Help please for RGB and timing tips

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

Hello all,
This is my first attempt at an Arduino project.

I want to create a code to change RGB lights over the course of the day. The code I created works as is, but I want to add 2 more pieces:

  1. I want to start the code at certain times of day (eventually I want to get the time via GPS, but lets walk before we run!)
    Something like "if current hour =6, then run 0600 time RGB array".

  2. More importantly I want to gradually fade from one RGB array color set to the next one. I know I can man-handle each time set, but there has to be a more elegant way to do it.
    I want to:

  • Compare Last RGB Array setting to New RGB Array setting.

  • Determine value difference between New RGB Array and Last RGB Array.

  • Increment or decrement by that value difference (or stay the same if values are the same), over X amount of time. I put a delay in there temporarily, but want to get rid of that.

For some reason I cannot upload the code, but I will paste the bulk of it.

I've scoured the internet for codes, tutorials, videos, etc., but I'm running stuck.
Please help, or point me in the right direction! Thanks

#include<TimeLib.h>

int fadeTime_ms = 3000; //increase to increase delay time (ms)
int redled = 3;
int greenled = 5;
int blueled = 6;
int i;

//28 Array settings in all

//00-03:00 3:30 4:00 4:30 5:00 5:30 6:00 6:30 7:00 7:30 7:45 8-830 9:00 9:30 10-1730 18:00 18:30 19:00 19:30 20:00 20:15 20:30 21:00 21:30 22:00 22:30 23:00 23:30
int redarray[] {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 50, 120, 150, 200, 215, 225, 230, 240, 255, 255, 255, 225, 225, 220, 215, 200, 180, 150, 0, 0, 0, 0};
int greenarray[] {0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 50, 120, 150, 200, 215, 225, 230, 240, 255, 255, 255, 225, 225, 220, 215, 200, 180, 150, 0, 0, 0, 0};
int bluearray[] {100, 110, 120, 130, 140, 150, 150, 150, 150, 150, 150, 150, 200, 225, 255, 200, 150, 150, 150, 150, 150, 150, 150, 140, 130, 120, 115, 100};

// the setup routine runs once when you press reset
void setup() {

Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {

//28 Arrays in all

//Time:0000-0300
analogWrite(redled, redarray[0]);
analogWrite(greenled, greenarray[0]);
analogWrite(blueled, bluearray[0]);
delay(fadeTime_ms);
Serial.println("0300");

//Time:0330
analogWrite(redled, redarray[1]);
analogWrite(greenled, greenarray[1]);
analogWrite(blueled, bluearray[1]);
delay(fadeTime_ms);
Serial.println("0330");

//Time:0400
analogWrite(redled, redarray[2]);
analogWrite(greenled, greenarray[2]);
analogWrite(blueled, bluearray[2]);
delay(fadeTime_ms);
Serial.println("0400");

//Time:0430
analogWrite(redled, redarray[3]);
analogWrite(greenled, greenarray[3]);
analogWrite(blueled, bluearray[3]);
delay(fadeTime_ms);
Serial.println("0430");

//Time:0500
analogWrite(redled, redarray[4]);
analogWrite(greenled, greenarray[4]);
analogWrite(blueled, bluearray[4]);
delay(fadeTime_ms);
Serial.println("0500");

//Time:0530
analogWrite(redled, redarray[5]);
analogWrite(greenled, greenarray[5]);
analogWrite(blueled, bluearray[5]);
delay(fadeTime_ms);
Serial.println("0530");

etc, through 2400 hours

2

Hello stevenorman
Post your current sketch, well formated, with comments and in so called code tags "</>" and a schematic, not a Fritzy diagram, to see how we can help.
Have a nice day and enjoy coding in C++.
Дайте миру шанс

3

RTC (Real Time Clock) to keep time of day. Arduinos are not great time keepers. GPS will likely not work indoors, only outdoors with a clear view of the sky.

4

OK. Good to know. Thanks!

