Visual Basic .NET - IO-4 Bricklet¶

Input¶

Download (ExampleInput.vb)

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Imports System
Imports Tinkerforge

Module ExampleInput
    Const HOST As String = "localhost"
    Const PORT As Integer = 4223
    Const UID As String = "XYZ" ' Change XYZ to the UID of your IO-4 Bricklet

    Sub Main()
        Dim ipcon As New IPConnection() ' Create IP connection
        Dim io As New BrickletIO4(UID, ipcon) ' Create device object

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

        ' Get current value as bitmask
        Dim valueMask As Byte = io.GetValue()
        Console.WriteLine("Value Mask: " + Convert.ToString(valueMask, 2))

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

Output¶

Download (ExampleOutput.vb)

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Imports System
Imports Tinkerforge

Module ExampleOutput
    Const HOST As String = "localhost"
    Const PORT As Integer = 4223
    Const UID As String = "XYZ" ' Change XYZ to the UID of your IO-4 Bricklet

    Sub Main()
        Dim ipcon As New IPConnection() ' Create IP connection
        Dim io As New BrickletIO4(UID, ipcon) ' Create device object

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

        ' Set pin 1 to output low
        io.SetConfiguration(1 << 1, "o"C, False)

        ' Set pin 2 and 3 to output high
        io.SetConfiguration((1 << 2) or (1 << 3), "o"C, True)

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

Interrupt¶

Download (ExampleInterrupt.vb)

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Imports System
Imports Tinkerforge

Module ExampleInterrupt
    Const HOST As String = "localhost"
    Const PORT As Integer = 4223
    Const UID As String = "XYZ" ' Change XYZ to the UID of your IO-4 Bricklet

    ' Callback subroutine for interrupt callback
    Sub InterruptCB(ByVal sender As BrickletIO4, ByVal interruptMask As Byte, _
                    ByVal valueMask As Byte)
        Console.WriteLine("Interrupt Mask: " + Convert.ToString(interruptMask, 2))
        Console.WriteLine("Value Mask: " + Convert.ToString(valueMask, 2))
        Console.WriteLine("")
    End Sub

    Sub Main()
        Dim ipcon As New IPConnection() ' Create IP connection
        Dim io As New BrickletIO4(UID, ipcon) ' Create device object

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

        ' Register interrupt callback to subroutine InterruptCB
        AddHandler io.InterruptCallback, AddressOf InterruptCB

        ' Enable interrupt on pin 0
        io.SetInterrupt(1 << 0)

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

Basic Functions¶

Class BrickletIO4(ByVal uid As String, ByVal ipcon As IPConnection)¶

Creates an object with the unique device ID uid:

Dim io4 As New BrickletIO4("YOUR_DEVICE_UID", ipcon)

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

Sub BrickletIO4.SetValue(ByVal valueMask As Byte)¶

Parameters:	valueMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15]

Sets the output value (high or low) with a bitmask (4bit). A 1 in the bitmask means high and a 0 in the bitmask means low.

For example: The value 3 or 0b0011 will turn the pins 0-1 high and the pins 2-3 low.

All running monoflop timers will be aborted if this function is called.

Note

This function does nothing for pins that are configured as input. Pull-up resistors can be switched on with SetConfiguration().

Function BrickletIO4.GetValue() As Byte¶

Returns:	valueMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15]

Returns a bitmask of the values that are currently measured. This function works if the pin is configured to input as well as if it is configured to output.

Sub BrickletIO4.SetConfiguration(ByVal selectionMask As Byte, ByVal direction As Char, ByVal value As Boolean)¶

Parameters:	selectionMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15] direction – Type: Char, Range: See constants, Default: "i"C value – Type: Boolean, Default: true

Configures the value and direction of the specified pins. Possible directions are 'i' and 'o' for input and output.

If the direction is configured as output, the value is either high or low (set as true or false).

If the direction is configured as input, the value is either pull-up or default (set as true or false).

For example:

• (15, 'i', true) or (0b1111, 'i', true) will set all pins of as input pull-up.
• (8, 'i', false) or (0b1000, 'i', false) will set pin 3 of as input default (floating if nothing is connected).
• (3, 'o', false) or (0b0011, 'o', false) will set pins 0 and 1 as output low.
• (4, 'o', true) or (0b0100, 'o', true) will set pin 2 of as output high.

