Making them Flash Faster Possible?

Projects Programming
1

I've got all my leds on one pin and I'm trying to fire on (then fade off) groups of them at a time, and when I (eventually) push a button, this rotation of 7 lights will go faster and faster and faster. Unfortunately right now even with no delays the speed isn't as fast as I would like.

How would I go about making them flash faster and faster each successive group?

#define PIN2 2   
#define CYC_LED_NUM 28 

Adafruit_NeoPixel cycloPins = Adafruit_NeoPixel(CYC_LED_NUM, PIN2, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

void setup() {
  cycloPins.begin();            
  cycloPins.show(); 
}

void loop() {
  cycOnePin();
  rotateLED();
}

void rotateLED(){
  if(rotatenum < 3){
    rotatenum++;
  } else {
    rotatenum=0;
  }
}

void cycOnePin(){
  
switch (rotatenum) {
    case 0:                             // light the first 7 lights (cyclo 1)
      for(int i=0;i<=6;i++){
        cycloPins.setBrightness(255);
        cycloPins.setPixelColor(i, 255,0,0);  // RED // setPixelColor(n, red, green, blue)
        cycloPins.show();
      }
      for(int y=255;y>=0;y--){
        cycloPins.setBrightness(y);       // change the brightness for next time through the loop:
        cycloPins.show();
        //delay(2);
      }
     break;    
      
    case 1:                             // light the first 7 lights (cyclo 2)
      for(int i=7;i<=13;i++){
        cycloPins.setBrightness(255);
        cycloPins.setPixelColor(i, 255,0,0);  // RED // setPixelColor(n, red, green, blue)
        cycloPins.show();
      }
      for(int y=255;y>=0;y--){
        cycloPins.setBrightness(y);       // change the brightness for next time through the loop:
        cycloPins.show();
        //delay(2);
      }
    break;
      
    case 2:                             // light the first 7 lights (cyclo 3)
      for(int i=14;i<=20;i++){
      cycloPins.setBrightness(255);
      cycloPins.setPixelColor(i, 255,0,0);  // RED // setPixelColor(n, red, green, blue)
      cycloPins.show();
      }
      for(int y=255;y>=0;y--){
        cycloPins.setBrightness(y);       // change the brightness for next time through the loop:
        cycloPins.show();
        //delay(2);
      }
    break;  
    case 3:                             // light the first 7 lights (cyclo 4)
      for(int i=21;i<=27;i++){
      cycloPins.setBrightness(255);
      cycloPins.setPixelColor(i, 255,0,0); // RED // setPixelColor(n, red, green, blue)
      cycloPins.show();
      }
      for(int y=255;y>=0;y--){
        cycloPins.setBrightness(y);       // change the brightness for next time through the loop:
        cycloPins.show();
        //delay(2);
      }
    break;  
    default: 
      // if nothing else matches, do the default; default is optional
    break;
  }
  
}
2

Got it! Had to do two things:

  1. Make the fade time faster.
  2. Make sure that it's brightness is 0 before heading to the next one.
void cycRotateLED() {
  // light leds in sequense (increments of LED_PER_GEM (or 7)
  cycloPins.setBrightness(255);
  for(int i = LED_PER_GEM * rotatenum; i <= 6 + LED_PER_GEM * rotatenum; i++){
    cycloPins.setPixelColor(i, 255,0,0);        // RED // setPixelColor(n, red, green, blue)
    cycloPins.show();
  }
  // fade those leds that lit up
  for(float y=255;y>=0;y=y-fadeIncr){
    cycloPins.setBrightness(y);                 // change the brightness for next time through the loop:
    cycloPins.show();
    delay(2);
  }
    cycloPins.setBrightness(0);                 // make sure that it's black before moving on
}