Can it be done? (Countdown timer that survives wait or sleep)

[TheoL]

@Mark-Swift I'll look at your code later on. I'm just having a short lunch break. Since you'e using MQTT, things are much easier. You can implement the timing stuff completely in NoeRed. I love MQTT and node red.

[Mark Swift]

@TheoL Thank you!

[AWI]

@Mark-Swift The easiest way to implement a time during sleep (independent from a controller) is count the number of sleep and multiply by the sleep time.

or a more straightforward example:

unsigned long loopTimer ; 

void setup()
{
loopTimer  = 0 ;
}

void loop(){
unsigned long now = millis() ;
// whatever 

// end whatever
loopTimer += now ; 
gw.sleep(sleepTime);
loopTimer += sleepTime ;
}

[Mark Swift]

@AWI That's very interesting. I had considered something like that but couldn't figure out how I'd do it.

Basically, what I'd like to do is have the Arduino light up the neopixel with the remaining hours, i.e. 4 hours, show 4 red LEDS. Not having to reply on a controller for such a simple task seems a bonus. If possible I'll also send the remaining time back to the controller also.

Now I just need to figure out how to apply your timer example to my code, oh dear.

@AWI If you're feeling generous ;-)

[AWI]

@Mark-Swift I'm feeling generous... but the challenge is yours...:laughing: .

If a precision of a few milliseconds is not essential then my idea would be to implement a counter which increments every loop.
If the counter reaches 1 hour (3600 s equals ? times the loopDelay) light up the first, etc.

[Mark Swift]

This post is deleted!

[Mark Swift]

Well, I've been trying and haven't come up with anything that works so far... Crap.

[m26872]

It looks like you don't need to sleep, i.e. the node isn't battery powered. Then it should be very easy by using the basic millis() counter method. http://forum.mysensors.org/topic/630/gateway-sensor-range-advice/12

[Mark Swift]

@m26872 Would you perhaps be able to point me in the right direction with regards my sketch?

Basically, if

if (lastMoistureValue == 0 ? 1 : 0 == 1 || lastRainValue == 0 ? 1 : 0 == 1)

reset timer and set MowerWaiting to true (I guess?)

else

after 1 hour light led 1, after 2 hours light led 2, after 3 hours light led 3, after 4 hours light led 4 (and ideally switch MowerWaiting to false)

Cheers, Mark

[TheoL]

@Mark-Swift Why not make things simple (I love simple things).

if (lastMoistureValue == 0 ? 1 : 0 == 1 || lastMoistureValue == 0 ? 1 : 0 == 1)

Is something that I would code differently. What you are saying is:
if ( inverted value of lastMoistureValue == 1 <-- meaning moisturevalue = 0

or

if ( inverted value of lastMoisterValue == 1 <-- meaning moistureValue = 0

Which basically is a double check for the same. If you'd want to do something when the lastMoistureValue = 0 it would be more logic and simple to say

if ( lastMoistureValue == 0 ) {

But I don't have the time to read this complete thread. To me it always help to write things in pseudo code first. Especially when I have to code a complex algorithm. Like

1. if the lastMoistureValue is off (I presume 0 is off) then do
2. ....

And then I translate the pseudo code to C code.

An algorithm for handling timers could be:

1. If something/sensor value starts a timer.
2. store current time in timerStartVariable
3. if firstTimerElapsed
4. light up led1
5. if secondTimerElapsed
6. light up led2
7. ...... and so on
8. if timer needs reset
9. disable timer mechanism

This gives me lots of insights in what I'd need to code. And there are a lot of different ways you can accomplish this. But for the sake of simplicity I'm not going to use arrays and stuff like that. That is something you can do later on - I'd do immediately, but I wrote my first program 36 years ago on a commodore 64. So I have some experience with software development.

#define firstTimer 36000000 // 60 minutes * 60 seconds * 1000 millis
#define secondTimer 7200000 // 2 times first timer is 2 hours
.... // and so on


bool timerActive =  false; // state for timer active
unsigned long timerStart = 0; // variable for remembering when the timer was triggered
bool timer1Handled = false;
bool timer2Handled = false;
....
....
void loop() {
    if ( timerActive == false && timerNeedsToBeActivated ) { // don't know how you want to trigger it
        timerActive = true;
        timerStart = millis();
        timer1Handled = false;
        timer2Handled = false;
    }
    if ( timerActive == true ) { // check whether a timer has ellapsed
        unsigned long cm = millis();
        if ( timerStart + firstTimer > cm && timer1Handled == false ) {
            timer1Handled = true;
            // light up led1
        }
        if ( timerStart + secondTimer > cm && timer2Handled == false ) {
            timer2Handled = true;
            // light up led1
        }
        if ( timerNeedsToBeStopped ) {
            timerActive = false;
        }
    }
}

Now this might not be the best way to code this algorithm. And I haven't checked if it compiles. But I hope this is what you're looking for. And if so I hope it helped the way I translate an algorithm to a piece of software.