Running monoflop timers for the specified pins will be aborted if this function is called.

The following constants are available for this function:

For direction:

• BrickletIO4.DIRECTION_IN = "i"C
• BrickletIO4.DIRECTION_OUT = "o"C

Sub BrickletIO4.GetConfiguration(ByRef directionMask As Byte, ByRef valueMask As Byte)¶

Output Parameters:	directionMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15] valueMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15]

Returns a value bitmask and a direction bitmask. A 1 in the direction bitmask means input and a 0 in the bitmask means output.

For example: A return value of (3, 5) or (0b0011, 0b0101) for direction and value means that:

• pin 0 is configured as input pull-up,
• pin 1 is configured as input default,
• pin 2 is configured as output high and
• pin 3 is are configured as output low.

Function BrickletIO4.GetEdgeCount(ByVal pin As Byte, ByVal resetCounter As Boolean) As Long¶

Parameters:	pin – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 3] resetCounter – Type: Boolean
Returns:	count – Type: Long, Range: [0 to 232 - 1]

Returns the current value of the edge counter for the selected pin. You can configure the edges that are counted with SetEdgeCountConfig().

If you set the reset counter to true, the count is set back to 0 directly after it is read.

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

Advanced Functions¶

Sub BrickletIO4.SetMonoflop(ByVal selectionMask As Byte, ByVal valueMask As Byte, ByVal time As Long)¶

Parameters:	selectionMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15] valueMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15] time – Type: Long, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1]

Configures a monoflop of the pins specified by the first parameter as 4 bit long bitmask. The specified pins must be configured for output. Non-output pins will be ignored.

The second parameter is a bitmask with the desired value of the specified output pins. A 1 in the bitmask means high and a 0 in the bitmask means low.

The third parameter indicates the time that the pins should hold the value.

If this function is called with the parameters (9, 1, 1500) or (0b1001, 0b0001, 1500): Pin 0 will get high and pin 3 will get low. In 1.5s pin 0 will get low and pin 3 will get high again.

A monoflop can be used as a fail-safe mechanism. For example: Lets assume you have a RS485 bus and an IO-4 Bricklet connected to one of the slave stacks. You can now call this function every second, with a time parameter of two seconds and pin 0 set to high. Pin 0 will be high all the time. If now the RS485 connection is lost, then pin 0 will get low in at most two seconds.

Sub BrickletIO4.GetMonoflop(ByVal pin As Byte, ByRef value As Byte, ByRef time As Long, ByRef timeRemaining As Long)¶

Parameters:	pin – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 3]
Output Parameters:	value – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 1] time – Type: Long, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1] timeRemaining – Type: Long, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1]

Returns (for the given pin) the current value and the time as set by SetMonoflop() as well as the remaining time until the value flips.

If the timer is not running currently, the remaining time will be returned as 0.

Sub BrickletIO4.SetSelectedValues(ByVal selectionMask As Byte, ByVal valueMask As Byte)¶

Parameters:	selectionMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15] valueMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15]

Sets the output value (high or low) with a bitmask, according to the selection mask. The bitmask is 4 bit long, true refers to high and false refers to low.

For example: The parameters (9, 4) or (0b0110, 0b0100) will turn pin 1 low and pin 2 high, pin 0 and 3 will remain untouched.

Running monoflop timers for the selected pins will be aborted if this function is called.

Note

This function does nothing for pins that are configured as input. Pull-up resistors can be switched on with SetConfiguration().

Sub BrickletIO4.SetEdgeCountConfig(ByVal selectionMask As Byte, ByVal edgeType As Byte, ByVal debounce As Byte)¶

Parameters:	selectionMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15] edgeType – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 0 debounce – Type: Byte, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 255], Default: 100

Configures the edge counter for the selected pins.

The edge type parameter configures if rising edges, falling edges or both are counted if the pin is configured for input. Possible edge types are:

• 0 = rising (default)
• 1 = falling
• 2 = both

Configuring an edge counter resets its value to 0.

