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[on:]

Looking to the sample code I found in the tutorial section (http://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/ShiftOut) I can switch "on" LEDs one by one using the second example. In my specific case I want to light up for example LED3 and LED7 I need to switch between LED3 and LED7 which reduces the lumen output by at least 50%, correct?

How would a code look like to have the cases as described above, so switchin on two or three LEDs the same time?

[Reply #1 on:]

The simplest code to do just what you want, given the definitions and the setup() in the example

Code:

 // turn off the output so the pins don't light up
  // while you're shifting bits:
  digitalWrite(latchPin, LOW);

  // shift the bits out:  0B10001000 sets pins 3 and 7
  shiftOut(dataPin, clockPin, MSBFIRST, 0B10001000);

    // turn on the output so the LEDs can light up:
  digitalWrite(latchPin, HIGH);

Probably you would be wise to use a procedure to set the value:

Code:

void setBits(int val) {
  // turn off the output so the pins don't light up
  // while you're shifting bits:
  digitalWrite(latchPin, LOW);

  // shift the bits out:  
  shiftOut(dataPin, clockPin, MSBFIRST, val);

    // turn on the output so the LEDs can light up:
  digitalWrite(latchPin, HIGH);
}

and then call it like

Code:

  setBits(0B10001000);

[Reply #2 on:]

I'll try this soon. Thanks for your help!

[Reply #3 on:]

Sorry, too much Hex (0x) on my mind.  The binary constants are B10001000, not 0B10001000.

[Reply #4 on:]

How do you find that Led 3 and 7 = B10001000?
What's the formula?

[Reply #5 on:]

In B10001000, bit 7 (the leftmost) bit is set, as is bit 3. The other bits are cleared.

[Reply #6 on:]

I can switch "on" LEDs one by one using the second example. In my specific case I want to light up for example LED3 and LED7 I need to switch between LED3 and LED7 which reduces the lumen output by at least 50%, correct?

Not neccesarily. That second example you mention, is a simple example limited to only set one output pin at a time via serial. To set more simultanously, you would have to modify the code.
You can set all 8 bits, or any combination, in a shiftregister as the posts above shows. Did you try the first example?

[Reply #7 on:]

I tried this now and it works :

Code:

//Pin connected to ST_CP of 74HC595
int latchPin = 8;
//Pin connected to SH_CP of 74HC595
int clockPin = 12;
////Pin connected to DS of 74HC595
int dataPin = 11;
//holder for information you're going to pass to shifting function

void setup() {
  //set pins to output because they are addressed in the main loop
  pinMode(latchPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(clockPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dataPin, OUTPUT);

}

void loop() {

  // turn off the output so the pins don't light up
  // while you're shifting bits:
  digitalWrite(latchPin, LOW);

  // shift the bits out:  0B10001000 sets pins 3 and 7
  shiftOut(dataPin, clockPin, MSBFIRST, B10001000);
  digitalWrite(latchPin, HIGH);
  
  
 }

Now my next step is to develop a code connecting single bytes from different variables to some kind of a "string of bytes" I can shift out with the sketch above. I tried to do it with the "strcat" command, but it works with char only   :-[

Is there a similar command for bytes?

[Reply #8 on:]

As long as you're not doing arithmetic on them, "byte"s are "char"s.

[Reply #9 on:]

I do not wan to make arithmetics with them. I (think I) tried to execute what you proposed, but the result is failure message:

In function 'void loop()':
error: invalid conversion from 'char' to 'const char*/

The code I used is the following:

Code:

int latchPin = 8;
int clockPin = 12;
int dataPin = 11;

char bytestosend[50];
char first = 1;
char second = 0;
char third = 0;
char fourth = 1;

void setup() {
  pinMode(latchPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(clockPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(dataPin, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {

  digitalWrite(latchPin, LOW);
  shiftOut(dataPin, clockPin, MSBFIRST, B01000100);
  digitalWrite(latchPin, HIGH);
  
   bytestosend[0] = 0;
   strcat (bytestosend, first);
   strcat (bytestosend, second);
   strcat (bytestosend, third);
   strcat (bytestosend, fourth);
   // just to check what I have done
// expecting 1001
Serial.println(bytestosend);
 }

:-[

[Reply #10 on:]

Take a look at the bitWrite function. It allows you to set or clear individual bits.

Code:

byte valToSend = 0;
bitWrite(valToSend, 7, 1); // Set bit 7
bitWrite(valToSend, 3, 1); // Set bit 3

valToSend now contains B10001000

[Reply #11 on:]

Dear PaulS
That was the perfect hint!

My system works fine with 8bit messages. I need to etent that to 24 bit but I think that isn't an issue.

Thanks to the other members of the Thread leading to that solution!

[Reply #12 on:]

The reason this:

Code:

bytestosend[0] = 0;
   strcat (bytestosend, first);

failed to compile is because "strcat" expects two strings (char arrays) as arguments, whereas "first" is a simple "char" scalar.

However, it wasn't a viable solution in the first place.