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Software / API Bindings / LabVIEW / API Reference and Examples / Bricklets (Discontinued) / LED Strip Bricklet

LabVIEW - LED Strip Bricklet

This is the description of the LabVIEW API bindings for the LED Strip Bricklet. General information and technical specifications for the LED Strip 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

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

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

BrickletLEDStrip.SetRGBValues(index, length, r, g, b)
Input:
  • index – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 319]
  • length – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 16]
  • r – Type: Byte[16], Range: [0 to 255]
  • g – Type: Byte[16], Range: [0 to 255]
  • b – Type: Byte[16], Range: [0 to 255]

Sets length RGB values for the LEDs starting from index.

To make the colors show correctly you need to configure the chip type (SetChipType()) and a 3-channel channel mapping (SetChannelMapping()) according to the connected LEDs.

Example: If you set

  • index to 5,
  • length to 3,
  • r to [255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
  • g to [0, 255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0] and
  • b to [0, 0, 255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]

the LED with index 5 will be red, 6 will be green and 7 will be blue.

Note

Depending on the LED circuitry colors can be permuted.

The colors will be transfered to actual LEDs when the next frame duration ends, see SetFrameDuration().

Generic approach:

  • Set the frame duration to a value that represents the number of frames per second you want to achieve.
  • Set all of the LED colors for one frame.
  • Wait for the FrameRenderedCallback callback.
  • Set all of the LED colors for next frame.
  • Wait for the FrameRenderedCallback callback.
  • and so on.

This approach ensures that you can change the LED colors with a fixed frame rate.

The actual number of controllable LEDs depends on the number of free Bricklet ports. See here for more information. A call of SetRGBValues() with index + length above the bounds is ignored completely.

BrickletLEDStrip.GetRGBValues(index, length) → r, g, b
Input:
  • index – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 319]
  • length – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 16]
Output:
  • r – Type: Byte[16], Range: [0 to 255]
  • g – Type: Byte[16], Range: [0 to 255]
  • b – Type: Byte[16], Range: [0 to 255]

Returns length R, G and B values starting from the given LED index.

The values are the last values that were set by SetRGBValues().

BrickletLEDStrip.SetFrameDuration(duration)
Input:
  • duration – Type: Int32, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 100

Sets the frame duration.

Example: If you want to achieve 20 frames per second, you should set the frame duration to 50ms (50ms * 20 = 1 second).

For an explanation of the general approach see SetRGBValues().

BrickletLEDStrip.GetFrameDuration() → duration
Output:
  • duration – Type: Int32, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 100

Returns the frame duration as set by SetFrameDuration().

BrickletLEDStrip.GetSupplyVoltage() → voltage
Output:
  • voltage – Type: Int32, Unit: 1 mV, Range: [0 to 216 - 1]

Returns the current supply voltage of the LEDs.

BrickletLEDStrip.SetClockFrequency(frequency)
Input:
  • frequency – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 Hz, Range: [10000 to 2000000], Default: 1666666

Sets the frequency of the clock.

The Bricklet will choose the nearest achievable frequency, which may be off by a few Hz. You can get the exact frequency that is used by calling GetClockFrequency().

If you have problems with flickering LEDs, they may be bits flipping. You can fix this by either making the connection between the LEDs and the Bricklet shorter or by reducing the frequency.

With a decreasing frequency your maximum frames per second will decrease too.

Note

The frequency in firmware version 2.0.0 is fixed at 2MHz.

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.GetClockFrequency() → frequency
Output:
  • frequency – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 Hz, Range: [10000 to 2000000], Default: 1666666

Returns the currently used clock frequency as set by SetClockFrequency().

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.SetChipType(chip)
Input:
  • chip – Type: Int32, Range: See constants, Default: 2801

Sets the type of the LED driver chip. We currently support the chips

  • WS2801,
  • WS2811,
  • WS2812 / SK6812 / NeoPixel RGB,
  • SK6812RGBW / NeoPixel RGBW (Chip Type = WS2812),
  • LPD8806 and
  • APA102 / DotStar.

