Problem with FastLED and Delay

Hey guys!

I'm using FastLED and the Basic effects given on from the demoreel. It works fine for me to start/stop effects instantly from HTML. Now I found this .ino File with some cool effects for FastLED (Tweaking4All.com - Arduino – All LEDStrip effects in one (NeoPixel and FastLED)). My problem with these effects if that they are using the delay function. And to stop them it's using a reset. But I want to start/stop my effects with HTML. For the other demoreel effects it works fine for me to stop/start them with HTML because they are not using delay in it. My question is now, how can I rewrite or do something to make these effects without (delay)? I tried already with millis() and some Scheduler librarys but nothing worked for me. Everytime I send a off change from my html to the code it ignores it until the for loop, delay or millis runs out. I think I need to change the effect code to make them without delay & for loops, but I dont know how, i think it's made with the FastLED inbuilt functions like beatsin etc. but I dont know how to use them right.

Best regards
nflug

Do you realise we can't see your code?

AWOL:
Do you realise we can't see your code?

Ehmm, my question is not about my code. It's about the code from the link.

Ehmmm, I don't see a link, I see a URL.

Whatever.

You could post the code you're interested in.
Such a shame you didn't.

AWOL:
Ehmmm, I don't see a link, I see a URL.

Whatever.

You could post the code you're interested in.
Such a shame you didn't.

Now it's a link.... It's my first post here so don't get so upset
I cant post the code because it's to long

It's my first post here so don't get so upset

Please read this:-
How to use this forum
It will tell you how to attach a code file.

That URL points to a page full of code which one are you using.

But I want to start/stop my effects with HTML. For the other demoreel effects it works fine for me to stop/start them with HTML because they are not using delay in it. My question is now, how can I rewrite or do something to make these effects without (delay)?

You have to rewrite the code as a state machine, one that does not contain a for loop with a delay in it. You need to unwind it.
See my
http://www.thebox.myzen.co.uk/Tutorial/State_Machine.html
Or Robin2's several things at once
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=223286.0

As an example here is some code that shows you what you need to do for the standard patterns from the Fast-LED libiary implemented as a state machine. Look at the differences in the examples folder and how things are done here.

// Multiple patterns in a state machine format
// using the FastLED libiary
// by Mike Cook 2017

#include "FastLED.h"

// first set up the parameters to use in the pattern calling
unsigned long patternInterval [] = { 500, 40, 20, 200, 5 }; // how often each pattern updates
unsigned long lastUpdate [5] ;  // for millis() when last update occurred
boolean patternEnabled [] = {true,true,false,true,true}; // should the pattern be called at all
byte patternState[5]; // state machine variable for patterns - this initialises them to zero

// now set up the LEDs to use
#define NUM_LEDS 64
#define DATA_PIN 3
#define CLOCK_PIN 13


CRGB leds[NUM_LEDS];

// Constants for patterns
// for Fire2012
#define COOLING  20
#define SPARKING 50
#define COLOR_ORDER BGR

// now set up the array of pointers to each pattern
void (*patternPtrs[5])(int index,byte state); //the array of pattern pointers

void setup() {
  //initialises the array of pattern pointers
  patternPtrs[0] = blinkOne; 
  patternPtrs[1] = cylon;
  patternPtrs[2] = fire;
  patternPtrs[3] = colorWipe;
  patternPtrs[4] = rainbowCycle;
  //initialises the FastLED driver you want
  //FastLED.addLeds<APA102,leds, NUM_LEDS); // 13 clock  and 11 data
  FastLED.addLeds<APA102, DATA_PIN, CLOCK_PIN, BGR>(leds, NUM_LEDS); // 13 clock  and 11 data
  FastLED.setBrightness(8);
}

void loop() {
  for(int i = 0; i<5; i++) { // go through all the patterns and see if it is time to call one
    if(patternEnabled[i] && millis() - lastUpdate[i] > patternInterval[i]){
      lastUpdate[i] = millis();
      callPatterns(i, patternState[i]);
    }
  }
}

void callPatterns(int index, byte state) {
  (*patternPtrs[index])(index,state); //calls the pattern at the index of `index` in the array
}

