NeoPixel Ring with Arduino as control board

Setting up the sketch on the Arduino

At the time of the creation of this tutorial, the current Arduino application version is 1.8.3 and the current version of the NeoPixel library is 1.1.1. This tutorial doesn't cover changes made by Arduino or Adafruit after the writing of this tutorial.

Download and install Arduino IDE software at https://www.arduino.cc/download_handler.php?f=https://www.microsoft.com/store/apps/9nblggh4rsd8?ocid=badge

After the install is complete, launch Arduino IDE and then choose Sketch from the top menu, then Include Library, then Manage Libraries. The Library Manager will appear on your screen. In the search box at the top right, type in NeoPixel. Chose the item labeled as Adafruit NeoPixel and an Install button will appear. Click the Install button. Once finished, click the close button on the Library Manager.

Copy and Paste this code into a new Sketch and then save it naming it something usefull like NeoPixelRingSerial.


/* real time Serial Controlled Neopixel Ring  -- Code not tested yet
/
/ Serial Commands
/     Cr1,g1,b1  - Set whole Ring to same color specified by r1,g1,b1
/     Rt,d  - Rainbow  with interval t and direction d
/     Tr1,g1,b1,r2,g2,b2,t,d - Theater Chase between color r1,g1,b1 and color r2,g2,b2 with interval t and direction d
/     Wr1,g1,b1,t,d - Color Wipe in  color r1,g1,b1 with interval t and direction d
/     Fr1,g1,b1,r2,g2,b2,s,t,d - Fade between color r1,g1,b1 and color r2,g2,b2 in s steps with interval t and direction d
/     Sr1,g1,b1,t  - Scanner with color specified by r1,g1,b1 and interval t
/     Pp,r1,g1,b1 - Set individual pixel p to color specified by r1,g1,b1
/
/    p = pixel number
/    r1 = 1st color red values 0 to 255
/    g1 = 1st color greern values 0 to 255
/    b1 = 1st color blue values 0 to 255
/    r2 = 2nd color red values 0 to 255
/    g2 = 2nd color greern values 0 to 255
/    b2 = 2nd color blue values 0 to 255
/    s = number of steps
/    t = interval time values 0 to 255
/    d = direction  0 = Forward 1 = Backward  
*/

#include &ltAdafruit_NeoPixel.h&gt
 
// Pattern types supported:
enum  pattern { NONE, RAINBOW_CYCLE, THEATER_CHASE, COLOR_WIPE, SCANNER, FADE };
// Patern directions supported:
enum  direction { FORWARD, REVERSE };
 
// NeoPattern Class - derived from the Adafruit_NeoPixel class
class NeoPatterns : public Adafruit_NeoPixel
{
    public:
 
    // Member Variables:  
    pattern  ActivePattern;  // which pattern is running
    direction Direction;     // direction to run the pattern
    
    unsigned long Interval;   // milliseconds between updates
    unsigned long lastUpdate; // last update of position
    
    uint32_t Color1, Color2;  // What colors are in use
    uint16_t TotalSteps;  // total number of steps in the pattern
    uint16_t Index;  // current step within the pattern
    
    void (*OnComplete)();  // Callback on completion of pattern
    
    // Constructor - calls base-class constructor to initialize strip
    NeoPatterns(uint16_t pixels, uint8_t pin, uint8_t type, void (*callback)())
    :Adafruit_NeoPixel(pixels, pin, type)
    {
        OnComplete = callback;
    }
    
    // Update the pattern
    void Update()
    {
        if((millis() - lastUpdate) > Interval) // time to update
        {
            lastUpdate = millis();
            switch(ActivePattern)
            {
                case RAINBOW_CYCLE:
                    RainbowCycleUpdate();
                    break;
                case THEATER_CHASE:
                    TheaterChaseUpdate();
                    break;
                case COLOR_WIPE:
                    ColorWipeUpdate();
                    break;
                case SCANNER:
                    ScannerUpdate();
                    break;
                case FADE:
                    FadeUpdate();
                    break;
                default:
                    break;
            }
        }
    }
  
    // Increment the Index and reset at the end
    void Increment()
    {
        if (Direction == FORWARD)
        {
           Index++;
           if (Index >= TotalSteps)
            {
                Index = 0;
                if (OnComplete != NULL)
                {
                    OnComplete(); // call the comlpetion callback
                }
            }
        }
        else // Direction == REVERSE
        {
            --Index;
            if (Index > 1, Green(color) >> 1, Blue(color) >> 1);
        return dimColor;
    }
 
