Color

Introduction

The Color Sensor provides methods to return data from different objects. This allows the Brain to detect colors as well as their hue and brightness.

For the examples below, the configured Color Sensor will be named Color1 and will be used in all subsequent examples throughout this API documentation when referring to colorsensor class methods.

Below is a list of all available methods:

Actions – Detect objects with the Color Sensor.

• objectDetected – Calls a function when an object is detected.

Mutators – Modify the lights on the Color Sensor.

• setLight – Turns the Color Sensor’s LED on, off, or to a set brightness level.

Getters – Return object data with the Color Sensor.

• isNearObject – Returns whether or not an object is close to the Color Sensor.

• detects – Returns whether or not a specified color is detected by the Color Sensor.

• colorname – Returns the name of the color detected by the Color Sensor.

• brightness – Returns the detected brightness of an object.

• hue – Returns the detected hue value as a float from 0 to 359.99 degrees.

• colorname3 – Returns the closest of red, blue or green to the detected color.

• color – Return the detected color as a predefined color object.

• installed – Returns whether the Color Sensor is connected to the Brain.

Constructors – Manually initialize the Color Sensor.

• colorsensor – Create a Color Sensor.

Actions

objectDetected

objectDetected registers a function to be called when the Color Sensor detects an object.

Usage:
Color1.objectDetected(callback);

Parameters	Description
callback	A function that is previously defined to execute when the Color Sensor detects an object.

Mutators

setLight

setLight sets the state of the Color Sensor LED.

Default Usage:
Color1.setLight(value, units);

Overload Usages:
Color1.setLight(state);

Parameters	Description
value	The value for the intensity to set the light to as a percent from 0 - 100.
units	The unit that represents the intensity: percent
state	A valid LED state: ledState::off ledState::on

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Blink the Color Sensor LED on and off
  while (true) {
    Color1.setLight(ledState::on);
    wait(0.5, seconds);
    Color1.setLight(ledState::off);
    wait(0.5, seconds);
  }
}

Getters

isNearObject

isNearObject returns a Boolean indicating whether or not the Color Sensor is close to an object.

• 1 – The Color Sensor detects a close object.

• 0 – The Color Sensor does not detect a close object.

Usage:
Color1.isNearObject()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

detects

detects returns if the Color Sensor is detecting a specified color.

• 1 – The Color Sensor detects the color.

• 0 – The Color Sensor does not detect the color.

Usage:
Color1.detects(color)

Parameters	Description
color	A valid color: blue blue_green blue_violet green orange purple red red_orange red_violet violet white yellow yellow_green yellow_orange

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Drive until a red object is seen
  Drivetrain.drive(forward);
  while (true) {
    if (Color1.detects(red)) {
      Drivetrain.stop();
      break;
    wait(0.5, seconds);
    }
  }
}

colorname

colorname returns the closest matching color from a preset list shown below.

When printed directly, it shows the numeric value associated with that color:

Color	Numeric Value
none	0
red	1
green	2
blue	3
white	4
yellow	5
orange	6
purple	7
cyan	8
red_violet	9
violet	10
blue_violet	11
blue_green	12
yellow_green	13
yellow_orange	14
red_orange	15
black	16
transparent	17

Usage:
Color1.colorname()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Continuously check the detected color
  while (true) {

    // Compare the color name with "red"
    if (convertColorToString(Color1.colorname()) == "red") {
      Brain.Screen.print("Red object!");
    } else {
      Brain.Screen.print("Not red");
    }

    wait(0.5, seconds);
    Brain.Screen.clearScreen();
    Brain.Screen.setCursor(1, 1);
  }
}

Note: The function convertColorToString is automatically created by VEXcode when a Color Sensor is configured in the Devices window. It is only available inside VEXcode IQ (2nd gen) projects and will not work in other environments.

When using colorname outside of VEXcode, comparisons should be made directly with a colorType value — any color that begins with colorType:: (for example, colorType::green or colorType::red).

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Continuously check the detected color
  while (true) {

    // Compare the color name with the colorType
    if (Color1.colorname() == colorType::red) {
      Brain.Screen.print("Red object!");
    } else {
      Brain.Screen.print("Not red");
    }

    wait(0.5, seconds);
    Brain.Screen.clearScreen();
    Brain.Screen.setCursor(1, 1);
  }
}

brightness

brightness returns the brightness value from the Color Sensor.

Usage:
Color1.brightness(bRaw)

Parameters	Description
bRaw	Optional. A Boolean indicating whether to return the raw value detected by the Color Sensor: true – Return the raw value. false (default) – Do not return the raw value.

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Slowly turn and show brightness values
  Drivetrain.setTurnVelocity(20, percent);
  Drivetrain.turn(right);
  while (true) {
    Brain.Screen.clearScreen();
    Brain.Screen.setCursor(1, 1);
    Brain.Screen.print("Brightness: %d", Color1.brightness());
    wait(0.25, seconds);
  }
}

hue

hue returns the hue value detected by the Color Sensor as an integer.

Usage:
Color1.hue()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Slowly turn and show hue values
  Drivetrain.setTurnVelocity(20, percent);
  Drivetrain.turn(right);
  while (true) {
    Brain.Screen.clearScreen();
    Brain.Screen.setCursor(1, 1);
    Brain.Screen.print("Hue: %d", Color1.hue());
    wait(0.25, seconds);
  }
}

colorname3

colorname3 returns the closest color detected to red, green, or blue as an enumerated value (enum).

Color	Numeric Value
red	1
green	2
blue	3

Usage:
Color1.colorname3()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

color

color returns the closest predefined color object detected by the Color Sensor:

• red

• green

• blue

• white

• yellow

• orange

• purple

• cyan

• red_violet

• violet

• blue_violet

• blue_green

• yellow_green

• yellow_orange

• red_orange

• black

• transparent

Usage:
Color1.color()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Continuously check the detected color
  while (true) {

    // Compare the color name with "red"
    if (convertColorToString(Color1.color()) == "red") {
      Brain.Screen.print("Red object!");
    } else {
      Brain.Screen.print("Not red");
    }

    wait(0.5, seconds);
    Brain.Screen.clearScreen();
    Brain.Screen.setCursor(1, 1);
  }
}

Note: The function convertColorToString is automatically created by VEXcode when a Color Sensor is configured in the Devices window. It is only available inside VEXcode IQ (2nd gen) projects and will not work in other environments.

When using color outside of VEXcode, comparisons should be made directly with a colorType value — any color that begins with colorType:: (for example, colorType::green or colorType::red).

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Continuously check the detected color
  while (true) {

    // Compare the color name with the colorType
    if (Color1.color() == colorType::red) {
      Brain.Screen.print("Red object!");
    } else {
      Brain.Screen.print("Not red");
    }

    wait(0.5, seconds);
    Brain.Screen.clearScreen();
    Brain.Screen.setCursor(1, 1);
  }
}

installed

installed returns a Boolean indicating whether the Color Sensor is currently connected to the Brain.

• 1 – The Color Sensor is connected to the Brain.

• 0 – The Color Sensor is not connected to the Brain.

Usage:
Color1.installed()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

Constructors

colorsensor

colorsensor creates an object of the colorsensor Class in the specified port.

Usage:
colorsensor Color1 = colorsensor(port);

Parameter	Description
port	Which Smart Port that the Color Sensor is connected to as PORT followed by the port number, ranging from 1 to 12.

int main() {
  // Initializing Robot Configuration. DO NOT REMOVE!
  vexcodeInit();

  // Create a Color Sensor in Port 3
  colorsensor myColorSensor = colorsensor(PORT3);
}