Also there might be some small errors in the code. But I just did some development in Python for a course I'm following. And Python has a different syntax.

[Mark Swift]

@Mark-Swift said:

@TheoL I'll take a look at that and digest it, thank you so much for taking the time to reply.

BTW, spot the typo! It was meant to read:

if (lastMoistureValue == 0 ? 1 : 0 == 1 || lastRainValue == 0 ? 1 : 0 == 1)

[TheoL]

@Mark-Swift My mistake sorry. But it would also make the code more readable by not doing the invert and just compare for the value.

[Mark Swift]

@TheoL I've just tried implementing the code you gave into my sketch, strangely it seems to light all 3 LEDS on the first loop, even though checking the value of 'cm' it's obviously less than timerStarted + TIMERX, any ideas?

Code:

// Enable debug prints
#define MY_DEBUG

// Required for MQTT as gateway does not automagically assign ID's
#define MY_NODE_ID 3

// Set parent node ID manually
// #define MY_PARENT_NODE_ID

// Enable and select radio type attached
#define MY_RADIO_NRF24
// #define MY_RADIO_RFM69

// Set RF24L01 channel number
#define MY_RF24_CHANNEL 125

#include <SPI.h>
#include <MySensor.h>
#include <BH1750.h>
#include <NewPing.h>
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>

#define NEO_PIN 2
#define NUM_LEDS 8
Adafruit_NeoPixel strip1 = Adafruit_NeoPixel(NUM_LEDS, NEO_PIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);

// Power pin moisture sensor
#define MOISTURE_POWER_PIN 5
// Digital input pin moisture sensor
#define DIGITAL_INPUT_MOISTURE 6

// Power pin rain sensor
#define RAIN_POWER_PIN 7
// Digital input pin rain sensor
#define DIGITAL_INPUT_RAIN 8

// Ultrasonic trigger pin
#define TRIGGER_PIN 4
// Ultrasonic echo pin
#define ECHO_PIN 3
// Maximum distance we want to ping for (in cms), maximum sensor distance is rated at 400-500cm
#define MAX_DISTANCE 400
// NewPing setup of pins and maximum distance
NewPing sonar(TRIGGER_PIN, ECHO_PIN, MAX_DISTANCE);

// Set BH1750 name
BH1750 lightSensor;

// Define end of loop pause time
#define LOOP_PAUSE 10000

// Define radio wait time between sends
#define RADIO_PAUSE 100  // This allows for radio to come back to power after a transmission, ideally 0..

// Define time between sensors blocks
#define SENSORS_DELAY 100  // This allows for radio to come back to power after a transmission, ideally 0..

// Define delay set on Landroid
#define MOWER_DELAY (4UL*60UL*60UL*1000UL)  // Hours (4)
boolean MowerWaiting = false; // If false, send relay command
boolean MowerHome = false; // If false, send relay command

// unsigned long LOOP_PAUSE = 10000; // Sleep or wait time between reads (in milliseconds) 30000
int lastMoistureValue = -1;
int lastRainValue = -1;
uint16_t lastlux;
int lastDist;
boolean metric = true;

// Trial timer variables

#define TIMER1 3200000 // 60 minutes * 60 seconds * 1000 millis
#define TIMER2 7200000 // 120 minutes * 60 seconds * 1000 millis
#define TIMER3 10800000 // 180 minutes * 60 seconds * 1000 millis

bool timerActive =  false; // State for timer active
unsigned long timerStarted = 0; // Variable for remembering when the timer was last triggered
bool timer1Activated = false;
bool timer2Activated = false;
bool timer3Activated = false;

// Define sensor children for MySensors

#define CHILD_ID1 1 // ID of the sensor child
#define CHILD_ID2 2 // ID of the sensor child
#define CHILD_ID3 3 // ID of the sensor child
#define CHILD_ID4 4 // ID of the sensor child