    // Set all pixels to a color (synchronously)
    void ColorSet(uint32_t color)
    {
        for (int i = 0; i > 16) & 0xFF;
    }
 
    // Returns the Green component of a 32-bit color
    uint8_t Green(uint32_t color)
    {
        return (color >> 8) & 0xFF;
    }
 
    // Returns the Blue component of a 32-bit color
    uint8_t Blue(uint32_t color)
    {
        return color & 0xFF;
    }
    
    // Input a value 0 to 255 to get a color value.
    // The colours are a transition r - g - b - back to r.
    uint32_t Wheel(byte WheelPos)
    {
        WheelPos = 255 - WheelPos;
        if(WheelPos  0) {
    inchar = Serial.read();
    if ( inchar == 'C') {    // string should start with C
      red1 = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for red
      green1 = Serial.parseInt();   // then an ASCII number for green
      blue1 = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for blue
      Ring1.ActivePattern = NONE;
      Ring1.ColorSet(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1));
    }
    if ( inchar == 'R') {    // string should start with R
      t = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for interval
      d = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for direction
      if (d ==0) {
         Ring1.RainbowCycle(t, FORWARD);
      } else {
         Ring1.RainbowCycle(t, REVERSE);
      }
    }
    if ( inchar == 'F') {    // string should start with F
      red1 = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for red
      green1 = Serial.parseInt();   // then an ASCII number for green
      blue1 = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for blue
      red2 = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for red
      green2 = Serial.parseInt();   // then an ASCII number for green
      blue2 = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for blue
      s = Serial.parseInt();        // then an ASCII number for steps
      t = Serial.parseInt();        // then an ASCII number for interval
      d = Serial.parseInt();        // then an ASCII number for direction
      if (d ==0) {
        Ring1.Fade(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1), Ring1.Color(red2, green2, blue2), s, t, FORWARD); 
      } else {
        Ring1.Fade(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1), Ring1.Color(red2, green2, blue2), s, t, REVERSE); 
      }
    }
    if ( inchar == 'T') {    // string should start with T
      red1 = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for red
      green1 = Serial.parseInt();   // then an ASCII number for green
      blue1 = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for blue
      red2 = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for red
      green2 = Serial.parseInt();   // then an ASCII number for green
      blue2 = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for blue
      t = Serial.parseInt();        // then an ASCII number for interval
      d = Serial.parseInt();        // then an ASCII number for direction
      if (d ==0) {
        Ring1.TheaterChase(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1), Ring1.Color(red2, green2, blue2), t, FORWARD);
      } else {
        Ring1.TheaterChase(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1), Ring1.Color(red2, green2, blue2), t, REVERSE);
      }
    }
    if ( inchar == 'W') {    // string should start with W
      red1 = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for red
      green1 = Serial.parseInt();   // then an ASCII number for green
      blue1 = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for blue
      t = Serial.parseInt();        // then an ASCII number for interval
      d = Serial.parseInt();        // then an ASCII number for direction
      if (d ==0) {
        Ring1.ColorWipe(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1), t, FORWARD);
      } else {
        Ring1.ColorWipe(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1), t, REVERSE);
      }
    }
    if ( inchar == 'S') {    // string should start with S
      red1 = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for red
      green1 = Serial.parseInt();   // then an ASCII number for green
      blue1 = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for blue
      t = Serial.parseInt();        // then an ASCII number for interval
      Ring1.ColorWipe(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1), 50, FORWARD);
      Ring1.ColorSet(Ring1.Color(0,0, 0));
      Ring1.Scanner(Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1), t);
     }
     if ( inchar == 'P') {    // string should start with P
      my_pixel = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for pixwel
      red1 = Serial.parseInt();     // then an ASCII number for red
      green1 = Serial.parseInt();   // then an ASCII number for green
      blue1 = Serial.parseInt();    // then an ASCII number for blue
      Ring1.ActivePattern = NONE;
      Ring1.setPixelColor(my_pixel, Ring1.Color(red1, green1, blue1));
      Ring1.show();
    }
 } 

  // Update the ring.
    Ring1.Update();
}
// Ring1 Completion Callback
void Ring1Complete()
{
  if ((Ring1.ActivePattern == RAINBOW_CYCLE) || (Ring1.ActivePattern == FADE) ||
      (Ring1.ActivePattern == THEATER_CHASE) || (Ring1.ActivePattern == SCANNER)){
    Ring1.Reverse();
      }
}

Send this code to your Arduino after connecting your Arduino to the computer. How to do this is dependent on your Arduino and is beyond the scope of this tutorial.

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