The following constants are available for this function:

For chip:

  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_WS2801 = 2801
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_WS2811 = 2811
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_WS2812 = 2812
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_LPD8806 = 8806
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_APA102 = 102

New in version 2.0.2 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.GetChipType() → chip
Output:
  • chip – Type: Int32, Range: See constants, Default: 2801

Returns the currently used chip type as set by SetChipType().

The following constants are available for this function:

For chip:

  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_WS2801 = 2801
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_WS2811 = 2811
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_WS2812 = 2812
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_LPD8806 = 8806
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHIP_TYPE_APA102 = 102

New in version 2.0.2 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.SetRGBWValues(index, length, r, g, b, w)
Input:
  • index – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 239]
  • length – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 12]
  • r – Type: Byte[12], Range: [0 to 255]
  • g – Type: Byte[12], Range: [0 to 255]
  • b – Type: Byte[12], Range: [0 to 255]
  • w – Type: Byte[12], Range: [0 to 255]

Sets length RGBW values for the LEDs starting from index.

To make the colors show correctly you need to configure the chip type (SetChipType()) and a 4-channel channel mapping (SetChannelMapping()) according to the connected LEDs.

The maximum length is 12, the index goes from 0 to 239 and the rgbw values have 8 bits each.

Example: If you set

  • index to 5,
  • length to 4,
  • r to [255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
  • g to [0, 255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0],
  • b to [0, 0, 255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0] and
  • w to [0, 0, 255, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0]

the LED with index 5 will be red, 6 will be green, 7 will be blue and 8 will be white.

Note

Depending on the LED circuitry colors can be permuted.

The colors will be transfered to actual LEDs when the next frame duration ends, see SetFrameDuration().

Generic approach:

  • Set the frame duration to a value that represents the number of frames per second you want to achieve.
  • Set all of the LED colors for one frame.
  • Wait for the FrameRenderedCallback callback.
  • Set all of the LED colors for next frame.
  • Wait for the FrameRenderedCallback callback.
  • and so on.

This approach ensures that you can change the LED colors with a fixed frame rate.

The actual number of controllable LEDs depends on the number of free Bricklet ports. See here for more information. A call of SetRGBWValues() with index + length above the bounds is ignored completely.

The LPD8806 LED driver chips have 7-bit channels for RGB. Internally the LED Strip Bricklets divides the 8-bit values set using this function by 2 to make them 7-bit. Therefore, you can just use the normal value range (0-255) for LPD8806 LEDs.

The brightness channel of the APA102 LED driver chips has 5-bit. Internally the LED Strip Bricklets divides the 8-bit values set using this function by 8 to make them 5-bit. Therefore, you can just use the normal value range (0-255) for the brightness channel of APA102 LEDs.

New in version 2.0.6 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.GetRGBWValues(index, length) → r, g, b, w
Input:
  • index – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 239]
  • length – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 12]
Output:
  • r – Type: Byte[12], Range: [0 to 255]
  • g – Type: Byte[12], Range: [0 to 255]
  • b – Type: Byte[12], Range: [0 to 255]
  • w – Type: Byte[12], Range: [0 to 255]

Returns length RGBW values starting from the given index.

The values are the last values that were set by SetRGBWValues().

New in version 2.0.6 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.SetChannelMapping(mapping)
Input:
  • mapping – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 36

Sets the channel mapping for the connected LEDs.

SetRGBValues() and SetRGBWValues() take the data in RGB(W) order. But the connected LED driver chips might have their 3 or 4 channels in a different order. For example, the WS2801 chips typically use BGR order, the WS2812 chips typically use GRB order and the APA102 chips typically use WBGR order.

The APA102 chips are special. They have three 8-bit channels for RGB and an additional 5-bit channel for the overall brightness of the RGB LED making them 4-channel chips. Internally the brightness channel is the first channel, therefore one of the Wxyz channel mappings should be used. Then the W channel controls the brightness.

If a 3-channel mapping is selected then SetRGBValues() has to be used. Calling SetRGBWValues() with a 3-channel mapping will produce incorrect results. Vice-versa if a 4-channel mapping is selected then SetRGBWValues() has to be used. Calling SetRGBValues() with a 4-channel mapping will produce incorrect results.

