Signal Tower

Introduction

The signaltower class is used to change lights and detect interactions with the CTE Signal Tower.

Class Constructors

signaltower( 
  int32_t  index );

Class Destructor

Destroys the signaltower object and releases associated resources.

virtual ~signaltower();

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
index	int32_t	The Smart Port that the Signal Tower is connected to, written as PORTx, where x is the port number (for example, PORT1).

Examples

// Create a signal tower instance in Port 1
signaltower SignalTower = signaltower(PORT1);

Member Functions

The signaltower class provides the following member functions:

• setColor - Controls the LED colors and states on the signal tower using various input methods.

• setColors - Sets the state of all LEDs on the signal tower individually.

• setBlink - Sets the blink state of an LED on the Signal Tower by the LED’s ID.

• setBlinkTime - Sets the blink timing for the LEDs on the Signal Tower.

• enableBlink - Enables blinking for multiple LEDs on the Signal Tower by their IDs.

• disableBlink - Disables blinking for multiple LEDs on the Signal Tower by their IDs.

• pressing - Returns whether the signal tower button is currently being pressed.

• pressed - Registers a function to be called when the signal tower button is pressed.

• released - Registers a function to be called when the signal tower button is released.

• timestamp - Returns the timestamp of the last received status packet from the signal tower.

• installed - Returns if the signal tower device is connected or not.

setColor

Controls the LED colors and states on the signal tower using various input methods.

Available Functions

1 — Sets the signal tower to a color using vex::color.

void setColor( 
  vex::color         color, 
  signaltower::state state = signaltower::state::on );

2 — Sets LED colors using 32-bit RGB and YW values.

void setColor( 
  uint32_t rgb, 
  uint32_t yw );

3 — Sets individual LED brightness by LED ID.

void setColor( 
  ledId id, 
  uint32_t value );

4 — Sets brightness levels for all LEDs individually.

void setColor( 
  uint8_t r, 
  uint8_t y, 
  uint8_t g, 
  uint8_t b, 
  uint8_t w );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
color	vex::color	The color to use (red, green, etc.) using vex::color.
state	signaltower::state	The state for the LED: on (Default) – Turns the LED on. off – Turns the LED off. blink – Makes the LED blink.
rgb	uint32_t	The brightness of red, green and blue LED using 32-bit value (e.g., red on = 0xFF0000).
yw	uint32_t	The brightness of yellow and white LED using 32-bit value (e.g., yellow on = 0xFF00).
id	ledId	The index of the LED to control.
value	uint32_t	The brightness of the LED (0 to 255).
r	uint8_t	The brightness of the red LED (0 to 255).
y	uint8_t	The brightness of the yellow LED (0 to 255).
g	uint8_t	The brightness of the green LED (0 to 255).
b	uint8_t	The brightness of the blue LED (0 to 255).
w	uint8_t	The brightness of the white LED (0 to 255).

Return Values

This function does not return a value.

Examples

// Set the Signal Tower to start blinking blue
SignalTower.setColor(vex::color::blue, signaltower::blink);

// Set the red, blue and white LEDs using hex values
SignalTower.setColor(0xFF00FF, 0x00FF);

// Set the green LED to full brightness by ID
SignalTower.setColor(1, 255);

// Set all LEDs to full brightness
SignalTower.setColor(255, 255, 255, 255, 255);

setColors

Sets the state of all LEDs on the signal tower individually.

Available Functions

void setColors( 
  signaltower::state rs, 
  signaltower::state ys, 
  signaltower::state gs, 
  signaltower::state bs, 
  signaltower::state ws );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
rs	signaltower::state	The state of the red LED: on – Turns the LED on. off – Turns the LED off. blink – Makes the LED blink.
ys	signaltower::state	The state of the yellow LED: on – Turns the LED on. off – Turns the LED off. blink – Makes the LED blink.
gs	signaltower::state	The state of the green LED: on – Turns the LED on. off – Turns the LED off. blink – Makes the LED blink.
bs	signaltower::state	The state of the blue LED: on – Turns the LED on. off – Turns the LED off. blink – Makes the LED blink.
ws	signaltower::state	The state of the white LED: on – Turns the LED on. off – Turns the LED off. blink – Makes the LED blink.

Return Values

This function does not return a value.

Examples

// Turn on all LEDs
SignalTower.setColors(signaltower::on, signaltower::on, signaltower::on, signaltower::on, signaltower::on);

setBlink

Sets the blink state of an LED on the Signal Tower by the LED’s ID.