// These are the pattern functions written as a state machine
// this is the Blink program in FastLED's example folder
void blinkOne(int index,byte state) {
  if(state == 0){
    leds[3] = CRGB::Blue;
    FastLED.show();
    patternState[index] = 1; // move on the state machine for the next call
  }
  if(state == 1){
     leds[3] = CRGB::Black;
     FastLED.show();
     patternState[index] = 0;
   }
  }

// this is the Cylon program in FastLED's example folder
// we will use LEDs 8 to 15 to show this
void cylon(int index,byte state) {
  static int i = 8; // replaces the loop index
  if(state == 0){
    leds[i] = CRGB::Red;
    FastLED.show();
    patternState[index] = 1; // move on the state machine for the next call
  }
   if(state == 1){
    // now that we've shown the leds, reset the i'th led to black
    leds[i] = CRGB::Black;
    i++; // increment what was the loop variable
    if(i >= 16){ // we have finished one direction
     patternState[index] = 2;
     i--;
    }
    else {
    patternState[index] = 0;
    }
   }
   // Now go in the other direction only green
   if(state == 2){
     leds[i] = CRGB::Green;
    FastLED.show();
    patternState[index] = 3; // move on the state machine for the next call
   }
  if(state == 3){
    // now that we've shown the leds, reset the i'th led to black
    leds[i] = CRGB::Black;
    i--; // decrement what was the loop variable
    if(i < 8){ // we have finished the return, go back to the start
     patternState[index] = 0;
     i= 8; // ready to start again
    }
    else {
    patternState[index] = 2;
    } 
    // note that this could be better implemented but it has been written like this to keep it close to the origional example
    // so you can see what changes have been made 
  }
}

// this is the Fire2012 program in FastLED's example folder
void fire(int index,byte state) {
// using LEDs 16 to 32
// Array of temperature readings at each simulation cell
  const byte startLED = 16; // first LED in section
  const byte numLEDs = 16;
  static byte heat[numLEDs];

  random16_add_entropy( random());
  // Step 1.  Cool down every cell a little
    for( int i = 0; i < numLEDs; i++) {
      heat[i] = qsub8( heat[i],  random8(0, ((COOLING * 10) / NUM_LEDS) + 2));
    }
  
    // Step 2.  Heat from each cell drifts 'up' and diffuses a little
    for( int k= numLEDs - 1; k >= 2; k--) {
      heat[k] = (heat[k - 1] + heat[k - 2] + heat[k - 2] ) / 3;
    }
    
    // Step 3.  Randomly ignite new 'sparks' of heat near the bottom
    if( random8() < SPARKING ) {
      int y = random8(7);
      heat[y] = qadd8( heat[y], random8(160,255) );
    }

    // Step 4.  Map from heat cells to LED colors
    for( int j = 0; j < numLEDs; j++) {
        leds[j+startLED] = HeatColor( heat[j]); // transfer heat array to LEDs
    }
    FastLED.show(); // display this frame
  }

//colorWipe  modified from Adafruit example to make it a state machine
// uses LEDs 32 to 40
void colorWipe(int index,byte state) {
  static int i =0; // used as state variable
  static byte firstLED = 32;
  static byte numLEDs = 8;
    leds[i+firstLED] = CRGB::Yellow;
    FastLED.show();
    i++;
  if(i >= numLEDs){
    i = 0;
    for(int j;j<numLEDs; j++) leds[j+firstLED] = CRGB::Black; // blank out strip
  }
}

 // rainbowCycle modified from Adafruit example to make it a state machine
 // uses LEDs 48 to 64
void rainbowCycle(int index,byte state) {
  static uint16_t j=0; // used as state variable
  static byte firstLED = 48;
  static byte numLEDs = 16;
    for(int i=0; i< numLEDs; i++) {
      leds[i+firstLED].setHSV( (((i * 256 / numLEDs) + j) & 255), 255, 255);
    }
    FastLED.show();
    j++;
    if(j >= 256*5) j=0;
}