I need to modify a library (flavortext.h)

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

This library is by Zack Freedman and it's called Flavortext. It generates fake status messages.

I need help modifying it.

  1. How do I "call" the library? I can't figure out how to make the Arduino generate a status message and then print it somewhere (OLED, LCD, serial, etc.). It looks like the variable is just a string called output but how would I use it in an Arduino sketch?

  2. I need to remove the easter egg he added for his Patrons on Patreon because I don't want random Patreon usernames that are supporting someone that isn't me on my outputs. I believe I just have to remove lines 375-402.

  3. Zack uses Teensies almost exclusively in his projects so I need help identifying if there are any Teensy-specific operators used.

2

Which Arduino board do you use ?
If you are using a basic Arduino board (Uno, Nano, Mega, Nano Every), then you might have to change it to use PROGMEM.

This function returns the text: void getFullLine(char * buffer, bool constructive)

I don't know if there is a maximum length, you can start with 80.

char buf[80];

void loop()
{
  getFullLine( buf, true);
  Serial.write( buf);
  getFullLine( buf, false);
  Serial.write( buf);
  delay( 5000);
}
3

I plan to use a Micro sending it's output over I2C to a 1.3" OLED.

EDIT - Are there too many keywords in the library that can be combined? How would I reduce the amount? Obviously I would have to delete some of them, and then change #define numberOfConstructiveVerbs 100 for each category, respectively. Any other references to the number of keywords?

4

The 'String' object is mainly used for the easter egg. If the easter egg is not used, then the 'String' object can be changed for normal operations on text.
A Micro is also a basic Arduino board, so I suggest to put everything in PROGMEM.

1 Like
5

There are three #define numberOf... in the code. They are all 100 and they define the number of texts. There are better ways to do that, I would keep them as they are for now.
A mistake is easily made. Suppose you have 67 texts and set the define to 68, that could crash the sketch.

1 Like
6

What line of Arduino code do I use to change the library to PROGMEM?

And what datatype is the output if not a string? Because to me it looks like line 372 is the output, and it defines as a string.

Sorry if my questions are dumb, coding is my biggest weakness as a maker.

EDIT -

What if I had 68 texts and set the define to 67? Would that just remove one?

EDIT - Also, how much memory does this library actually use? Because this project needs a gigantic statement table to work and I don't want to waste storage on a funny ha ha joke.

7

I don't know if it will fit in a Micro, so I don't know if you can test it without PROGMEM.

This is PROGMEM: https://www.arduino.cc/reference/en/language/variables/utilities/progmem/
You can try a few things to understand it. It is not changing a single line.

The output is written to a char array.
The String is used temporarily, and mainly for the easter egg.

With the define set to 67 and with 68 texts, then the last one is not used.

A better way is to add a end-marker in the text, but the code gets bigger.
An end-marker can be anything that is not normal text. For example empty string or a -1 or a # or whatever:

char myData[][20] =
{
  "Hello",
  "World",
  "",               // empty string as end marker
};
8

Okay. Because of the Micro's small memory size I think I'll just put something similar on the Pi part of the wearable computer project when it boots. Some guy remade this script in Python so I can use an .sh in the startup script of the Pi.

That means I can just boot the Pi to command, run the script on startup, and then start the desktop.

10

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