5

You should be able to use the time to calculate which array index is currently in force rather than explicitly coding for each time interval. A common technique to simplify the calculation is to derive minutes (or seconds) since midnight.

As noted above, GPS may not work indoors so you will need an RTC. I have a large skylight that permits GPS reception and sometimes it works right next to a window, but even then it's flakey. You might use GPS to set the time on the RTC if it has a fix though, even if you have to move the apparatus to a spot with reception.

6

Thank you! It’s on my wish list, but as I stated, this is my first attempt at coding. Any advice as to a sample code to accomplish that?

7

here is a demo-code that creates a pure software RTC. Depending on the used board and if this board has ceramic resonator or a chrystal as clock-source the deviation will be up to minutes per day from exact time.

calculating "MinutesOfDay by hour * 60 + minutes is much easier to compare than hours and minutes separately

/* This software belongs to the public domain
 * Attention: a software-RTC like this one 
 * which uses the onboard-oscillator of the microcontroller-board
 * has a deviation from exact time of up to multiple seconds per day
 * This means of you want real time with a higher precision use a
 * hardware based RTC which will be much more precise
 */

unsigned long RTC_Timer  = 0;
unsigned long MyTestTimer;

int RTC_Hour   = 0;
int RTC_Minute = 59;
int RTC_Second = 50;
int RTC_10nth_Seconds = 0;
int minutesOfDay;
long secondsOfDay;


// easy to use helper-function for non-blocking timing
boolean TimePeriodIsOver (unsigned long &periodStartTime, unsigned long TimePeriod) {
  unsigned long currentMillis  = millis();
  if ( currentMillis - periodStartTime >= TimePeriod )
  {
    periodStartTime = currentMillis; // set new expireTime
    return true;                // more time than TimePeriod) has elapsed since last time if-condition was true
  }
  else return false;            // not expired
}


void PrintRTC_Data() {
  Serial.print("Software RTC time: ");
  Serial.print(RTC_Hour);
  Serial.print(":");
  Serial.print(RTC_Minute);
  Serial.print(":");
  Serial.print(RTC_Second);

  minutesOfDay = RTC_Hour * 60 + RTC_Minute;
  secondsOfDay = RTC_Hour * 3600 + RTC_Minute * 60 + RTC_Second;

  Serial.print(" minutesOfDay:");
  Serial.print(minutesOfDay);

  Serial.print("  secondsOfDay:");
  Serial.print(secondsOfDay);  
  Serial.println();
  
}


void SoftRTC() {
  if ( TimePeriodIsOver(RTC_Timer, 100) ) { // once every 100 milliseconds 
    RTC_10nth_Seconds ++;                   // increase 1/10th-seconds counter
    
    if (RTC_10nth_Seconds == 10) {          // if 1/10th-seconds reaches 10
      RTC_10nth_Seconds = 0;                // reset 1/10th-seconds counterto zero
      RTC_Second++;                         // increase seconds counter by 1

      if (RTC_Second == 60) {               // if seconds counter reaches 60
        RTC_Minute++;                       // increase minutes counter by 1
        RTC_Second = 0;                     // reset seconds counter to zero
      }
    }

    if (RTC_Minute == 60) {                 // if minutes counter reaches 60
      RTC_Hour++;                           // increase hour counter by 1
      RTC_Minute = 0;                       // reset minutes counter to zero
    }

    if (RTC_Hour == 24) {                   // if hours counter reaches 24 
      RTC_Hour = 0;                         // reset hours counter to zero
    }
  }
}


void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Serial.println("Setup-Start");
}


void loop() {
  SoftRTC(); // must be called very regular and repeatedly to update the 0.1 second time-ticks
             // this means you CAN'T use delay(). 
             // Each and every single delay() must be replaced NON-blocking timing
  if ( TimePeriodIsOver(MyTestTimer, 1000) ) { // if 1000 milliseconds have passed by
    PrintRTC_Data();                           // print time
  }

}

best regards Stefan

8

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