I need some help within the next 12-15 hours before i move on to my next project

Other Hardware LEDs and Multiplexing
1

Here is my explanation of what i want to accomplish: i have 8 L.E.Ds set up using a shift register, i have a byte shifting like this 0b00001000, 0b00010000, 0b00100000, 0b01000000, 0b10000000, 0b0000001. as you have noticed it restarted at 0b0000001 i want it to restart at this 0b00001000. then after i figure out how to make it restart at the byte i want it too then i will have another byte starting at: 0b00010000 then going 0b0001000, 0b00000100...ect, then restarting at 0b00010000. so essentially the middle 2 L.E.Ds will be lit, then the middle 2 off, then one will travel left and the other right. so on so on until both L.E.Ds met back up at the middle!

const int DS_pin = 8; // this is the pin that sends the data!
const int STCP_pin = 9;  //latch pin: data is coming in when set to low, after set to high.
const int SHCP_pin = 10; //shift register clock: sync's data when latch is low.

int delayPeriod = 500;

byte led1 = 0b00001000;
byte led2 = 0b00010000;

void setup(){
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(DS_pin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(STCP_pin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(SHCP_pin, OUTPUT);
}

void loop(){
  digitalWrite(STCP_pin, LOW);
  shiftOut(DS_pin, SHCP_pin, LSBFIRST, led1);
  digitalWrite(STCP_pin, HIGH);
  Serial.println(led1, BIN);
  delay(delayPeriod);
  led1 = led1 * 128 + led1 / 2;

  /*digitalWrite(STCP_pin, LOW);
  shiftOut(DS_pin, SHCP_pin, LSBFIRST, led2);
  digitalWrite(STCP_pin, HIGH);
  Serial.println(led2, BIN);
  delay(delayPeriod);
  led2 = led2 / 128 + led2 * 2;*/

}

74HC595

2

Use an array containing the bit sequence you want to produce and then step through your array until finished. The reset your array pointer to zero. Do not try and calculate the next bit sequence.

3

Ok sounds good thank you for the tip mike i'll do research on arrays, i find them to be confusing but i can overcome this with a bit of time once i learn more about them. once built i will be moving on to an lcd project. also could you please enplane to me what is a "bit sequence" please and thank you.

4

Something like

const byte data[] = {0b00011000, 0b00100100, 0b01000010, 0b10000001};
const byte PATTERN_COUNT = sizeof(data) / sizeof(data[0]);

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(115200);
  while (!Serial);
}

void loop()
{
  for (int index = 0; index < PATTERN_COUNT; index++)
  {
    showFullBin(data[index]);
    delay(1000);
  }
}

void showFullBin(byte byteIn)
{
  for (int bit = 7 ; bit >= 0; bit--)
  {
    Serial.print(bitRead(byteIn, bit));
  }
  Serial.println();
}