Software / API Bindings / Visual Basic .NET / API Reference and Examples / Bricklets (Discontinued) / Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0

Visual Basic .NET - Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0¶

This is the description of the Visual Basic .NET API bindings for the Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0. General information and technical specifications for the Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0 are summarized in its hardware description.

An installation guide for the Visual Basic .NET API bindings is part of their general description.

Examples¶

The example code below is Public Domain (CC0 1.0).

Simple¶

Download (ExampleSimple.vb)

Imports System
Imports Tinkerforge

Module ExampleSimple
    Const HOST As String = "localhost"
    Const PORT As Integer = 4223
    Const UID As String = "XYZ" ' Change XYZ to the UID of your Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0

    Sub Main()
        Dim ipcon As New IPConnection() ' Create IP connection
        Dim al As New BrickletAmbientLightV2(UID, ipcon) ' Create device object

        ipcon.Connect(HOST, PORT) ' Connect to brickd
        ' Don't use device before ipcon is connected

        ' Get current illuminance
        Dim illuminance As Long = al.GetIlluminance()
        Console.WriteLine("Illuminance: " + (illuminance/100.0).ToString() + " lx")

        Console.WriteLine("Press key to exit")
        Console.ReadLine()
        ipcon.Disconnect()
    End Sub
End Module

Callback¶

Download (ExampleCallback.vb)

Imports System
Imports Tinkerforge

Module ExampleCallback
    Const HOST As String = "localhost"
    Const PORT As Integer = 4223
    Const UID As String = "XYZ" ' Change XYZ to the UID of your Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0

    ' Callback subroutine for illuminance callback
    Sub IlluminanceCB(ByVal sender As BrickletAmbientLightV2, ByVal illuminance As Long)
        Console.WriteLine("Illuminance: " + (illuminance/100.0).ToString() + " lx")
    End Sub

    Sub Main()
        Dim ipcon As New IPConnection() ' Create IP connection
        Dim al As New BrickletAmbientLightV2(UID, ipcon) ' Create device object

        ipcon.Connect(HOST, PORT) ' Connect to brickd
        ' Don't use device before ipcon is connected

        ' Register illuminance callback to subroutine IlluminanceCB
        AddHandler al.IlluminanceCallback, AddressOf IlluminanceCB

        ' Set period for illuminance callback to 1s (1000ms)
        ' Note: The illuminance callback is only called every second
        '       if the illuminance has changed since the last call!
        al.SetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod(1000)

        Console.WriteLine("Press key to exit")
        Console.ReadLine()
        ipcon.Disconnect()
    End Sub
End Module

Threshold¶

Download (ExampleThreshold.vb)

Imports System
Imports Tinkerforge

Module ExampleThreshold
    Const HOST As String = "localhost"
    Const PORT As Integer = 4223
    Const UID As String = "XYZ" ' Change XYZ to the UID of your Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0

    ' Callback subroutine for illuminance reached callback
    Sub IlluminanceReachedCB(ByVal sender As BrickletAmbientLightV2, _
                             ByVal illuminance As Long)
        Console.WriteLine("Illuminance: " + (illuminance/100.0).ToString() + " lx")
        Console.WriteLine("Too bright, close the curtains!")
    End Sub

    Sub Main()
        Dim ipcon As New IPConnection() ' Create IP connection
        Dim al As New BrickletAmbientLightV2(UID, ipcon) ' Create device object

        ipcon.Connect(HOST, PORT) ' Connect to brickd
        ' Don't use device before ipcon is connected

        ' Get threshold callbacks with a debounce time of 10 seconds (10000ms)
        al.SetDebouncePeriod(10000)

        ' Register illuminance reached callback to subroutine IlluminanceReachedCB
        AddHandler al.IlluminanceReachedCallback, AddressOf IlluminanceReachedCB

        ' Configure threshold for illuminance "greater than 500 lx"
        al.SetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold(">"C, 500*100, 0)

        Console.WriteLine("Press key to exit")
        Console.ReadLine()
        ipcon.Disconnect()
    End Sub
End Module

API¶

Since Visual Basic .NET does not support multiple return values directly, we use the ByRef keyword to return multiple values from a function.