The following constants are available for this function:

For mapping:

  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RGB = 6
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RBG = 9
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BRG = 33
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BGR = 36
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GRB = 18
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GBR = 24
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RGBW = 27
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RGWB = 30
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RBGW = 39
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RBWG = 45
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RWGB = 54
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RWBG = 57
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GRWB = 78
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GRBW = 75
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GBWR = 108
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GBRW = 99
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GWBR = 120
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GWRB = 114
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BRGW = 135
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BRWG = 141
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BGRW = 147
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BGWR = 156
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BWRG = 177
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BWGR = 180
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WRBG = 201
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WRGB = 198
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WGBR = 216
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WGRB = 210
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WBGR = 228
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WBRG = 225

New in version 2.0.6 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.GetChannelMapping() → mapping
Output:
  • mapping – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 36

Returns the currently used channel mapping as set by SetChannelMapping().

The following constants are available for this function:

For mapping:

  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RGB = 6
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RBG = 9
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BRG = 33
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BGR = 36
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GRB = 18
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GBR = 24
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RGBW = 27
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RGWB = 30
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RBGW = 39
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RBWG = 45
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RWGB = 54
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_RWBG = 57
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GRWB = 78
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GRBW = 75
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GBWR = 108
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GBRW = 99
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GWBR = 120
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_GWRB = 114
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BRGW = 135
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BRWG = 141
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BGRW = 147
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BGWR = 156
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BWRG = 177
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_BWGR = 180
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WRBG = 201
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WRGB = 198
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WGBR = 216
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WGRB = 210
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WBGR = 228
  • BrickletLEDStrip.CHANNEL_MAPPING_WBRG = 225

New in version 2.0.6 (Plugin).

Advanced Functions

BrickletLEDStrip.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

BrickletLEDStrip.EnableFrameRenderedCallback()

Enables the FrameRenderedCallback callback.

By default the callback is enabled.

New in version 2.0.6 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.DisableFrameRenderedCallback()

Disables the FrameRenderedCallback callback.

By default the callback is enabled.

New in version 2.0.6 (Plugin).

BrickletLEDStrip.IsFrameRenderedCallbackEnabled() → enabled
Output:
  • enabled – Type: Boolean, Default: T

Returns true if the FrameRenderedCallback callback is enabled, false otherwise.

New in version 2.0.6 (Plugin).

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 BrickletLEDStrip.FrameRenderedCallback → sender, length
Callback Output:
  • sender – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletLEDStrip)
  • length – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 320]

This callback is triggered directly after a new frame is rendered. The parameter is the number of RGB or RGBW LEDs in that frame.

You should send the data for the next frame directly after this callback was triggered.

For an explanation of the general approach see SetRGBValues().

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.

BrickletLEDStrip.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.

BrickletLEDStrip.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:

  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_RGB_VALUES = 1
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_FRAME_DURATION = 3
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_CLOCK_FREQUENCY = 7
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_CHIP_TYPE = 9
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_RGBW_VALUES = 11
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_CHANNEL_MAPPING = 13
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_ENABLE_FRAME_RENDERED_CALLBACK = 15
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_DISABLE_FRAME_RENDERED_CALLBACK = 16
BrickletLEDStrip.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:

  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_RGB_VALUES = 1
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_FRAME_DURATION = 3
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_CLOCK_FREQUENCY = 7
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_CHIP_TYPE = 9
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_RGBW_VALUES = 11
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_SET_CHANNEL_MAPPING = 13
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_ENABLE_FRAME_RENDERED_CALLBACK = 15
  • BrickletLEDStrip.FUNCTION_DISABLE_FRAME_RENDERED_CALLBACK = 16
BrickletLEDStrip.SetResponseExpectedAll(responseExpected)
Input:
  • responseExpected – Type: Boolean

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

Constants

BrickletLEDStrip.DEVICE_IDENTIFIER

This constant is used to identify a LED Strip 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.

BrickletLEDStrip.DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME

This constant represents the human readable name of a LED Strip Bricklet.