (plane=0; plane<CUBESIZE; plane++) {
// turn previous plane off
if (plane==0) {
digitalWrite( PlanePin[CUBESIZE-1], HIGH );
} else {
digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane-1], HIGH );
}

// load current plane pattern data into ports
ledpin = 0;
for (ledrow=0; ledrow<CUBESIZE; ledrow++) {
for (ledcol=0; ledcol<CUBESIZE; ledcol++) {
digitalWrite( LEDPin[ledpin++], PatternBuf[patbufidx] & (1 << ledcol) );
}
patbufidx++;
}

// turn current plane on
digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane], LOW );
// delay PLANETIME us
delayMicroseconds( PLANETIME );
} // for plane
} // while <EndTime
} while (DisplayTime > 0); // read patterns until time=0 which signals end
}

[Reply #1 on:]

nobody?

[Reply #2 on:]

nobody?

Use the Arduino IDE's auto format tool (Under tools > Auto format)  before posting code; nobody is going to want to help you with code looking like that.

[Reply #3 on:]

I only made  the part where i light up one led to check if it works. When i run this code a whole column lights up.

the code below is my part. the rest I copied of the instructables
 B1000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,100,

Code:

#include <avr/pgmspace.h> // allows use of PROGMEM to store patterns in flash

#define CUBESIZE 4
#define PLANESIZE CUBESIZE*CUBESIZE
#define PLANETIME 500 // time each plane is displayed in us -> 100 Hz refresh
#define TIMECONST 20 // multiplies DisplayTime to get ms - why not =100?

// LED Pattern Table in PROGMEM - last column is display time in 100ms units
// TODO this could be a lot more compact but not with binary pattern representation
prog_uchar PROGMEM PatternTable[] = {
  // blink on and off

  B1000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,100,

  B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,10,

  // this is a dummy element for end of table (duration=0) aka !!!DO NOT TOUCH!!!
  B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, B0000, 0
};

/*
** Defining pins in array makes it easier to rearrange how cube is wired
 ** Adjust numbers here until LEDs flash in order - L to R, T to B
 ** Note that analog inputs 0-5 are also digital outputs 14-19!
 ** Pin DigitalOut0 (serial RX) and AnalogIn5 are left open for future apps
 */

int LEDPin[] = {
  13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, 14, 15};
int PlanePin[] = {
  16, 17, 18, 19};

// initialization
void setup()
{
  int pin; // loop counter
  // set up LED pins as output (active HIGH)
  for (pin=0; pin<PLANESIZE; pin++) {
    pinMode( LEDPin[pin], OUTPUT );
  }
  // set up plane pins as outputs (active LOW)
  for (pin=0; pin<CUBESIZE; pin++) {
    pinMode( PlanePin[pin], OUTPUT );
  }
}

// display pattern in table until DisplayTime is zero (then repeat)
void loop()
{
  // declare variables
  byte PatternBuf[PLANESIZE]; // saves current pattern from PatternTable
  int PatternIdx;
  byte DisplayTime; // time*100ms to display pattern
  unsigned long EndTime;
  int plane; // loop counter for cube refresh
  int patbufidx; // indexes which byte from pattern buffer
  int ledrow; // counts LEDs in refresh loop
  int ledcol; // counts LEDs in refresh loop
  int ledpin; // counts LEDs in refresh loop

  // Initialize PatternIdx to beginning of pattern table
  PatternIdx = 0;
  // loop over entries in pattern table - while DisplayTime>0
  do {
    // read pattern from PROGMEM and save in array
    memcpy_P( PatternBuf, PatternTable+PatternIdx, PLANESIZE );
    PatternIdx += PLANESIZE;
    // read DisplayTime from PROGMEM and increment index
    DisplayTime = pgm_read_byte_near( PatternTable + PatternIdx++ );
    // compute EndTime from current time (ms) and DisplayTime
    EndTime = millis() + ((unsigned long) DisplayTime) * TIMECONST;

    // loop while DisplayTime>0 and current time < EndTime
    while ( millis() < EndTime ) {
      patbufidx = 0; // reset index counter to beginning of buffer
      // loop over planes
      for (plane=0; plane<CUBESIZE; plane++) {
        // turn previous plane off
        if (plane==0) {
          digitalWrite( PlanePin[CUBESIZE-1], HIGH );
        }
        else {
          digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane-1], HIGH );
        }