If you don't know what any of this means, just leave it at default. The default configuration is very likely OK for you.

The following constants are available for this function:

For edgeType:

• BrickletIO4.EDGE_TYPE_RISING = 0
• BrickletIO4.EDGE_TYPE_FALLING = 1
• BrickletIO4.EDGE_TYPE_BOTH = 2

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

Sub BrickletIO4.GetEdgeCountConfig(ByVal pin As Byte, ByRef edgeType As Byte, ByRef debounce As Byte)¶

Parameters:	pin – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 3]
Output Parameters:	edgeType – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 0 debounce – Type: Byte, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 255], Default: 100

Returns the edge type and debounce time for the selected pin as set by SetEdgeCountConfig().

The following constants are available for this function:

For edgeType:

• BrickletIO4.EDGE_TYPE_RISING = 0
• BrickletIO4.EDGE_TYPE_FALLING = 1
• BrickletIO4.EDGE_TYPE_BOTH = 2

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

Sub BrickletIO4.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:

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 BrickletIO4.SetDebouncePeriod(ByVal debounce As Long)¶

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

Sets the debounce period of the InterruptCallback callback.

For example: If you set this value to 100, you will get the interrupt maximal every 100ms. This is necessary if something that bounces is connected to the IO-4 Bricklet, such as a button.

Function BrickletIO4.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().

Sub BrickletIO4.SetInterrupt(ByVal interruptMask As Byte)¶

Parameters:	interruptMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15]

Sets the pins on which an interrupt is activated with a bitmask. Interrupts are triggered on changes of the voltage level of the pin, i.e. changes from high to low and low to high.

For example: An interrupt bitmask of 10 or 0b1010 will enable the interrupt for pins 1 and 3.

The interrupt is delivered with the InterruptCallback callback.

Function BrickletIO4.GetInterrupt() As Byte¶

Returns:	interruptMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15]

Returns the interrupt bitmask as set by SetInterrupt().

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 BrickletIO4, ByVal value As Short)
    Console.WriteLine("Value: {0}", value)
End Sub

AddHandler io4.ExampleCallback, AddressOf MyCallback

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

Event BrickletIO4.InterruptCallback(ByVal sender As BrickletIO4, ByVal interruptMask As Byte, ByVal valueMask As Byte)¶

Callback Parameters:	sender – Type: BrickletIO4 interruptMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15] valueMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15]

This callback is triggered whenever a change of the voltage level is detected on pins where the interrupt was activated with SetInterrupt().

The values are a bitmask that specifies which interrupts occurred and the current value bitmask.

For example:

• (1, 1) or (0b0001, 0b0001) means that an interrupt on pin 0 occurred and currently pin 0 is high and pins 1-3 are low.
• (9, 14) or (0b1001, 0b1110) means that interrupts on pins 0 and 3 occurred and currently pin 0 is low and pins 1-3 are high.

Event BrickletIO4.MonoflopDoneCallback(ByVal sender As BrickletIO4, ByVal selectionMask As Byte, ByVal valueMask As Byte)¶

Callback Parameters:	sender – Type: BrickletIO4 selectionMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15] valueMask – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 15]

This callback is triggered whenever a monoflop timer reaches 0. The parameters contain the involved pins and the current value of the pins (the value after the monoflop).

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 BrickletIO4.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 BrickletIO4.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:

• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_VALUE = 1
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 3
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_DEBOUNCE_PERIOD = 5
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_INTERRUPT = 7
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_MONOFLOP = 10
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_SELECTED_VALUES = 13
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_EDGE_COUNT_CONFIG = 15

Sub BrickletIO4.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.

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:

• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_VALUE = 1
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_CONFIGURATION = 3
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_DEBOUNCE_PERIOD = 5
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_INTERRUPT = 7
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_MONOFLOP = 10
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_SELECTED_VALUES = 13
• BrickletIO4.FUNCTION_SET_EDGE_COUNT_CONFIG = 15

Sub BrickletIO4.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 BrickletIO4.DEVICE_IDENTIFIER¶

This constant is used to identify a IO-4 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.

Const BrickletIO4.DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME¶

This constant represents the human readable name of a IO-4 Bricklet.