All functions and procedures listed below are thread-safe.

Basic Functions¶

Class BrickletAmbientLightV2(ByVal uid As String, ByVal ipcon As IPConnection)¶

Creates an object with the unique device ID uid:

Dim ambientLightV2 As New BrickletAmbientLightV2("YOUR_DEVICE_UID", ipcon)

This object can then be used after the IP Connection is connected.

Function BrickletAmbientLightV2.GetIlluminance() As Long¶

Returns:	illuminance – Type: Long, Unit: 1/100 lx, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Returns the illuminance of the ambient light sensor. The measurement range goes up to about 100000lux, but above 64000lux the precision starts to drop.

Changed in version 2.0.2 (Plugin): An illuminance of 0lux indicates an error condition where the sensor cannot perform a reasonable measurement. This can happen with very dim or very bright light conditions. In bright light conditions this might indicate that the sensor is saturated and the configuration should be modified (SetConfiguration()) to better match the light conditions.

If you want to get the illuminance periodically, it is recommended to use the IlluminanceCallback callback and set the period with SetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod().

Advanced Functions¶

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.SetConfiguration(ByVal illuminanceRange As Byte, ByVal integrationTime As Byte)¶

Parameters:	illuminanceRange – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 3 integrationTime – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 3

Sets the configuration. It is possible to configure an illuminance range between 0-600lux and 0-64000lux and an integration time between 50ms and 400ms.

New in version 2.0.2 (Plugin): The unlimited illuminance range allows to measure up to about 100000lux, but above 64000lux the precision starts to drop.

A smaller illuminance range increases the resolution of the data. A longer integration time will result in less noise on the data.

Changed in version 2.0.2 (Plugin): If the actual measure illuminance is out-of-range then the current illuminance range maximum +0.01lux is reported by GetIlluminance() and the IlluminanceCallback callback. For example, 800001 for the 0-8000lux range.

Changed in version 2.0.2 (Plugin): With a long integration time the sensor might be saturated before the measured value reaches the maximum of the selected illuminance range. In this case 0lux is reported by GetIlluminance() and the IlluminanceCallback callback.

If the measurement is out-of-range or the sensor is saturated then you should configure the next higher illuminance range. If the highest range is already in use, then start to reduce the integration time.

The following constants are available for this function:

For illuminanceRange:

BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_UNLIMITED = 6
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_64000LUX = 0
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_32000LUX = 1
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_16000LUX = 2
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_8000LUX = 3
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_1300LUX = 4
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_600LUX = 5

For integrationTime:

BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_50MS = 0
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_100MS = 1
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_150MS = 2
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_200MS = 3
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_250MS = 4
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_300MS = 5
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_350MS = 6
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_400MS = 7

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.GetConfiguration(ByRef illuminanceRange As Byte, ByRef integrationTime As Byte)¶

Output Parameters:	illuminanceRange – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 3 integrationTime – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 3

Returns the configuration as set by SetConfiguration().

The following constants are available for this function:

For illuminanceRange:

BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_UNLIMITED = 6
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_64000LUX = 0
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_32000LUX = 1
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_16000LUX = 2
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_8000LUX = 3
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_1300LUX = 4
BrickletAmbientLightV2.ILLUMINANCE_RANGE_600LUX = 5

For integrationTime:

BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_50MS = 0
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_100MS = 1
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_150MS = 2
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_200MS = 3
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_250MS = 4
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_300MS = 5
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_350MS = 6
BrickletAmbientLightV2.INTEGRATION_TIME_400MS = 7

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.GetIdentity(ByRef uid As String, ByRef connectedUid As String, ByRef position As Char, ByRef hardwareVersion() As Byte, ByRef firmwareVersion() As Byte, ByRef deviceIdentifier As Integer)¶

Output Parameters:

Output Parameters:	uid – Type: String, Length: up to 8 connectedUid – Type: String, Length: up to 8 position – Type: Char, Range: ["a"C to "h"C, "z"C] hardwareVersion – Type: Byte Array, Length: 3 0: major – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255] firmwareVersion – Type: Byte Array, Length: 3 0: major – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255] deviceIdentifier – Type: Integer, Range: [0 to 2¹⁶ - 1]

uid – Type: String, Length: up to 8
connectedUid – Type: String, Length: up to 8
position – Type: Char, Range: ["a"C to "h"C, "z"C]
hardwareVersion – Type: Byte Array, Length: 3

0: major – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255]
1: minor – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255]
2: revision – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255]

firmwareVersion – Type: Byte Array, Length: 3

0: major – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255]
1: minor – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255]
2: revision – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255]

deviceIdentifier – Type: Integer, Range: [0 to 2¹⁶ - 1]

Returns the UID, the UID where the Bricklet is connected to, the position, the hardware and firmware version as well as the device identifier.

The position can be 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g' or 'h' (Bricklet Port). A Bricklet connected to an Isolator Bricklet is always at position 'z'.

The device identifier numbers can be found here. There is also a constant for the device identifier of this Bricklet.

Callback Configuration Functions¶

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.SetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod(ByVal period As Long)¶

Parameters:	period – Type: Long, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 0

Sets the period with which the IlluminanceCallback callback is triggered periodically. A value of 0 turns the callback off.

The IlluminanceCallback callback is only triggered if the illuminance has changed since the last triggering.

Function BrickletAmbientLightV2.GetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod() As Long¶

Returns:	period – Type: Long, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 0

Returns the period as set by SetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod().

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.SetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold(ByVal option As Char, ByVal min As Long, ByVal max As Long)¶

Parameters:	option – Type: Char, Range: See constants, Default: "x"C min – Type: Long, Unit: 1/100 lx, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 0 max – Type: Long, Unit: 1/100 lx, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 0

Sets the thresholds for the IlluminanceReachedCallback callback.

The following options are possible:

Option	Description
'x'	Callback is turned off
'o'	Callback is triggered when the illuminance is outside the min and max values
'i'	Callback is triggered when the illuminance is inside the min and max values
'<'	Callback is triggered when the illuminance is smaller than the min value (max is ignored)
'>'	Callback is triggered when the illuminance is greater than the min value (max is ignored)

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OFF = "x"C
BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OUTSIDE = "o"C
BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_INSIDE = "i"C
BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_SMALLER = "<"C
BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_GREATER = ">"C

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.GetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold(ByRef option As Char, ByRef min As Long, ByRef max As Long)¶

Output Parameters:	option – Type: Char, Range: See constants, Default: "x"C min – Type: Long, Unit: 1/100 lx, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 0 max – Type: Long, Unit: 1/100 lx, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 0

Returns the threshold as set by SetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold().

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OFF = "x"C
BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OUTSIDE = "o"C
BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_INSIDE = "i"C
BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_SMALLER = "<"C
BrickletAmbientLightV2.THRESHOLD_OPTION_GREATER = ">"C

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.SetDebouncePeriod(ByVal debounce As Long)¶

Parameters:	debounce – Type: Long, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 100

Sets the period with which the threshold callbacks

IlluminanceReachedCallback,

are triggered, if the thresholds

SetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold(),

keep being reached.

Function BrickletAmbientLightV2.GetDebouncePeriod() As Long¶

Returns:	debounce – Type: Long, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 100

Returns the debounce period as set by SetDebouncePeriod().

Callbacks¶

Callbacks can be registered to receive time critical or recurring data from the device. The registration is done by assigning a procedure to an callback property of the device object:

Sub MyCallback(ByVal sender As BrickletAmbientLightV2, ByVal value As Short)
    Console.WriteLine("Value: {0}", value)
End Sub

AddHandler ambientLightV2.ExampleCallback, AddressOf MyCallback

The available callback property and their type of parameters are described below.

Note

Using callbacks for recurring events is always preferred compared to using getters. It will use less USB bandwidth and the latency will be a lot better, since there is no round trip time.

