How to optimise a code (95% memory used)

[cwiekol]

Hi,
i'm not a programmer almost at all, but i've managed to use some examples shared by a community to make a client that is receiveng from domoticz 3 variables (temperatures and status of one switch) and displaying it on 128x64px I2C v2 OLED display together with current time.

Compilation and uploading of the sketch is being done correctly, however the following error is being displayed:

Sketch uses 15906 bytes (51%) of program storage space. Maximum is 30720 bytes.
Global variables use 1959 bytes (95%) of dynamic memory, leaving 89 bytes for local variables. Maximum is 2048 bytes.
Low memory available, stability problems may occur.
Invalid version '1.04' for library in: C:\Users\amc002c\Documents\Arduino\libraries\UIPEthernet

The sketch usually is not working as should, but when i finally starts it is working correctly for even few hours. and then it is not refreshing values anymore, even though the clock is still working.

I'm getting the following loop on DEBUG:

My first guess is that it is a memory issue. I've tried to optimise it by deleting splash screen from GFX library, but what else can i do? how to optimise further or what might be the other reason of such behaviour?

Please support.

/*
 * V_TEXT example with Domoticz (c) 2018 GizMoCuz
 * 
 * Note this is some quick code to demonstrate the workings
 * 
 * When the node has started and correctly been found by the controller,
 * you should have two new text sensors in Domoticz (if not, enable accept new hardware!)
 * Those two sensors have an IDX, for example 1063 and 1063
 * To update the first line call something line http://127.0.0.1:8080/json.htm?type=command&param=udevice&idx=1063&nvalue=0&svalue=Hello%20Line%201
 */
 
// Enable debug prints to serial monitor
//#define MY_DEBUG
 
// Enable and select radio type attached
#define MY_RADIO_NRF24
//#define MY_RADIO_NRF5_ESB
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM69
//#define MY_RADIO_RFM95
 
#define MY_NODE_ID 253
 
#include <SPI.h>
#include <MySensors.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <TimeLib.h>
#define UV_SENSOR_ANALOG_PIN 0
 
 
const byte LCD1_CHILD_ID = 8 ;         // LCD line 1
const byte LCD2_CHILD_ID = 9 ;         // LCD line 2
const byte LCD3_CHILD_ID = 7 ;         // LCD line 3

char lastLCD1[7] = "Line1";   // define & init before first receive
char lastLCD2[7] = "Line2";
char lastLCD3[7] = "Line3";

uint32_t ActTime = 0, DispTime=0;
// timers for loop delays
unsigned long lastUpdate=0, lastRequest=0;
 
// Initialize messages for sensor network
MyMessage textMsg(0, V_TEXT);
 
#define OLED_RESET 4
Adafruit_SSD1306 display(OLED_RESET);

#define NUMFLAKES 10
#define XPOS 0
#define YPOS 1
#define DELTAY 2

#if (SSD1306_LCDHEIGHT != 64)
#error("Height incorrect, please fix Adafruit_SSD1306.h!");
#endif

 
void setup(void){
  // ** LCD display **
  Serial.begin(9600);
  display.clearDisplay();
  display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C);  // 0x3C = 0x78 >> 1 (Arduino's )
  // init done
  
  display.display(); // show splashscreen
  delay(2000);
  display.clearDisplay();   // clears the screen and buffer

  // draw a single pixel
  display.drawPixel(20, 20, WHITE);
  display.println("script starting......");
  display.display();
  delay(2000);
  display.clearDisplay();
  Serial.println("end setup");
  Serial.println("Sensor Started");
}
 
void presentation()
{
    // Send the sketch version information to the gateway and Controller
    sendSketchInfo("V_TEXT LCD Sensor", "1.1");
  Serial.println("presentantion");
  present(LCD1_CHILD_ID, S_INFO, "Text Line 1");
  present(LCD2_CHILD_ID, S_INFO, "Text Line 2");
  present(LCD3_CHILD_ID, S_INFO, "Text_Line_3"); 
  // Initializations
  requestTime();            // get the time from controller (handled by receiveTime)
  request(LCD1_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);           // request latest value from controller
  request(LCD2_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);          // request latest value from controller
  request(LCD3_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);          // request latest value from controller
}
 
void loop()
{
  // timer for loop delays

  unsigned long now = millis();

//  }// request time and latest value every 15 minutes from controller
  if (now-lastRequest > 15*60000)
  {
    requestTime();  
    lastRequest = now;
    Serial.println("request time from controler");
    request(LCD1_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);           // request latest value from controller
    request(LCD2_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);          // request latest value from controller
    request(LCD3_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);          // request latest value from controller
  
  }
  // Update display every second
  if (now-lastUpdate > 1000) {
    LCD_local_display();
    lastUpdate = now;
  }
}
 
