Software / API Bindings / LabVIEW / API Reference and Examples / Bricklets / Motorized Linear Poti Bricklet

LabVIEW - Motorized Linear Poti Bricklet¶

This is the description of the LabVIEW API bindings for the Motorized Linear Poti Bricklet. General information and technical specifications for the Motorized Linear Poti 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¶

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti(uid, ipcon) → motorizedLinearPoti¶

Input:	uid – Type: String ipcon – Type: .NET Refnum (IPConnection)
Output:	motorizedLinearPoti – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti)

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

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetPosition() → position¶

Output:	position – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 100]

Returns the position of the linear potentiometer. The value is between 0 (slider down) and 100 (slider up).

If you want to get the value periodically, it is recommended to use the PositionCallback callback. You can set the callback configuration with SetPositionCallbackConfiguration().

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.SetMotorPosition(position, driveMode, holdPosition)¶

Input:	position – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 100] driveMode – Type: Byte, Range: See constants holdPosition – Type: Boolean

Sets the position of the potentiometer. The motorized potentiometer will immediately start to approach the position. Depending on the chosen drive mode, the position will either be reached as fast as possible or in a slow but smooth motion.

The position has to be between 0 (slider down) and 100 (slider up).

If you set the hold position parameter to true, the position will automatically be retained. If a user changes the position of the potentiometer, it will automatically drive back to the original set point.

If the hold position parameter is set to false, the potentiometer can be changed again by the user as soon as the set point was reached once.

The following constants are available for this function:

For driveMode:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.DRIVE_MODE_FAST = 0
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.DRIVE_MODE_SMOOTH = 1

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetMotorPosition() → position, driveMode, holdPosition, positionReached¶

Output:	position – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 100] driveMode – Type: Byte, Range: See constants holdPosition – Type: Boolean positionReached – Type: Boolean

Returns the last motor position as set by SetMotorPosition(). This is not the current position (use GetPosition() to get the current position). This is the last used set point and configuration.

The position reached parameter is true if the position has been reached at one point. The position may have been changed again in the meantime by the user.

The following constants are available for this function:

For driveMode:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.DRIVE_MODE_FAST = 0
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.DRIVE_MODE_SMOOTH = 1

Advanced Functions¶

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.Calibrate()¶

Starts a calibration procedure. The potentiometer will be driven to the extreme points to calibrate the potentiometer.

The calibration is saved in flash, it does not have to be called on every start up.

The Motorized Linear Poti Bricklet is already factory-calibrated during testing at Tinkerforge.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetSPITFPErrorCount() → errorCountAckChecksum, errorCountMessageChecksum, errorCountFrame, errorCountOverflow¶

Output:	errorCountAckChecksum – Type: Int64, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1] errorCountMessageChecksum – Type: Int64, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1] errorCountFrame – Type: Int64, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1] errorCountOverflow – Type: Int64, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Returns the error count for the communication between Brick and Bricklet.

The errors are divided into

ACK checksum errors,
message checksum errors,
framing errors and
overflow errors.

The errors counts are for errors that occur on the Bricklet side. All Bricks have a similar function that returns the errors on the Brick side.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.SetStatusLEDConfig(config)¶

Input:	config – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 3

Sets the status LED configuration. By default the LED shows communication traffic between Brick and Bricklet, it flickers once for every 10 received data packets.

You can also turn the LED permanently on/off or show a heartbeat.

If the Bricklet is in bootloader mode, the LED is will show heartbeat by default.

The following constants are available for this function:

For config:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_OFF = 0
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_ON = 1
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_SHOW_HEARTBEAT = 2
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_SHOW_STATUS = 3

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetStatusLEDConfig() → config¶

Output:	config – Type: Byte, Range: See constants, Default: 3

Returns the configuration as set by SetStatusLEDConfig()

The following constants are available for this function:

For config:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_OFF = 0
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_ON = 1
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_SHOW_HEARTBEAT = 2
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.STATUS_LED_CONFIG_SHOW_STATUS = 3

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetChipTemperature() → temperature¶

Output:	temperature – Type: Int16, Unit: 1 °C, Range: [-2¹⁵ to 2¹⁵ - 1]

Returns the temperature as measured inside the microcontroller. The value returned is not the ambient temperature!

The temperature is only proportional to the real temperature and it has bad accuracy. Practically it is only useful as an indicator for temperature changes.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.Reset()¶

Calling this function will reset the Bricklet. All configurations will be lost.

After a reset you have to create new device objects, calling functions on the existing ones will result in undefined behavior!

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetIdentity() → uid, connectedUid, position, hardwareVersion, firmwareVersion, deviceIdentifier¶

Output:

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]

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¶

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.SetPositionCallbackConfiguration(period, valueHasToChange, option, min, max)¶

Input:	period – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 0 valueHasToChange – Type: Boolean, Default: F 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

The period is the period with which the PositionCallback callback is triggered periodically. A value of 0 turns the callback off.

If the value has to change-parameter is set to true, the callback is only triggered after the value has changed. If the value didn't change within the period, the callback is triggered immediately on change.

If it is set to false, the callback is continuously triggered with the period, independent of the value.

It is furthermore possible to constrain the callback with thresholds.

The option-parameter together with min/max sets a threshold for the PositionCallback callback.

The following options are possible:

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

If the option is set to 'x' (threshold turned off) the callback is triggered with the fixed period.

