Delphi/Lazarus - Moisture Bricklet

This is the description of the Delphi/Lazarus API bindings for the Moisture Bricklet. General information and technical specifications for the Moisture Bricklet are summarized in its hardware description.

An installation guide for the Delphi/Lazarus API bindings is part of their general description.

Examples

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

Simple

Download (ExampleSimple.pas)

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program ExampleSimple;

{$ifdef MSWINDOWS}{$apptype CONSOLE}{$endif}
{$ifdef FPC}{$mode OBJFPC}{$H+}{$endif}

uses
  SysUtils, IPConnection, BrickletMoisture;

type
  TExample = class
  private
    ipcon: TIPConnection;
    m: TBrickletMoisture;
  public
    procedure Execute;
  end;

const
  HOST = 'localhost';
  PORT = 4223;
  UID = 'XYZ'; { Change XYZ to the UID of your Moisture Bricklet }

var
  e: TExample;

procedure TExample.Execute;
var moisture: word;
begin
  { Create IP connection }
  ipcon := TIPConnection.Create;

  { Create device object }
  m := TBrickletMoisture.Create(UID, ipcon);

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

  { Get current moisture value }
  moisture := m.GetMoistureValue;
  WriteLn(Format('Moisture Value: %d', [moisture]));

  WriteLn('Press key to exit');
  ReadLn;
  ipcon.Destroy; { Calls ipcon.Disconnect internally }
end;

begin
  e := TExample.Create;
  e.Execute;
  e.Destroy;
end.

Callback

Download (ExampleCallback.pas)

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program ExampleCallback;

{$ifdef MSWINDOWS}{$apptype CONSOLE}{$endif}
{$ifdef FPC}{$mode OBJFPC}{$H+}{$endif}

uses
  SysUtils, IPConnection, BrickletMoisture;

type
  TExample = class
  private
    ipcon: TIPConnection;
    m: TBrickletMoisture;
  public
    procedure MoistureCB(sender: TBrickletMoisture; const moisture: word);
    procedure Execute;
  end;

const
  HOST = 'localhost';
  PORT = 4223;
  UID = 'XYZ'; { Change XYZ to the UID of your Moisture Bricklet }

var
  e: TExample;

{ Callback procedure for moisture value callback }
procedure TExample.MoistureCB(sender: TBrickletMoisture; const moisture: word);
begin
  WriteLn(Format('Moisture Value: %d', [moisture]));
end;

procedure TExample.Execute;
begin
  { Create IP connection }
  ipcon := TIPConnection.Create;

  { Create device object }
  m := TBrickletMoisture.Create(UID, ipcon);

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

  { Register moisture value callback to procedure MoistureCB }
  m.OnMoisture := {$ifdef FPC}@{$endif}MoistureCB;

  { Set period for moisture value callback to 1s (1000ms)
    Note: The moisture value callback is only called every second
          if the moisture value has changed since the last call! }
  m.SetMoistureCallbackPeriod(1000);

  WriteLn('Press key to exit');
  ReadLn;
  ipcon.Destroy; { Calls ipcon.Disconnect internally }
end;

begin
  e := TExample.Create;
  e.Execute;
  e.Destroy;
end.

Threshold

Download (ExampleThreshold.pas)

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program ExampleThreshold;

{$ifdef MSWINDOWS}{$apptype CONSOLE}{$endif}
{$ifdef FPC}{$mode OBJFPC}{$H+}{$endif}

uses
  SysUtils, IPConnection, BrickletMoisture;

type
  TExample = class
  private
    ipcon: TIPConnection;
    m: TBrickletMoisture;
  public
    procedure MoistureReachedCB(sender: TBrickletMoisture; const moisture: word);
    procedure Execute;
  end;

const
  HOST = 'localhost';
  PORT = 4223;
  UID = 'XYZ'; { Change XYZ to the UID of your Moisture Bricklet }

var
  e: TExample;

{ Callback procedure for moisture value reached callback }
procedure TExample.MoistureReachedCB(sender: TBrickletMoisture; const moisture: word);
begin
  WriteLn(Format('Moisture Value: %d', [moisture]));
end;

procedure TExample.Execute;
begin
  { Create IP connection }
  ipcon := TIPConnection.Create;

  { Create device object }
  m := TBrickletMoisture.Create(UID, ipcon);

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

  { Get threshold callbacks with a debounce time of 1 second (1000ms) }
  m.SetDebouncePeriod(1000);

  { Register moisture value reached callback to procedure MoistureReachedCB }
  m.OnMoistureReached := {$ifdef FPC}@{$endif}MoistureReachedCB;

  { Configure threshold for moisture value "greater than 200" }
  m.SetMoistureCallbackThreshold('>', 200, 0);

  WriteLn('Press key to exit');
  ReadLn;
  ipcon.Destroy; { Calls ipcon.Disconnect internally }
end;

begin
  e := TExample.Create;
  e.Execute;
  e.Destroy;
end.

API

Since Delphi does not support multiple return values directly, we use the out keyword to return multiple values from a function.

All functions and procedures listed below are thread-safe.

Basic Functions

constructor TBrickletMoisture.Create(const uid: string; ipcon: TIPConnection)
Parameters:
  • uid – Type: string
  • ipcon – Type: TIPConnection
Returns:
  • moisture – Type: TBrickletMoisture

Creates an object with the unique device ID uid:

moisture := TBrickletMoisture.Create('YOUR_DEVICE_UID', ipcon);

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

function TBrickletMoisture.GetMoistureValue: word
Returns:
  • moisture – Type: word, Range: [0 to 212 - 1]

Returns the current moisture value. A small value corresponds to little moisture, a big value corresponds to much moisture.