// This is called when a new time value was received
void receiveTime(uint32_t controllerTime)
{
  Serial.print("Time value received: ");
  Serial.println(controllerTime);
  ActTime = controllerTime;
} 
 
void LCD_local_display()
{
  // take care of LCD display information
 char buf[20]; 
  display.clearDisplay();
  DispTime=ActTime + (millis()-lastRequest)/1000;
  if (ActTime!=0) {
    // start with location & time on first line
    snprintf(buf, sizeof buf, "%02d:%02d:%02d %02d-%02d-%04d", hour(DispTime), minute(DispTime), second(DispTime), day(DispTime), month(DispTime),year(DispTime));
  }
   display.setTextSize(1);
   display.setTextColor(WHITE);
   display.setCursor(0,0);
   display.println("Termometry");
   display.setCursor(0,12);
   display.print("Dom: ");
   display.setTextSize(2);
   display.setCursor(50,12);
   display.println(lastLCD1);
   display.setCursor(0,32);
   display.setTextSize(1);
   display.print("Zewn: ");
   display.setCursor(0,42);   
   display.print(lastLCD3);
   display.setTextSize(2);
   display.setCursor(50,32);
   display.println(lastLCD2);
   display.setTextSize(1);
   display.setCursor(0,55);
   display.println(buf); 
   display.display();
}
 
void receive(const MyMessage &message)
{
  if (message.type!=V_TEXT) // Text messages only
    return;
 
  // Write some debug info
  Serial.print("Message: ");
  Serial.print(message.sensor);
  Serial.print(", Message: ");
  Serial.println(message.getString());
  
  if (message.sensor == LCD1_CHILD_ID ) {
    snprintf(lastLCD1, sizeof(lastLCD1), "%5s", message.getString());  // load text into LCD string
  }
  else if (message.sensor == LCD2_CHILD_ID) {
    snprintf(lastLCD2, sizeof(lastLCD2), "%5s", message.getString());
  }
  else if (message.sensor == LCD3_CHILD_ID) {
    snprintf(lastLCD3, sizeof(lastLCD3), "%5s", message.getString());
  }
}

[electrik]

A good start would be to move all the print strings to flash memory, and remove the debug prints as much as possible.
To move strings, change:

display.println("script starting......");

to:

display.println(F("script starting......"));

and do this for all prints. You should try not to exceed 70% memory usage.

[mfalkvidd]

Here is how to disable the MySensors splash screen: https://www.mysensors.org/apidocs/group__SerialDebugGrpPub.html#gaf8039ebf2b71a3fd005ddd02b47721f3

The next step would be to change the text strings to use the F macro. Guide: https://techexplorations.com/guides/arduino/programming/f-macro/ This works for all Serial.print and should also work for all display.print

[cwiekol]

hello, i'm back and finally i can try to apply your advices. Thank you very much for them.
I will come back later today with results. Hope that it will help.
thanks.

[cwiekol]

Hi,
i've provide some changes and ended on 88%, however it is still not working.
To find out what is going on, i've split code for the part related to mySensors and the one with LCD. I spot that there is something wrong with mySensors part.
The code started two or three times and now it is not working at all.
There is no prints on serial at all. The debug looks as below.
Have no clue what is going on:(

The code looks now as follow:

 
// Enable debug prints to serial monitor
#define MY_SPLASH_SCREEN_DISABLED
#define MY_SERIAL_OUTPUT_SIZE (60u)
//#define MY_DEBUG
 
// Enable and select radio type attached
#define MY_RADIO_NRF24
 
#define MY_NODE_ID 253
 
#include <SPI.h>
#include <MySensors.h>

#include <Wire.h>
#include <TimeLib.h>

 
 
const byte LCD1_CHILD_ID = 8 ;         // LCD line 1
const byte LCD2_CHILD_ID = 9 ;         // LCD line 2
const byte LCD3_CHILD_ID = 7 ;         // LCD line 3

char lastLCD1[7] = "Line1";   // define & init before first receive
char lastLCD2[7] = "Line2";
char lastLCD3[7] = "Line3";

uint32_t ActTime = 0, DispTime=0;
// timers for loop delays
unsigned long lastUpdate=0, lastRequest=0;
 
// Initialize messages for sensor network
MyMessage textMsg(0, V_TEXT);
 

 
void setup(void){

  Serial.begin(115200);
 
  Serial.println(F("Sensor Started"));
}
 
void presentation()
{
   
    // Send the sketch version information to the gateway and Controller
    sendSketchInfo("V_TEXT LCD Sensor", "1.1");
  Serial.println(F("presentantion"));
  present(LCD1_CHILD_ID, S_INFO, "Text Line 1");
  present(LCD2_CHILD_ID, S_INFO, "Text Line 2");
  present(LCD3_CHILD_ID, S_INFO, "Text_Line_3"); 
  // Initializations
  requestTime();            // get the time from controller (handled by receiveTime)
  request(LCD1_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);           // request latest value from controller
  request(LCD2_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);          // request latest value from controller
  request(LCD3_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);          // request latest value from controller
}
 
void loop()
{
  // timer for loop delays

  unsigned long now = millis();

