Time comparison

Hi guys and gals,

Can someone offer some suggestions as to how to determine if when setting the on / off times for some lights, the lights should be on at the time of applying the settings.

I'm using a 1307 RTC and have the following within the code

Code:

If lightsetHR[fn]=timeH and lightsetMN[fn]=timeM then 'compare value of each set time to current time and if matches if fn=0 then Lights1 = 1 if fn=1 then Lights2 = 1 'turn on those light LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Lights ON" endif If lightoffHR[fn]=timeH and lightoffMN[fn]=timeM then 'compare value of each start time to current time and if matches if fn=0 then Lights1 = 0 if fn=1 then Lights2 = 0 'turn off the light if lights1 = 0 and lights2 = 0 then LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " endif

If the current time is say 12:15 and I set the lights to come on at say 12:20 and then go off at 12:25 it works perfectly, however, if the current time is 12:22 and I try to set the time the lights remain off... presumably until 12:20 the next day. I'm looking for a simple way for the code to work out if the time of setting the lighting period whether or not the lights should be on or not.

Here is the section where the user sets the on/off times

Code:

Lighting: Lighton: Lcdout $FE,2 LCDOUT $FE,$80,"Set On Time For " IF H_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncHours IF M_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncMinutes lightsetHR[fn]=Hours lightsetMN[fn]=Minutes if viv >=2 then viv =2 LCDOUT $FE,$C0,"Light Circuit ",#viv lcdout $FE,$94,#lightsetHR[fn] DIG 1,#lightsetHR[fn] DIG 0,":",#lightsetMN[fn] DIG 1,#lightsetMN[fn] DIG 0 pause 200 If S_butt = 0 then pause 250 fn = fn +1 viv = viv+1 hours = 0 minutes = 0 endif If fn > 1 then LCDOUT $FE,1 viv=1 fn=0 goto lightoff endif goto lighton lightoff: Lcdout $FE,2 LCDOUT $FE,$80,"Set Off Time For " IF H_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncHours IF M_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncMinutes lightoffHR[fn] = Hours lightoffMN[fn] = Minutes if viv >=2 then viv =2 LCDOUT $FE,$C0,"Light Circuit ",#viv lcdout $FE,$94,#lightoffHR[fn] DIG 1,#lightoffHR[fn] DIG 0,":",#lightoffMN[fn] DIG 1,#lightoffMN[fn] DIG 0 pause 200 If !S_butt then pause 250 fn = fn +1 viv = viv +1 hours = 0 minutes = 0 endif If fn >=2 then LCDOUT $FE,1 goto mainmenu endif goto lightoff

What about

Code:

If lightsetHR[fn] >= timeH and lightsetMN[fn] >= timeM then

Or am I missing something??

Hi Dave,

That's what I thought.. but it doesn't work because of the checking of the minutes. For example, if the current time is 18:07 and I want to set the on time to 16:45 then I tried

Code:

If lightsetHR[fn] <= timeH and lightsetMN[fn] <= timeM then

I used < because in this case lightsetHR = 16 and timeH=18. But as lightsetMN = 45 and timeM is 07 the condition is not matched. If used as per your example,

Code:

If lightsetHR[fn] >= timeH and lightsetMN[fn] >= timeM then

lightsetHR =16 which isn't > than timeH which is 18 so again the condition would not be matched

Does that make sense ?

I still think this rountine is your best bet.

http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/show...8913#post58913

It takes a Start Time (H:M:S) and End Time, then tells you if it's within that time period or not. Even if the period ends the following day.

Thanks

Hi Darrel,

I've not had chance to test this yet, but here's how I've adapted the code

Code:

TimeCmpFlags = 0 ; clear flags first ; if the Start and Stop times are the same, then Always OFF if (lightsetHR[fn]=timeH) AND _ (lightsetMN[fn]=timeM) then AlwaysOFF ; is it past the Start time? if (timeH>lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightsetHR[fn] AND timeM>lightsetMN[fn])then PastStart=1 ; is it past the Stop time? if (timeH>lightoffHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightoffHR[fn] AND timeM>lightoffMN[fn])then PastStop=1 ; does the period end the following day? if (lightoffHR[fn]< lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (lightoffHR[fn]=lightsetHR[fn] AND lightoffMN[fn] < lightsetMN[fn]) then NextDay=1 ' endif ;--------------- if !NextDay then ; same day, use AND if PastStart AND !PastStop then ProgON = 1 else ; next day, use OR IF PastStart OR !PastStop then ProgON = 1 endif AlwaysOFF: Lights1 = 0 Lights2 = 0 'turn off the light if lights1 = 0 and lights2 = 0 then LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " endif return

The one thing I'm not too clear on, given that I have two sets of start times and end times for the two lighting circuits, do I need to change the PastStop and Paststart to something like PastStop[fn] and PastStart[fn] to match the same lightoff[nf] etc ?