// Define MySensors message formats

MyMessage msg1(CHILD_ID1, V_TRIPPED); // Setup message
MyMessage msg2(CHILD_ID2, V_TRIPPED); // Setup message
MyMessage msg3(CHILD_ID3, V_LEVEL); // Setup message
MyMessage msg4(CHILD_ID4, V_DISTANCE); // Setup message

void setup()
{
  // Send the sketch version information to the gateway and Controller
  sendSketchInfo("R+M+T+H+L+D+U", "1.0");
  wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
  // Register all sensors to gw (they will be created as child devices)
  present(CHILD_ID1, S_MOTION);
  wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
  present(CHILD_ID2, S_MOTION);
  wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
  present(CHILD_ID3, S_LIGHT_LEVEL);
  wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
  present(CHILD_ID4, S_DISTANCE);
  wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
  // Set the moisture sensor digital pin as input
  pinMode(DIGITAL_INPUT_MOISTURE, INPUT);
  // Set the rain sensor digital pin as input
  pinMode(DIGITAL_INPUT_RAIN, INPUT);
  // Set the moisture sensor power pin as output
  pinMode(MOISTURE_POWER_PIN, OUTPUT);
  // Set the rain sensor power pin as output
  pinMode(RAIN_POWER_PIN, OUTPUT);
  // Set to LOW so no power is flowing through the moisture sensor
  digitalWrite(MOISTURE_POWER_PIN, LOW);
  // Set to LOW so no power is flowing through the rain sensor
  digitalWrite(RAIN_POWER_PIN, LOW);
  // Check gateway for metric setting
  boolean metric = getConfig().isMetric;
  // Start BH1750 light sensor
  lightSensor.begin();
  // Start NeoPixel
  strip1.begin();
  // Initialize all pixels to 'off'
  strip1.show();
}

void loop()
{
  {
    //--- Moisture sensor ---//
    digitalWrite(MOISTURE_POWER_PIN, HIGH); // Turn moisture power pin on
    wait(200); // Set a delay to ensure the moisture sensor has powered up
    int moistureValue = digitalRead(DIGITAL_INPUT_MOISTURE); // Read digital moisture value
    digitalWrite(MOISTURE_POWER_PIN, LOW); // Turn moisture power pin off
    if (moistureValue != lastMoistureValue)
    {
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("Moisture Sensor: ");
      Serial.println(moistureValue == 0 ? 1 : 0);
#endif
      send(msg1.set(moistureValue == 0 ? 1 : 0)); // Send the inverse
      wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
      lastMoistureValue = moistureValue; // For testing can be 0 or 1 or back to moistureValue
    }
  }

  wait(SENSORS_DELAY); // Wait between sensor readings, seems to help reliability of second reading
  {
    //--- Rain sensor ---//
    digitalWrite(RAIN_POWER_PIN, HIGH); // Turn rain power pin on
    wait(200); // Set a delay to ensure the moisture sensor has powered up
    int rainValue = digitalRead(DIGITAL_INPUT_RAIN); // Read digital rain value
    digitalWrite(RAIN_POWER_PIN, LOW); // Turn rain power pin off
    if (rainValue != lastRainValue) // Check value against saved value
    {
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("Rain Sensor: ");
      Serial.println(rainValue == 0 ? 1 : 0);
#endif
      send(msg2.set(rainValue == 0 ? 1 : 0)); // Send the inverse
      wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
      lastRainValue = rainValue; // For testing can be 0 or 1 or back to rainValue
    }
  }

  wait(SENSORS_DELAY); // Wait between sensor readings, seems to help reliability of second reading
  {
    //--- Light sensor ---//
    uint16_t lux = lightSensor.readLightLevel(); // Get Lux value
    if (lux != lastlux)
    {
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("LUX: ");
      Serial.println(lux);
#endif
      send(msg3.set(lux));
      wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
      lastlux = lux;
    }
  }

  wait(SENSORS_DELAY); // Wait between sensor readings, seems to help reliability of second reading
  {
    //--- Distance sensor ---//
    int dist = metric ? sonar.ping_cm() : sonar.ping_in();
    if (dist != lastDist)
    {
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("Distance: ");
      Serial.print(dist); // Convert ping time to distance in cm and print result (0 = outside set distance range)
      Serial.println(metric ? " cm" : " in");
#endif
      send(msg4.set(dist));
      wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
      lastDist = dist;
    }
  }

