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Software / API Bindings / LabVIEW / API Reference and Examples / Bricklets (Discontinued) / Ambient Light Bricklet

LabVIEW - Ambient Light Bricklet

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

An installation guide for the LabVIEW API bindings is part of their general description.

API

Generally, every function of the LabVIEW bindings that outputs a value can report a Tinkerforge.TimeoutException. This error gets reported if the device did not respond. If a cable based connection is used, it is unlikely that this exception gets thrown (assuming nobody plugs the device out). However, if a wireless connection is used, timeouts will occur if the distance to the device gets too big.

The namespace for all Brick/Bricklet bindings and the IPConnection is Tinkerforge.*.

Basic Functions

BrickletAmbientLight(uid, ipcon) → ambientLight
Input:
  • uid – Type: String
  • ipcon – Type: .NET Refnum (IPConnection)
Output:
  • ambientLight – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletAmbientLight)

Creates an object with the unique device ID uid. This object can then be used after the IP Connection is connected.

BrickletAmbientLight.GetIlluminance() → illuminance
Output:
  • illuminance – Type: Int32, Unit: 1/10 lx, Range: [0 to 9000]

Returns the illuminance of the ambient light sensor.

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

Advanced Functions

BrickletAmbientLight.GetAnalogValue() → value
Output:
  • value – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 212 - 1]

Returns the value as read by a 12-bit analog-to-digital converter.

Note

The value returned by GetIlluminance() is averaged over several samples to yield less noise, while GetAnalogValue() gives back raw unfiltered analog values. The only reason to use GetAnalogValue() is, if you need the full resolution of the analog-to-digital converter.

Also, the analog-to-digital converter covers three different ranges that are set dynamically depending on the light intensity. It is impossible to distinguish between these ranges with the analog value.

If you want the analog value periodically, it is recommended to use the AnalogValueCallback callback and set the period with SetAnalogValueCallbackPeriod().

BrickletAmbientLight.GetIdentity() → uid, connectedUid, position, hardwareVersion, firmwareVersion, deviceIdentifier
Output:
  • uid – Type: String, Length: up to 8
  • connectedUid – Type: String, Length: up to 8
  • position – Type: Char, Range: ["a" to "h", "z"]
  • hardwareVersion – Type: Byte[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[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: Int32, 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

BrickletAmbientLight.SetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod(period)
Input:
  • period – Type: Int64, 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.

BrickletAmbientLight.GetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod() → period
Output:
  • period – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 0

Returns the period as set by SetIlluminanceCallbackPeriod().

BrickletAmbientLight.SetAnalogValueCallbackPeriod(period)
Input:
  • period – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 0

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

The AnalogValueCallback callback is only triggered if the analog value has changed since the last triggering.

BrickletAmbientLight.GetAnalogValueCallbackPeriod() → period
Output:
  • period – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 0

Returns the period as set by SetAnalogValueCallbackPeriod().

BrickletAmbientLight.SetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold(option, min, max)
Input:
  • option – Type: Char, Range: See constants, Default: "x"
  • min – Type: Int32, Unit: 1/10 lx, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0
  • max – Type: Int32, Unit: 1/10 lx, Range: [0 to 216 - 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:

  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OFF = "x"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OUTSIDE = "o"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_INSIDE = "i"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_SMALLER = "<"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_GREATER = ">"
BrickletAmbientLight.GetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold() → option, min, max
Output:
  • option – Type: Char, Range: See constants, Default: "x"
  • min – Type: Int32, Unit: 1/10 lx, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0
  • max – Type: Int32, Unit: 1/10 lx, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0

Returns the threshold as set by SetIlluminanceCallbackThreshold().

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OFF = "x"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OUTSIDE = "o"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_INSIDE = "i"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_SMALLER = "<"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_GREATER = ">"
BrickletAmbientLight.SetAnalogValueCallbackThreshold(option, min, max)
Input:
  • option – Type: Char, Range: See constants, Default: "x"
  • min – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0
  • max – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0

Sets the thresholds for the AnalogValueReachedCallback callback.

The following options are possible:

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

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OFF = "x"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OUTSIDE = "o"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_INSIDE = "i"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_SMALLER = "<"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_GREATER = ">"
BrickletAmbientLight.GetAnalogValueCallbackThreshold() → option, min, max
Output:
  • option – Type: Char, Range: See constants, Default: "x"
  • min – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0
  • max – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0

Returns the threshold as set by SetAnalogValueCallbackThreshold().

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OFF = "x"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_OUTSIDE = "o"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_INSIDE = "i"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_SMALLER = "<"
  • BrickletAmbientLight.THRESHOLD_OPTION_GREATER = ">"
BrickletAmbientLight.SetDebouncePeriod(debounce)
Input:
  • debounce – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 100

Sets the period with which the threshold callbacks

are triggered, if the thresholds

keep being reached.

BrickletAmbientLight.GetDebouncePeriod() → debounce
Output:
  • debounce – Type: Int64, 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 function to a callback property of the device object. 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 BrickletAmbientLight.IlluminanceCallback → sender, illuminance
Callback Output:
  • sender – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletAmbientLight)
  • illuminance – Type: Int32, Unit: 1/10 lx, Range: [0 to 9000]

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 BrickletAmbientLight.AnalogValueCallback → sender, value
Callback Output:
  • sender – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletAmbientLight)
  • value – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 212 - 1]

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

The AnalogValueCallback callback is only triggered if the analog value has changed since the last triggering.

event BrickletAmbientLight.IlluminanceReachedCallback → sender, illuminance
Callback Output:
  • sender – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletAmbientLight)
  • illuminance – Type: Int32, Unit: 1/10 lx, Range: [0 to 9000]

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().

event BrickletAmbientLight.AnalogValueReachedCallback → sender, value
Callback Output:
  • sender – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletAmbientLight)
  • value – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 212 - 1]

This callback is triggered when the threshold as set by SetAnalogValueCallbackThreshold() is reached. The parameter is the analog value 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.

BrickletAmbientLight.GetAPIVersion() → apiVersion
Output:
  • apiVersion – Type: Byte[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.

BrickletAmbientLight.GetResponseExpected(functionId) → responseExpected
Input:
  • functionId – Type: Byte, Range: See constants
Output:
  • 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:

  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_ILLUMINANCE_CALLBACK_PERIOD = 3
  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_ANALOG_VALUE_CALLBACK_PERIOD = 5
  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_ILLUMINANCE_CALLBACK_THRESHOLD = 7
  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_ANALOG_VALUE_CALLBACK_THRESHOLD = 9
  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_DEBOUNCE_PERIOD = 11
BrickletAmbientLight.SetResponseExpected(functionId, responseExpected)
Input:
  • 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.

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:

  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_ILLUMINANCE_CALLBACK_PERIOD = 3
  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_ANALOG_VALUE_CALLBACK_PERIOD = 5
  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_ILLUMINANCE_CALLBACK_THRESHOLD = 7
  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_ANALOG_VALUE_CALLBACK_THRESHOLD = 9
  • BrickletAmbientLight.FUNCTION_SET_DEBOUNCE_PERIOD = 11
BrickletAmbientLight.SetResponseExpectedAll(responseExpected)
Input:
  • responseExpected – Type: Boolean

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

Constants

BrickletAmbientLight.DEVICE_IDENTIFIER

This constant is used to identify a Ambient Light Bricklet.

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.

BrickletAmbientLight.DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME

This constant represents the human readable name of a Ambient Light Bricklet.