Python Forum

Made this timer to go with my son's BattleBots Arena (this one) and intend to build it into the housing of the motorized auger on one side. I got all that hardware figured out, but the code is kinda long. It works, but I just want to see if I can make it simpler.

Here is a video of what I have so far. The duration of the green LED on is going to be changed to a more realistic duration of a fight (line 82). I would watch the video first so you can see what it is doing. The video is this one: here

from machine import Pin, PWM
import time
from time import sleep
#import urequests

ledgreen = Pin(2, Pin.OUT)
ledamber = Pin(5, Pin.OUT)
ledred = Pin(6, Pin.OUT)

buzzerPIN=17
BuzzerObj=PWM(Pin(buzzerPIN))

button = Pin(15, Pin.IN, Pin.PULL_UP)

def buzzer(buzzerPinObject,frequency,sound_duration,silence_duration):
    buzzerPinObject.duty_u16(int(65536*0.2))
    buzzerPinObject.freq(frequency)
    sleep(sound_duration)
    buzzerPinObject.duty_u16(int(65536*0))
    sleep(silence_duration)
ledgreen.on()
time.sleep(.1)
ledred.on()
time.sleep(.1)
ledamber.on()
time.sleep(.2)
ledgreen.off()
time.sleep(.1)
ledred.off()
time.sleep(.1)
ledamber.off()
time.sleep(.2)
ledgreen.on()
time.sleep(.1)
ledred.on()
time.sleep(.1)
ledamber.on()
time.sleep(.2)
ledgreen.off()
time.sleep(.1)
ledred.off()
time.sleep(.1)
ledamber.off()
time.sleep(.2)
ledgreen.on()
time.sleep(.1)
ledred.on()
time.sleep(.1)
ledamber.on()
time.sleep(.1)
time.sleep(.2)
ledgreen.off()
time.sleep(.1)
ledred.off()
time.sleep(.1)
ledamber.off()

while True:
    if not button.value():
        
# Start the timer        
        print('Go!')
        ledgreen.off()
        ledred.off()
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.5,0.0)
        ledamber.off()
        time.sleep(.2)
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.5,0.0)
        ledamber.off()
        time.sleep(.2)
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.5,0.0)
        time.sleep(.2)
        ledamber.off()
        
#  Match starts
        ledgreen.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,987,1.5,0.1)
        # Start power to the relay here
        time.sleep(20)
        ledamber.on()  # Match ends soon!
        time.sleep(5)
        #ledgreen.off()
        
# Match ends
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.8,0.0)
        ledamber.off()
        time.sleep(.2)
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.8,0.0)
        ledamber.off()
        time.sleep(.2)
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.8,0.0)
        ledamber.off()
        time.sleep(.2)
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.8,0.0)
        ledamber.off()
        time.sleep(.2)
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.8,0.0)
        time.sleep(.2)
        #ledamber.on()
        ledgreen.off()
        ledred.on()
        # Stop power to the relay here
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,987,3.5,0.1)
        #time.sleep(10)
        ledamber.off()
        time.sleep(5)
        ledred.off()

I totally forgot to demo what lines 21 through 56 do. It basically does a ripple effect with the three LEDs three times. Just for show when the timer gets plugged in. Like a power up confirmation.

An easy way to reduce code is to write a few functions. You repeat this sequence three times followed by sleep(0.2), sleep(0.2) and no sleep.

def light_show():
    ledgreen.on()
    time.sleep(.1)
    ledred.on()
    time.sleep(.1)
    ledamber.on()
    time.sleep(.2)
    ledgreen.off()
    time.sleep(.1)
    ledred.off()
    time.sleep(.1)
    ledamber.off()

for period in (0.2, 0.2, 0):
    light_show()
    sleep(period)

Of a loop. Or a combination of function and loop like this:

def countdown():
    for _ in range(4):
        ledamber.on()
        buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.8,0.0)
        ledamber.off()
        time.sleep(.2)
    
    ledamber.on()
    buzzer(BuzzerObj,523,0.8,0.0)
    time.sleep(.2)
    # Leave amber on

    ledgreen.off()
    ledred.on()
    # Stop power to the relay here
    buzzer(BuzzerObj,987,3.5,0.1)
    #time.sleep(10)
    ledamber.off()
    time.sleep(5)
    ledred.off()

That looks like a good idea. Thanks for that.

Shoulda mentioned a few placeholders in my code. Eventually I will have the code power a relay that controls the power to the auger motor. Instead of replacing the batteries too many times, I will use this Pico to control a relay that enables/disables the auger motor at the start and end of the battle! Push the button ->beep beep beep green -> motor starts, etc. Power will come from an external 5VDC source.

(Sep-26-2022, 09:47 PM)duckredbeard Wrote: [ -> ]but the code is kinda long. It works, but I just want to see if I can make it simpler.

Are you looking for constructions like this?

all_leds = [ledgreen, ledamber, ledred]

for i in range(3):
    for led in all_leds:
        led.on
        time.sleep(.1)
    time.sleep(.1)
    for led in all_leds:
        led.off
        time.sleep(.1)

(Instead of lines 21 through 56, for example.)