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

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

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetPositionCallbackConfiguration() → period, valueHasToChange, option, min, max¶

Output:	period – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1], Default: 0 valueHasToChange – Type: Boolean, Default: F 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 callback configuration as set by SetPositionCallbackConfiguration().

The following constants are available for this function:

For option:

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

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.SetPositionReachedCallbackConfiguration(enabled)¶

Input:	enabled – Type: Boolean, Default: T

Enables/Disables PositionReachedCallback callback.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetPositionReachedCallbackConfiguration() → enabled¶

Output:	enabled – Type: Boolean, Default: T

Returns the PositionReachedCallback callback configuration as set by SetPositionReachedCallbackConfiguration().

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 BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.PositionCallback → sender, position¶

Callback Output:	sender – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti) position – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 100]

This callback is triggered periodically according to the configuration set by SetPositionCallbackConfiguration().

The parameter is the same as GetPosition().

event BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.PositionReachedCallback → sender, position¶

Callback Output:	sender – Type: .NET Refnum (BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti) position – Type: Int32, Range: [0 to 100]

This callback is triggered if a new position as set by SetMotorPosition() is reached.

The parameter is the current position.

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.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.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.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.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:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_POSITION_CALLBACK_CONFIGURATION = 2
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_MOTOR_POSITION = 5
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_CALIBRATE = 7
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_POSITION_REACHED_CALLBACK_CONFIGURATION = 8
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_WRITE_FIRMWARE_POINTER = 237
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_STATUS_LED_CONFIG = 239
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_RESET = 243
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_WRITE_UID = 248

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.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.

The following constants are available for this function:

For functionId:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_POSITION_CALLBACK_CONFIGURATION = 2
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_MOTOR_POSITION = 5
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_CALIBRATE = 7
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_POSITION_REACHED_CALLBACK_CONFIGURATION = 8
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_WRITE_FIRMWARE_POINTER = 237
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_SET_STATUS_LED_CONFIG = 239
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_RESET = 243
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.FUNCTION_WRITE_UID = 248

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.SetResponseExpectedAll(responseExpected)¶

Input:	responseExpected – Type: Boolean

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

Internal Functions¶

Internal functions are used for maintenance tasks such as flashing a new firmware of changing the UID of a Bricklet. These task should be performed using Brick Viewer instead of using the internal functions directly.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.SetBootloaderMode(mode) → status¶

Input:	mode – Type: Byte, Range: See constants
Output:	status – Type: Byte, Range: See constants

Sets the bootloader mode and returns the status after the requested mode change was instigated.

You can change from bootloader mode to firmware mode and vice versa. A change from bootloader mode to firmware mode will only take place if the entry function, device identifier and CRC are present and correct.

This function is used by Brick Viewer during flashing. It should not be necessary to call it in a normal user program.

The following constants are available for this function:

For mode:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_BOOTLOADER = 0
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE = 1
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_BOOTLOADER_WAIT_FOR_REBOOT = 2
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE_WAIT_FOR_REBOOT = 3
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE_WAIT_FOR_ERASE_AND_REBOOT = 4

For status:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_OK = 0
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_INVALID_MODE = 1
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_NO_CHANGE = 2
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_ENTRY_FUNCTION_NOT_PRESENT = 3
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_DEVICE_IDENTIFIER_INCORRECT = 4
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_STATUS_CRC_MISMATCH = 5

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.GetBootloaderMode() → mode¶

Output:	mode – Type: Byte, Range: See constants

Returns the current bootloader mode, see SetBootloaderMode().

The following constants are available for this function:

For mode:

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_BOOTLOADER = 0
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE = 1
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_BOOTLOADER_WAIT_FOR_REBOOT = 2
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE_WAIT_FOR_REBOOT = 3
BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.BOOTLOADER_MODE_FIRMWARE_WAIT_FOR_ERASE_AND_REBOOT = 4

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.SetWriteFirmwarePointer(pointer)¶

Input:	pointer – Type: Int64, Unit: 1 B, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Sets the firmware pointer for WriteFirmware(). The pointer has to be increased by chunks of size 64. The data is written to flash every 4 chunks (which equals to one page of size 256).

This function is used by Brick Viewer during flashing. It should not be necessary to call it in a normal user program.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.WriteFirmware(data) → status¶

Input:	data – Type: Byte[64], Range: [0 to 255]
Output:	status – Type: Byte, Range: [0 to 255]

Writes 64 Bytes of firmware at the position as written by SetWriteFirmwarePointer() before. The firmware is written to flash every 4 chunks.

You can only write firmware in bootloader mode.

This function is used by Brick Viewer during flashing. It should not be necessary to call it in a normal user program.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.WriteUID(uid)¶

Input:	uid – Type: Int64, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Writes a new UID into flash. If you want to set a new UID you have to decode the Base58 encoded UID string into an integer first.

We recommend that you use Brick Viewer to change the UID.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.ReadUID() → uid¶

Output:	uid – Type: Int64, Range: [0 to 2³² - 1]

Returns the current UID as an integer. Encode as Base58 to get the usual string version.

Constants¶

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.DEVICE_IDENTIFIER¶

This constant is used to identify a Motorized Linear Poti 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.

BrickletMotorizedLinearPoti.DEVICE_DISPLAY_NAME¶: This constant represents the human readable name of a Motorized Linear Poti Bricklet.