rwblinn

To share my Project Lighthouse58 - a Node-RED Internet of Things Learning Case using a Raspberry Pi with connected TinkerForge Bricks and Bricklets.

Good fun integrating TinkerForge Bricks into LEGO. Communication is based on MQTT.

Prototype

Control Unit

Circuit

Lookup http://www.rwblinn.de > IoT > Lighthouse58 or for the detailed PDF document http://www.rwblinn.de/iot/lighthouse58.pdf.

Confirmed - Thanks a Lot.

Hi,

while testing the OLED 64x48 MQTT write_line/set, noticed a mismatch between the german and english documentation:

german: The text can have a maximum of 14 characters

english: The text can have a maximum of 13 characters.

The tests showed 14 char length is not working, 13 char length is OK.

The same applies for the position 0-12 vs 0-13.

Further more number of lines stated 0-5, while testing 0-4 is working and not 0-5.

Please verify.

No probs - Thanks a Lot.

Hi,

would it be possible to implement write(ln) for the OLED bricklet.

Thinking of something like done for the LCD20x4 display.

This enables to send text messages to the OLED display.

Appreciated

Perfect - Many Thanks.

Hi,

kindly request for an answer on this request please.

Hi,

noticed that get_port is not exposed in the MQTT Proxy.

Are there any plans to include?

For the IO-4 several getters are defined.

Are these also planned for the IO-16 Bricklet?

class BrickletIO4Proxy(DeviceProxy):
    DEVICE_CLASS = BrickletIO4
    TOPIC_PREFIX = 'bricklet/io4'
    GETTER_SPECS = [('get_value', 'value', 'value_mask'),
                    ('get_configuration', 'configuration', None)]

Thanks a lot for the information and swift reply.

Have integrated this into a Node-RED Flow and its working fine.

For those interested in Node-RED, look up my website http://www.rwblinn.de > IoT > Node-RED > Category TinkerForge.

One of the Node-RED flows uses the Bricklets LCD20x4, Temperature, Humidity, Barometer. Here some screenshots:

Thanks for reply.

For MQTT

Looked at source brick-mqtt-proxy.py and noticed work in progress (see code snippet). So will wait for an updated brick-mqtt-proxy.

Any timelines when special chars will be supported?

# FIXME: get_custom_character and get_default_text need special handling
class BrickletLCD20x4Proxy(DeviceProxy):
GETTER_SPECS = [
... 
]
SETTER_SPECS = [
...
(set_custom_character', 'custom_character/set', ['index', 'character']),
...
]

Hi,

seeking for an example how to define and write a special character to the LCD20x4 bricklet, f.e. arrow up, using the brick-mqtt-proxy?

If possible, also how to do the same via javaScript.

Appreciated

Thanks

Have added AmbientLight and UVLight (see attachement). Working fine.

The TF device identifies can be found www.tinkerforge.com/en/doc/Software/Device_Identifier.html.

Next: New LED Bricklet with ability to set the color = will use the LED strip as example.

20160725: Correction to AmbientLight (see attachment)

v11.zip

UPDATE

Installed:

$sudo npm install -g tinkerforge

Added to NODE_PATH:

$export NODE_PATH=$NODE_PATH:/usr/local/lib/node_modules

Installed:

$npm install body-parser in the .node-red folder under node_modules

Created folder:

/home/pi/.node-red/node_modules/node-red-contrib-tinkerforge

Copied the lib folder and other files to node-red-contrib-tinkerforge

Started node-red

TinkerForge nodes available

COOL

Added the ambientlight (v1) sensor by amending lib/bricklets.js, tinkerforge.js & tinkerforge.html.

Again Thanks a Lot = Job Well Done

Great and Thanks a lot.

Could you pls advice how to install in Node-RED?

Tried npm install node-red-contrib-tinkerforge, but npm can not find the package.

Great hint - Many Thanks.

Appreciated - Thanks

Hi,

noticed that the new RGB LED Bricklet is not icluded in the MQTT Proxy.

Any information by when the RGB LED Bricklet will be supported.

Appreciated.

Solved by using the MQTT proxy as broker on localhost:1883.

Defined a simple test flow with:

• Input Node "MQTT In" subscribing to topic "tinkerforge/bricklet/ambient_light/mdh/illuminance"
  
• Function Node JSON to convert MQTT string to javascript object
  
• Function Node Function to log the payload properties illuminance and _timestamp
  
• Debug Node to log the MQTT payload (which is a JSON string)

Looks promising to explore further integration of TinkerForge in Node-RED.

Hi,

is there guidance available on how to use the TinkerForge Javascript Bindings in Node-RED.

Have tried to define a simple call to an ambilight bricklet in a Node-RED function, but received error 31=timeout.

//var Tinkerforge = require('/usr/lib/node_modules/tinkerforge');
var Tinkerforge = context.global.tinkerforge;
var HOST = '192.168.0.88';
var PORT = 4223;
var UID = 'mdh';
var ipcon = new Tinkerforge.IPConnection();
var al = new Tinkerforge.BrickletAmbientLight(UID, ipcon);
ipcon.connect(HOST, PORT,
    function (error) {
        node.warn('Connect Error: ' + error);
    }
);
ipcon.on(Tinkerforge.IPConnection.CALLBACK_CONNECTED,
    function (connectReason) {
        al.getIlluminance(
            function (illuminance) {
                msg.payload = "{\"Illuminance\":" + illuminance/10.0 + "}";
                node.warn('Illuminance: ' + illuminance/10.0 + ' Lux');
            },
            function (error) {
                msg.payload = "{\"lluminance\":" + error + "}";
                node.warn('Get Error: ' + error);
            }
        );
    }
);
ipcon.disconnect();
return msg;

Note: defined in node-red settings, after installing tinkerforge via npm:

    functionGlobalContext: {
    		tinkerforge:require('/usr/lib/node_modules/tinkerforge')

Hi,

tried to run on a Raspberry Pi with Master Brick, Wifi Ext 2.0, Ambientlight the ExampleSimple.js.

When running from the commandline $node ExampleSimple.js, received error:

module.js:340

    throw err;

          ^

Error: Cannot find module 'tinkerforge'

The line in ExampleSimple.js not changed:

var Tinkerforge = require('tinkerforge');

Installed the javaScript bindings using npm. Steps taken as user Pi with install message.

cd /home/pi

sudo npm -g install tinkerforge

tinkerforge@2.0.9 /usr/lib/node_modules/tinkerforge

When adding the full path to require('/usr/lib/node_modules/tinkerforge') it is working.

How to setup without the need to add the full path in require.

Any help appreciated.

Thanks for clarification.

Reason for asking:

Find an easy way to control bricklets using Node-RED via wifi ext 2.0.

In the meantime, considering best would be via MQTT.

Hi,

is it possible or planned to send direct http requests via the new wifi extension 2.0 to the master brick and read its response?

Like:

http://ipaddresswifiext2/get.htm?bricklet=laser_range_finder&uid=vbM&request=distance

Thanks a lot for the information - have ordered the board, battery & solar ... lets see how these work with TinkerForge Bricks.

Reflashed the UV Bricklet > working fine now.

Appreciate your help - Thanks a lot.

Hi,

are there any recommendations of powering a Master Brick with 4 connected Bricklets and a WiFi 2.0 extension via portable power supply, like a Power Bank?

Would like to install outdoor where no line power supply is available.