Event BrickletAmbientLightV2.IlluminanceCallback(ByVal sender As BrickletAmbientLightV2, ByVal illuminance As Long)¶

Callback Parameters:	sender – Type: BrickletAmbientLightV2 illuminance – Type: Long, Unit: 1/100 lx, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

This callback is triggered periodically with the period that is set by SetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod(). The parameter is the illuminance of the ambient light sensor.

The IlluminanceCallback callback is only triggered if the illuminance has changed since the last triggering.

Event BrickletAmbientLightV2.IlluminanceReachedCallback(ByVal sender As BrickletAmbientLightV2, ByVal illuminance As Long)¶

Callback Parameters:	sender – Type: BrickletAmbientLightV2 illuminance – Type: Long, Unit: 1/100 lx, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

This callback is triggered when the threshold as set by SetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold() is reached. The parameter is the illuminance of the ambient light sensor.

If the threshold keeps being reached, the callback is triggered periodically with the period as set by SetDebouncePeriod().

Virtual Functions¶

Virtual functions don't communicate with the device itself, but operate only on the API bindings device object. They can be called without the corresponding IP Connection object being connected.

Function BrickletAmbientLightV2.GetAPIVersion() As Byte()¶

Output Parameters:	apiVersion – Type: Byte Array, Length: 3 0: major – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255] 1: minor – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255] 2: revision – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255]

Returns the version of the API definition implemented by this API bindings. This is neither the release version of this API bindings nor does it tell you anything about the represented Brick or Bricklet.

Function BrickletAmbientLightV2.GetResponseExpected(ByVal functionId As Byte) As Boolean¶

Parameters:	functionId – Type: Byte, Range: See constants
Returns:	responseExpected – Type: Boolean

Returns the response expected flag for the function specified by the function ID parameter. It is true if the function is expected to send a response, false otherwise.

For getter functions this is enabled by default and cannot be disabled, because those functions will always send a response. For callback configuration functions it is enabled by default too, but can be disabled by SetResponseExpected(). For setter functions it is disabled by default and can be enabled.

Enabling the response expected flag for a setter function allows to detect timeouts and other error conditions calls of this setter as well. The device will then send a response for this purpose. If this flag is disabled for a setter function then no response is sent and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

BrickletAmbientLightV2.FUNCTION_SET_ILLUMINANCE_CALLBACK_PERIOD = 2
BrickletAmbientLightV2.FUNCTION_SET_ILLUMINANCE_CALLBACK_THRESHOLD = 4
BrickletAmbientLightV2.FUNCTION_SET_DEBOUNCE_PERIOD = 6
BrickletAmbientLightV2.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 8

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.SetResponseExpected(ByVal functionId As Byte, ByVal responseExpected As Boolean)¶

Parameters:	functionId – Type: Byte, Range: See constants responseExpected – Type: Boolean

Changes the response expected flag of the function specified by the function ID parameter. This flag can only be changed for setter (default value: false) and callback configuration functions (default value: true). For getter functions it is always enabled.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

BrickletAmbientLightV2.FUNCTION_SET_ILLUMINANCE_CALLBACK_PERIOD = 2
BrickletAmbientLightV2.FUNCTION_SET_ILLUMINANCE_CALLBACK_THRESHOLD = 4
BrickletAmbientLightV2.FUNCTION_SET_DEBOUNCE_PERIOD = 6
BrickletAmbientLightV2.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 8

Sub BrickletAmbientLightV2.SetResponseExpectedAll(ByVal responseExpected As Boolean)¶

Parameters:	responseExpected – Type: Boolean

Changes the response expected flag for all setter and callback configuration functions of this device at once.

Constants¶

Const BrickletAmbientLightV2.DEVICE_IDENTIFIER¶

This constant is used to identify a Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0.

The GetIdentity() function and the IPConnection.EnumerateCallback callback of the IP Connection have a deviceIdentifier parameter to specify the Brick's or Bricklet's type.

Const BrickletAmbientLightV2.DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME¶: This constant represents the human readable name of a Ambient Light Bricklet 2.0.