        // load current plane pattern data into ports
        ledpin = 0;
        for (ledrow=0; ledrow<CUBESIZE; ledrow++) {
          for (ledcol=0; ledcol<CUBESIZE; ledcol++) {
            digitalWrite( LEDPin[ledpin++], PatternBuf[patbufidx] & (1 << ledcol) );
          }
          patbufidx++;
        }

        // turn current plane on
        digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane], LOW );
        // delay PLANETIME us
        delayMicroseconds( PLANETIME );
      } // for plane
    } // while <EndTime
  }
  while (DisplayTime > 0); // read patterns until time=0 which signals end
}

[Reply #4 on:]

I thought it took 3 variables to light a single led, x,y,z, going into an AND gate. You only have x and y, so you can't isolate the led that you want at z. I'm not sure how to actually code it, other than IF statements arranged as AND gates. If x=1, and y=1 and z=1, the bottom corner should only be lit, and so on.

[Reply #5 on:]

No you only need 2. The idea is you light one column and one plane. This will cause one led to light up. Cause the other leds in the column are not grounded by the plane.
To light several leds is to switch very fast between them (called multiplexing).

the code is not mine i just changed a bit.
Does anyone see where I can change the number of refresh time?

[Reply #6 on:]

can no one help me ?

[Reply #7 on:]

It could be a problem with the darlington pair array, you might have it wired incorrectly, or it could be with your  LED pins.

The plane determines which set of LEDS are on, so that may be correct, but you may be sending out more than 1 output.

Im not familiar with (B1000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,B0000,100) as a form of port manipulation. Normally it is B0000xxxx,Bxxxxxxxx or something simular.

Look at this site.
http://tronixstuff.wordpress.com/2011/10/22/tutorial-arduino-port-manipulation/

[Reply #8 on:]

thanks for your reply.

When i control the leds iduvidual by saying turn on layer 3 and led 6 it works.

[Reply #9 on:]

ok well what exactly is representing layer 3 and led 6? You said you have 1 column that lights up, well that column should have 4 individual data lines(ledpins) and 1 common(plane). You may have the plane correct but you could be sending out 4 led outputs instead of just the one you need.

Or, it is possible that you just wired it wrong, I don't know. Did you test every LED individually?

[Reply #10 on:]

From the code you posted:

Code:

       // turn previous plane off
        if (plane==0) {
          digitalWrite( PlanePin[CUBESIZE-1], HIGH );
        }
        else {
          digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane-1], HIGH );
        }

...
        // turn current plane on
        digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane], LOW );

I think that code is wrong. If you are driving the planes through a ULN2803 buffer (or through NPN transistors), then the plane outputs are active high, not active low. So you need to write LOW to switch a plane off and HIGH to switch it on.

[Reply #11 on:]

If the whole column lights up that suggests all the planes are being enabled. Looking at that sketch, it expects the plane output pins to be active low. Is that how you have wired them up?

ETA: Looks like dc42 is ahead of me.

[Reply #12 on:]

From the code you posted:

Code:

       // turn previous plane off
        if (plane==0) {
          digitalWrite( PlanePin[CUBESIZE-1], HIGH );
        }
        else {
          digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane-1], HIGH );
        }

...
        // turn current plane on
        digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane], LOW );

I think that code is wrong. If you are driving the planes through a ULN2803 buffer (or through NPN transistors), then the plane outputs are active high, not active low. So you need to write LOW to switch a plane off and HIGH to switch it on.

Thank you very very much it works now!!

The last part of the code should have been as below

Thank you again 

Code:

// loop while DisplayTime>0 and current time < EndTime
while ( millis() < EndTime ) {
patbufidx = 0; // reset index counter to beginning of buffer
// loop over planes
for (plane=0; plane<CUBESIZE; plane++) {
// turn previous plane off
if (plane==0) {
digitalWrite( PlanePin[CUBESIZE-1], LOW );
} else {
digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane-1], LOW );
}

// load current plane pattern data into ports
ledpin = 0;
for (ledrow=0; ledrow<CUBESIZE; ledrow++) {
for (ledcol=0; ledcol<CUBESIZE; ledcol++) {
digitalWrite( LEDPin[ledpin++], PatternBuf[patbufidx] & (1 << ledcol) );
}
patbufidx++;
}

// turn current plane on
digitalWrite( PlanePin[plane], HIGH );
// delay PLANETIME us
delayMicroseconds( PLANETIME );
} // for plane
} // while <EndTime
} while (DisplayTime > 0); // read patterns until time=0 which signals end
}