//  }// request time and latest value every 15 minutes from controller
  if (now-lastRequest > 15*60000)
  {
    requestTime();  
    lastRequest = now;
  //  Serial.println(F("request time from controler"));
    request(LCD1_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);           // request latest value from controller
    request(LCD2_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);          // request latest value from controller
    request(LCD3_CHILD_ID, V_TEXT, 0);          // request latest value from controller
  
  }
  // Update display every second
  if (now-lastUpdate > 1000) {
    LCD_local_display();
    lastUpdate = now;
  }
}
 
// This is called when a new time value was received
void receiveTime(uint32_t controllerTime)
{

  ActTime = controllerTime;
} 
 
void LCD_local_display()
{
  // take care of LCD display information
 char buf[20]; 
 // display.clearDisplay();
  DispTime=ActTime + (millis()-lastRequest)/10000;
  if (ActTime!=0) {
    // start with location & time on first line
    snprintf(buf, sizeof buf, "%02d:%02d:%02d %02d-%02d-%04d", hour(DispTime), minute(DispTime), second(DispTime), day(DispTime), month(DispTime),year(DispTime));
  }
  Serial.println(buf);
  Serial.println(F("Dom: "));
  Serial.println(lastLCD1);
  Serial.println(lastLCD3);
  Serial.println(lastLCD2);

}
 
void receive(const MyMessage &message)
{
  if (message.type!=V_TEXT) // Text messages only
    return;
  
  if (message.sensor == LCD1_CHILD_ID ) {
    snprintf(lastLCD1, sizeof(lastLCD1), "%5s", message.getString());  // load text into LCD string
  }
  else if (message.sensor == LCD2_CHILD_ID) {
    snprintf(lastLCD2, sizeof(lastLCD2), "%5s", message.getString());
  }
  else if (message.sensor == LCD3_CHILD_ID) {
    snprintf(lastLCD3, sizeof(lastLCD3), "%5s", message.getString());
  }
}

and debug is repeating all the time like this:

18:12:27.468 -> 0 MCO:BGN:INIT NODE,CP=RNNNA---,FQ=16,REL=255,VER=2.3.2
18:12:27.468 -> 4 TSM:INIT
18:12:27.468 -> 5 TSF:WUR:MS=0
18:12:27.468 -> 12 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
18:12:27.468 -> 13 TSM:INIT:STATID=253
18:12:27.468 -> 16 TSF:SID:OK,ID=253
18:12:27.468 -> 17 TSM:FPAR
18:12:29.274 -> 1832 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,253-253-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,f3840 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
18:12:31.292 -> 3842 TSM:FPAR
18:12:33.098 -> 5657 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,253-253-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,f7664 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
18:12:35.115 -> 7666 TSM:FPAR
18:12:36.923 -> 9482 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,253-253-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,f11489 !TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY
18:12:38.938 -> 11491 TSM:FPAR
18:12:40.746 -> 13307 ?TSF:MSG:SEND,253-253-255-255,s=255,c=3,t=7,pt=0,l=0,sg=0,f15315 !TSM:FPAR:FAIL
18:12:42.762 -> 15318 TSM:FAIL:CNT=1
18:12:42.762 -> 15320 TSM:FAIL:DIS
18:12:42.762 -> 15322 TSF:TDI:TSL
18:12:52.756 -> 25325 TSM:FAIL:RE-INIT
18:12:52.756 -> 25327 TSM:INIT
18:12:52.756 -> 25333 TSM:INIT:TSP OK
18:12:52.756 -> 25335 TSM:INIT:STATID=253
18:12:52.756 -> 25338 TSF:SID:OK,ID=253
18:12:52.756 -> 25340 TSM:FPAR

[mfalkvidd]

Nice work @cwiekol !

!TSM:FPAR:NO REPLY

This means that the node is not able to reach the gateway? How far away is your gateway? Could you post the debug logs from your gateway?

See also section #2:4 I only get Find parent in serial log for node at https://forum.mysensors.org/topic/666/read-this-first-it-could-save-you-a-lot-of-time/2

[OldSurferDude]

I found that timelib.h uses a tremendous amount of memory. You avoid using it by getting time string from the controller.

I have also found that when you're using that amount of memory that bad things happen, as you noted. I use global variables to avoid the transient nature of function variables.

I'll be looking forward to other comments as, I, too, do not know all the tricks;)

OSD