If you want to get the moisture value periodically, it is recommended to use the OnMoisture callback and set the period with SetMoistureCallbackPeriod.

Advanced Functions

procedure TBrickletMoisture.SetMovingAverage(const average: byte)
Parameters:
  • average – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 100], Default: 100

Sets the length of a moving averaging for the moisture value.

Setting the length to 0 will turn the averaging completely off. With less averaging, there is more noise on the data.

function TBrickletMoisture.GetMovingAverage: byte
Returns:
  • average – Type: byte, Range: [0 to 100], Default: 100

Returns the length moving average as set by SetMovingAverage.

procedure TBrickletMoisture.GetIdentity(out uid: string; out connectedUid: string; out position: char; out hardwareVersion: array [0..2] of byte; out firmwareVersion: array [0..2] of byte; out deviceIdentifier: word)
Output Parameters:
  • uid – Type: string, Length: up to 8
  • connectedUid – Type: string, Length: up to 8
  • position – Type: char, Range: ['a' to 'h', 'z']
  • hardwareVersion – Type: array [0..2] of byte
    • 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: array [0..2] of byte
    • 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: word, 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

procedure TBrickletMoisture.SetMoistureCallbackPeriod(const period: longword)
Parameters:
  • period – Type: longword, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 0

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

The OnMoisture callback is only triggered if the moisture value has changed since the last triggering.

function TBrickletMoisture.GetMoistureCallbackPeriod: longword
Returns:
  • period – Type: longword, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 0

Returns the period as set by SetMoistureCallbackPeriod.

procedure TBrickletMoisture.SetMoistureCallbackThreshold(const option: char; const min: word; const max: word)
Parameters:
  • option – Type: char, Range: See constants, Default: 'x'
  • min – Type: word, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0
  • max – Type: word, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0

Sets the thresholds for the OnMoistureReached callback.

The following options are possible:

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

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_OFF = 'x'
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_OUTSIDE = 'o'
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_INSIDE = 'i'
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_SMALLER = '<'
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_GREATER = '>'
procedure TBrickletMoisture.GetMoistureCallbackThreshold(out option: char; out min: word; out max: word)
Output Parameters:
  • option – Type: char, Range: See constants, Default: 'x'
  • min – Type: word, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0
  • max – Type: word, Range: [0 to 216 - 1], Default: 0

Returns the threshold as set by SetMoistureCallbackThreshold.

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_OFF = 'x'
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_OUTSIDE = 'o'
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_INSIDE = 'i'
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_SMALLER = '<'
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_THRESHOLD_OPTION_GREATER = '>'
procedure TBrickletMoisture.SetDebouncePeriod(const debounce: longword)
Parameters:
  • debounce – Type: longword, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 100

Sets the period with which the threshold callback

is triggered, if the threshold

keeps being reached.

function TBrickletMoisture.GetDebouncePeriod: longword
Returns:
  • debounce – Type: longword, 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:

procedure TExample.MyCallback(sender: TBrickletMoisture; const value: longint);
begin
  WriteLn(Format('Value: %d', [value]));
end;

moisture.OnExample := {$ifdef FPC}@{$endif}example.MyCallback;

The available callback properties and their parameter types 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.

property TBrickletMoisture.OnMoisture
procedure(sender: TBrickletMoisture; const moisture: word) of object;
Callback Parameters:
  • sender – Type: TBrickletMoisture
  • moisture – Type: word, Range: [0 to 212 - 1]

This callback is triggered periodically with the period that is set by SetMoistureCallbackPeriod. The parameter is the moisture value of the sensor.

The OnMoisture callback is only triggered if the moisture value has changed since the last triggering.

property TBrickletMoisture.OnMoistureReached
procedure(sender: TBrickletMoisture; const moisture: word) of object;
Callback Parameters:
  • sender – Type: TBrickletMoisture
  • moisture – Type: word, Range: [0 to 212 - 1]

This callback is triggered when the threshold as set by SetMoistureCallbackThreshold is reached. The parameter is the moisture value of the 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 TBrickletMoisture.GetAPIVersion: array [0..2] of byte
Output Parameters:
  • apiVersion – Type: array [0..2] of byte
    • 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 TBrickletMoisture.GetResponseExpected(const functionId: byte): 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:

  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_FUNCTION_SET_MOISTURE_CALLBACK_PERIOD = 2
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_FUNCTION_SET_MOISTURE_CALLBACK_THRESHOLD = 4
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_FUNCTION_SET_DEBOUNCE_PERIOD = 6
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_FUNCTION_SET_MOVING_AVERAGE = 10
procedure TBrickletMoisture.SetResponseExpected(const functionId: byte; const responseExpected: 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:

  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_FUNCTION_SET_MOISTURE_CALLBACK_PERIOD = 2
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_FUNCTION_SET_MOISTURE_CALLBACK_THRESHOLD = 4
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_FUNCTION_SET_DEBOUNCE_PERIOD = 6
  • BRICKLET_MOISTURE_FUNCTION_SET_MOVING_AVERAGE = 10
procedure TBrickletMoisture.SetResponseExpectedAll(const responseExpected: boolean)
Parameters:
  • responseExpected – Type: boolean

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

Constants

const BRICKLET_MOISTURE_DEVICE_IDENTIFIER

This constant is used to identify a Moisture Bricklet.

The GetIdentity function and the TIPConnection.OnEnumerate callback of the IP Connection have a deviceIdentifier parameter to specify the Brick's or Bricklet's type.

const BRICKLET_MOISTURE_DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME

This constant represents the human readable name of a Moisture Bricklet.