SoftPWM Library

[bhagman]

I created a new software PWM output library.  It was made for controlling LEDs.

A few features of this library:

• Arbitrary output pins.
  
• Up to 16 different channels can be created.
  
• True zero level, i.e. off = off
  
• Separate fade rates for on and off.
  

http://code.google.com/p/rogue-code/wiki/SoftPWMLibraryDocumentation

Quick demos here:

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2slHEADOJ8g&feature=player_embedded[/media]

[media]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jE7Zw1zNL6c&feature=player_embedded[/media]

b

[MarvinMartian]

That's neat - I was just writing some code to manage the fade up & down when switching the LEDs too - but using the built in PMW so was limited to the 6 lines. Yours is much better!

[Valygar]

One question about the library. I tried to use it with a project that used already the 6 PWM ports, and it didn't work (there was no activity at the sofpwm port, or the hardware pwm ports)

I tried to disable the analogPWM hardware signals, pin outputs and then the leds controlled by softpwm worked.

So, if I use this library I have to control all pins with this library?

In any case, many thanks for this library!

[bhagman]

The SoftPWM Library only uses Timer2.  So, unless there is something I'm missing, you just won't be able to use the two hardware PWM output pins for that timer (pins 3 and 11).  The others should work (hardware PWM on pins 5, 6, 9 and 10).

b

[Zonkie]

So, do i understand it right, that this Library makes me able to use the digital out pins on my duenmilanove (Or also the mini) as PWM Pins?

[ringz]

Thanks for all the hard work bhagman.

I have installed it and will have a play with it later.

Martyn.

[amacmullen14]

Is there any relatively simple way to make the library use a different timer?

Or, another question to solve the issue I have:
If I start the softwarePWM library before I begin() some objects on the Tone library, will the Tones automatically take the next available timer?  I know they do this when there are multiple tone objects, but how about other libraries?

[bhagman]

@zonkie: Yes.  That's exactly what the library is for.  Just a reminder though, that it is not intended for use with things like servos - although it will work, it is not recommended.  The reason being is that the SoftPWM range of values is over the entire pulse width, whereas a servo expects a pulse over a tight range (0.5 mS to 2.5 mS and repeated every 20 mS).  Hence, the range of usable values for a servo or such would be something like 40 to 50 resulting in big jumps in the servo position.

@sciguy: All the objects that use the hardware timers suffer from the problem of being tied to a specific timer.  I was thinking that the best solution (i.e. kludge) to this would be to make a library named for each timer, and thus you can pick which timer you want to use.  Would that make sense? e.g. SoftPWM1 for timer 1, SoftPWM2 for timer2, etc.

b

[private_click]

hello.
i'm getting this when i try to compile a sketch that uses your library.

Code: [Select]


C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-0018\libraries\SoftPWM\SoftPWM.cpp: In function 'void SoftPWMBegin()':

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-0018\libraries\SoftPWM\SoftPWM.cpp:123: error: 'TIFR2' was not declared in this scope

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-0018\libraries\SoftPWM\SoftPWM.cpp:124: error: 'TCCR2B' was not declared in this scope

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-0018\libraries\SoftPWM\SoftPWM.cpp:125: error: 'TCCR2A' was not declared in this scope

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-0018\libraries\SoftPWM\SoftPWM.cpp:126: error: 'OCR2A' was not declared in this scope

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-0018\libraries\SoftPWM\SoftPWM.cpp:127: error: 'TIMSK2' was not declared in this scope

C:\Program Files (x86)\Arduino\arduino-0018\libraries\SoftPWM\SoftPWM.cpp:127: error: 'OCIE2A' was not declared in this scope


i just tried to include the headers for the library.i get the same error when i am trying to compile one of the examples.
the chip is an atmega8, for 328 works fine.
help?