  //--- Analyse readings and set neopixel & booleans ---//
  if (lastMoistureValue == 0 || lastRainValue == 0)
  {
    MowerWaiting = true;
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
    Serial.print("Mower Waiting: ");
    Serial.println(MowerWaiting);
#endif
  }

  if ( timerActive == false && MowerWaiting == true ) // Logic for timer trigger
  {
    timerActive = true;
    timerStarted = millis();
    timer1Activated = false;
    timer2Activated = false;
    timer3Activated = false;
    strip1.setPixelColor(0, 255, 0, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(1, 255, 0, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(2, 255, 0, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(3, 255, 0, 0);
    strip1.show();
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
    Serial.print("Mower Is Waiting: ");
    Serial.println("Activating Countdown");
#endif
  }

  if ( timerActive == true )
  {
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
    Serial.print("Countdown: ");
    Serial.println("Active");
#endif
    unsigned long cm = millis();
    if ( timerStarted + TIMER1 < cm && timer1Activated == false )
    {
      timer1Activated = true;
      strip1.setPixelColor(0, 255, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(1, 255, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(2, 255, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(3, 0, 0, 0);
      strip1.show();
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("3 Hours Left: ");
      Serial.println("");
#endif
    }
    if ( timerStarted + TIMER2 < cm && timer2Activated == false )
    {
      timer2Activated = true;
      strip1.setPixelColor(0, 255, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(1, 255, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(2, 0, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(3, 0, 0, 0);
      strip1.show();
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("2 Hours Left: ");
      Serial.println("");
#endif
    }
    if ( timerStarted + TIMER3 < cm && timer3Activated == false )
    {
      timer3Activated = true;
      strip1.setPixelColor(0, 255, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(1, 0, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(2, 0, 0, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(3, 0, 0, 0);
      strip1.show();
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("1 Hours Left");
      Serial.println("");
#endif
    }
    if ( cm > 14400000 )
    {
      timerActive = false;
      strip1.setPixelColor(0, 0, 255, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(1, 0, 255, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(2, 0, 255, 0);
      strip1.setPixelColor(3, 0, 255, 0);
      strip1.show();
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("Mower Is No Longer Waiting: ");
      Serial.println("Stopping Timer");
#endif
    }
  }

  if (lastDist < 60)
  {
    MowerHome = true;
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
    Serial.print("Mower Home: ");
    Serial.println(MowerHome);
    strip1.setPixelColor(4, 0, 127, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(5, 0, 127, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(6, 0, 127, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(7, 0, 127, 0);
    strip1.show();
#endif
  }

  else
  {
    MowerHome = false;
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
    Serial.print("Mower Home: ");
    Serial.println(MowerHome);
    strip1.setPixelColor(4, 255, 0, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(5, 255, 0, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(6, 255, 0, 0);
    strip1.setPixelColor(7, 255, 0, 0);
    strip1.show();
#endif
  }

  wait(LOOP_PAUSE); // Sleep or wait (repeater)
}

Edit: I'm guessing the IF command should be "<" rather than ">" , fixed that. Check the code above for what I'm working on.

The issue I see right now is that if either moisture or rain is detected the mower timer will be reset each loop (that's okay), how can I also reset the countdown timer you created that I've implemented so they're in sync?

[TheoL]

@Mark-Swift It's hard to help, sence the sketch is getting large. But From what I'm seeing, you do not store the lastvalues. You allways assing 0 to them

   if (rainValue != lastRainValue) // Check value against saved value
    {
#ifdef MY_DEBUG
      Serial.print("Rain Sensor: ");
      Serial.println(rainValue == 0 ? 1 : 0);
#endif
      send(msg2.set(rainValue == 0 ? 1 : 0)); // Send the inverse
      wait(RADIO_PAUSE);
//      lastRainValue = 0; // For testing can be 0 or 1 or back to rainValue 
        lastRainValue = rainValue; // remember the last value we've read
    }
  }

That would be my first step. If you don't change it, then the sketch will only respond to the sensor's reporting 1.

Also, when the timer is being started you set all led's with a max of 255 for the RED led. If I'm not mistaken, you wanted them to be off. So set the RED value also to 0.

We'll get there step by step.

[Mark Swift]

@TheoL With regards the LED's, I slightly changed the logic so they count down, rather than up, i.e. they extinguish as each hour passes until the 4th hour.

I don't see an issue with the current rain sensor / moisture sensor logic, I'm ensuring a reading is taken, but not seeing it unless they've changed? The number you see there now is only because I was testing, normally they're either

lastMoistureValue = moistureValue OR lastRainValue = rainValue

The main issue I see is that I need to countdown to be in sync with

if (lastMoistureValue == 0 || lastRainValue == 0)

so if (lastMoistureValue == 0 || lastRainValue == 0) is true on each loop, then the countdown LED's are reset also.

I'll no doubt change the loop wait to much longer once deployed.