Available Functions

void setBlink( 
  ledId id, 
  bool  enable );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
id	ledId	The LED ID: red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none – 99
enable	bool	true – Enables blinking. false – Disables blinking.

Return Values

This function does not return a value.

setBlinkTime

Sets the blink timing for the LEDs on the Signal Tower.

Available Functions

void setBlinkTime( 
  uint32_t onTime, 
  uint32_t offTime = 0 );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
onTime	uint32_t	The time in milliseconds that the LED should be on when blinking. Max is 2500ms. A value of 0 defaults to 500ms.
offTime	uint32_t	The time in milliseconds that the LED should be off when blinking. Max is 2500ms. A value of 0 uses the onTime value. Default is 0.

Return Values

This function does not return a value.

enableBlink

Enables blinking for multiple LEDs on the Signal Tower by their IDs.

Available Functions

void enableBlink( 
  ledId id0, 
  ledId id1 = ledId::none, 
  ledId id2 = ledId::none, 
  ledId id3 = ledId::none, 
  ledId id4 = ledId::none );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
id0	ledId	The index of the first LED. red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none – 99
id1	ledId	The index of the second LED (optional). Default is ledId::none. red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none – 99
id2	ledId	The index of the third LED (optional). Default is ledId::none. red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none – 99
id3	ledId	The index of the fourth LED (optional). Default is ledId::none. red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none – 99
id4	ledId	The index of the fifth LED (optional). Default is ledId::none. red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none – 99

Return Values

This function does not return a value.

disableBlink

Disables blinking for multiple LEDs on the Signal Tower by their IDs.

Available Functions

void disableBlink( 
  ledId id0, 
  ledId id1 = ledId::none, 
  ledId id2 = ledId::none, 
  ledId id3 = ledId::none, 
  ledId id4 = ledId::none );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
id0	ledId	The index of the first LED. red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none – 99
id1	ledId	The index of the second LED (optional). red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none (Default) – 99
id2	ledId	The index of the third LED (optional). red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none (Default) – 99
id3	ledId	The index of the fourth LED (optional). red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none (Default) – 99
id4	ledId	The index of the fifth LED (optional). red – 0 green – 1 blue – 2 white – 3 yellow – 4 none (Default) – 99

Return Values

This function does not return a value.

pressing

Returns whether the signal tower button is currently being pressed.

Available Functions

bool pressing();

Parameters

This function does not have parameters.

Return Values

Returns a Boolean indicating whether the signal tower button is currently being pressed.

• true if the signal tower button is currently being pressed.

• false if the signal tower button is not currently being pressed.

pressed

Registers a function to be called when the signal tower button is pressed.

Available Functions

void pressed( void (* callback)(void) );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
callback	void (*)(void)	A function that will be called when the button is pressed.

Return Values

This function does not return a value.

Examples

// Define the towerButtonPressed function with a void 
// return type, showing it doesn't return a value.
void towerButtonPressed() {
  // The Brain will print that the tower button was
  // pressed on the Brain's screen.
  Brain.Screen.print("tower button pressed");
}

// Run towerButtonPressed when the tower button 
// is pressed.
SignalTower.pressed(towerButtonPressed);

released

Registers a function to be called when the signal tower button is released.

Available Functions

void released( void (* callback)(void) );

Parameters

Parameter	Type	Description
callback	void (*)(void)	A function that will be called when the button is released.

Return Values

This function does not return a value.

Examples

// Define the towerButtonReleased function with a void 
// return type, showing it doesn't return a value.
void towerButtonReleased() {
  // The Brain will print that the tower button was 
  // released on the Brain's screen.
  Brain.Screen.print("tower button released");
}

// Run towerButtonReleased when the tower 
// button is released.
SignalTower.released(towerButtonReleased);

timestamp

Returns the timestamp of the last received status packet from the Signal Tower.

Available Functions

uint32_t timestamp();

Parameters

This function does not have parameters.

Return Values

Returns the timestamp of the last status packet as a uint32_t in milliseconds since the last status packet was received.

installed

Returns if the signal tower is connected or not.

Available Functions

bool installed();

Parameters

This function does not have parameters.

Return Values

Returns a Boolean indicating whether the signal tower is connected or not.

• true if the signal tower is connected.

• false if the signal tower is not connected.