Not able to test -

The following compiles, but I'm not able to test yet as I'm waiting for a 20 x 4 LCD

Code:

TimeCmpFlags = 0 ; clear flags first ; if the Start and Stop times are the same, then Always OFF if (lightsetHR[fn]=timeH) AND _ (lightsetMN[fn]=timeM) then AlwaysOFF ; is it past the Start time? if (timeH>lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightsetHR[fn] AND timeM>lightsetMN[fn])then PastStart[fn]=1 ; is it past the Stop time? if (timeH>lightoffHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightoffHR[fn] AND timeM>lightoffMN[fn])then PastStop[fn]=1 ; does the period end the following day? if (lightoffHR[fn]< lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (lightoffHR[fn]=lightsetHR[fn] AND lightoffMN[fn] < lightsetMN[fn]) then NextDay[fn]=1 ' endif ;--------------- if !NextDay then ; same day, use AND if PastStart[fn] AND !PastStop[fn] then ProgON = 1 else ; next day, use OR IF PastStart[fn] OR !PastStop[fn] then ProgON = 1 endif if fn=0 and ProgON=1 then Lights1 = 1 LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Lights ON" if fn=1 and ProgOn=1 then Lights2 = 1 'turn on those light LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Lights ON" AlwaysOFF: Lights1 = 0 Lights2 = 0 'turn off the light if lights1 = 0 and lights2 = 0 then LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " endif return

I must be having one of those days...
I still do not get why something like this will not work.

If current time is equal to or greater than set start time then on.
If current time is equal to or greater than set stop time then off.

Add some vars here and there for two lights...

Use if/then s. Case while/wend ....

That looks pretty good Malc.
And nope, you don't need arrays for the flag bits.

I don't think you should have anything in the AlwaysOFF section, since the CheckTimes routine just determines if it's inside the program period or not.
With multiple time periods, whatever is in AlwaysOFF would happen to both periods if only triggered in one of them.
Any actions can be done after returning from the subroutine.

Something like this in the main loop maybe.

Code:

fn = 0 ; select the first Lights GOSUB CheckTimes ; compare the programed period IF ProgON THEN ; If in the program period IF Lights1 = 0 THEN Lights1 = 1 ; Turn light on (if off) ELSE IF Lights1 = 1 THEN Lights1 = 0 ENDIF ; ----------------------------------- fn = 1 ; select the second Lights GOSUB CheckTimes ; compare the programed period IF ProgON THEN IF Lights2 = 0 THEN Lights2 = 1 ELSE IF Lights2 = 1 THEN Lights2 = 0 ENDIF

Thanks Darrel,

Hopefully the LCD will arrive soon and I'll be able to test this on the development board :)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrel Taylor

That looks pretty good Malc.
And nope, you don't need arrays for the flag bits.

I don't think you should have anything in the AlwaysOFF section, since the CheckTimes routine just determines if it's inside the program period or not.
With multiple time periods, whatever is in AlwaysOFF would happen to both periods if only triggered in one of them.
Any actions can be done after returning from the subroutine.

Something like this in the main loop maybe.

Code:

fn = 0 ; select the first Lights GOSUB CheckTimes ; compare the programed period IF ProgON THEN ; If in the program period IF Lights1 = 0 THEN Lights1 = 1 ; Turn light on (if off) ELSE IF Lights1 = 1 THEN Lights1 = 0 ENDIF ; ----------------------------------- fn = 1 ; select the second Lights GOSUB CheckTimes ; compare the programed period IF ProgON THEN IF Lights2 = 0 THEN Lights2 = 1 ELSE IF Lights2 = 1 THEN Lights2 = 0 ENDIF

Darrel,

Just ripped the LCD out of the unit so I could test this. So far it seems to work apart from one strange thing, the timings are a minute out... If I set the lighting period to come on at 15:00 it comes on at 15:01, and set to off at 15:05 it goes of 15:06, and I don't get anything displayed on the LCD

Here's the code that turns the lights on or off:

Code:

fn = 1 ; select the second Lights GOSUB CheckTimes ; compare the programed period IF ProgON THEN IF Lights2 = 0 THEN Lights2 = 1 LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Light 2 ON" ELSE IF Lights2 = 1 THEN Lights2 = 0 LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " ENDIF if Lights1 = 1 and Lights2 = 1 then LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Lights ON" ELSE LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " Endif

then there's the checking routine:

Code:

CheckTimes: TimeCmpFlags = 0 ; clear flags first ; if the Start and Stop times are the same, then Always OFF if (lightsetHR[fn]=timeH) AND _ (lightsetMN[fn]=timeM) then AlwaysOFF ; is it past the Start time? if (timeH>lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightsetHR[fn] AND timeM>lightsetMN[fn])then PastStart=1 ; is it past the Stop time? if (timeH>lightoffHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightoffHR[fn] AND timeM>lightoffMN[fn])then PastStop=1 ; does the period end the following day? if (lightoffHR[fn]< lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (lightoffHR[fn]=lightsetHR[fn] AND lightoffMN[fn] < lightsetMN[fn]) then NextDay[fn]=1 if !NextDay then ; same day, use AND if PastStart AND !PastStop then ProgON = 1 else ; next day, use OR IF PastStart OR !PastStop then ProgON = 1 endif AlwaysOFF: return

And finally the section where the time is set:

Code:

Lighting: Lighton: Lcdout $FE,2 LCDOUT $FE,$80,"Set On Time For " IF H_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncHours IF M_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncMinutes lightsetHR[fn]=Hours lightsetMN[fn]=Minutes if viv >=2 then viv =2 LCDOUT $FE,$C0,"Light Circuit ",#viv lcdout $FE,$94,#lightsetHR[fn] DIG 1,#lightsetHR[fn] DIG 0,":",#lightsetMN[fn] DIG 1,#lightsetMN[fn] DIG 0 pause 200 If S_butt = 0 then pause 250 fn = fn +1 viv = viv+1 hours = 0 minutes = 0 endif If fn > 1 then LCDOUT $FE,1 viv=1 fn=0 goto lightoff endif goto lighton lightoff: Lcdout $FE,2 LCDOUT $FE,$80,"Set Off Time For " IF H_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncHours IF M_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncMinutes lightoffHR[fn] = Hours lightoffMN[fn] = Minutes if viv >=2 then viv =2 LCDOUT $FE,$C0,"Light Circuit ",#viv lcdout $FE,$94,#lightoffHR[fn] DIG 1,#lightoffHR[fn] DIG 0,":",#lightoffMN[fn] DIG 1,#lightoffMN[fn] DIG 0 pause 200 If !S_butt then pause 250 fn = fn +1 viv = viv +1 hours = 0 minutes = 0 endif If fn >=2 then LCDOUT $FE,1 goto mainmenu endif goto lightoff

The subs for inc hrs or mins:

Code:

IncHours: Hours = Hours + 1 IF Hours = 24 THEN Hours = 0 pause 250 RETURN IncMinutes: Minutes = Minutes + 1 IF Minutes = 60 THEN Minutes = 0 pause 250 RETURN

Any ideas....??

Malcolm,

In the original CheckTimes: routine, the Seconds test had a >=.
That way it's TRUE when the exact second rolls around.

Modified for Minutes as the smallest period, I think the Minutes test now needs the >=

Code:

CheckTimes: TimeCmpFlags = 0 ; clear flags first ; if the Start and Stop times are the same, then Always OFF if (lightsetHR[fn]=timeH) AND _ (lightsetMN[fn]=timeM) then AlwaysOFF ; is it past the Start time? if (timeH>lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightsetHR[fn] AND timeM >= lightsetMN[fn])then PastStart=1 ; is it past the Stop time? if (timeH>lightoffHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightoffHR[fn] AND timeM >= lightoffMN[fn])then PastStop=1 ; does the period end the following day? if (lightoffHR[fn]< lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (lightoffHR[fn]=lightsetHR[fn] AND lightoffMN[fn] < lightsetMN[fn]) then NextDay[fn]=1 if !NextDay then ; same day, use AND if PastStart AND !PastStop then ProgON = 1 else ; next day, use OR IF PastStart OR !PastStop then ProgON = 1 endif AlwaysOFF: return

P.S. There's still an Array index in your NextDay flag.

Thanks Darrel,

I'll give it a try in the morning

Darrel,

Changed the code and it's still not functioning right.

If I set the on time as 15:00 and off time as 15:01 the led comes on at 15:01 and stays on... well past the programmed stop time... any ideas ?

Code:

CheckTimes: TimeCmpFlags = 0 ; clear flags first ; if the Start and Stop times are the same, then Always OFF if (lightsetHR[fn]=timeH) AND _ (lightsetMN[fn]=timeM) then AlwaysOFF ; is it past the Start time? if (timeH>lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightsetHR[fn] AND timeM >= lightsetMN[fn])then PastStart=1 ; is it past the Stop time? if (timeH>lightoffHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightoffHR[fn] AND timeM >= lightoffMN[fn])then PastStop=1 ; does the period end the following day? if (lightoffHR[fn]< lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (lightoffHR[fn]=lightsetHR[fn] AND lightoffMN[fn] < lightsetMN[fn]) then NextDay=1 if !NextDay then ; same day, use AND if PastStart AND !PastStop then ProgON = 1 else ; next day, use OR IF PastStart OR !PastStop then ProgON = 1 endif AlwaysOFF: return

back to the drawing board

OK something has really got screwed up....

Here's the menu routine which is used to set the times for the lighting

Code:

Lighting: Lighton: Lcdout $FE,2 LCDOUT $FE,$80,"Set On Time For " IF H_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncHours IF M_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncMinutes lightsetHR[fn]=Hours lightsetMN[fn]=Minutes if viv >=2 then viv =2 LCDOUT $FE,$C0,"Light Circuit ",#viv lcdout $FE,$94,#lightsetHR[fn] DIG 1,#lightsetHR[fn] DIG 0,":",#lightsetMN[fn] DIG 1,#lightsetMN[fn] DIG 0 pause 200 If S_butt = 0 then pause 250 fn = fn +1 viv = viv+1 hours = 0 minutes = 0 endif If fn > 1 then LCDOUT $FE,1 viv=1 fn=0 goto lightoff endif goto lighton lightoff: Lcdout $FE,2 LCDOUT $FE,$80,"Set Off Time For " IF H_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncHours IF M_butt = 0 THEN GOSUB IncMinutes lightoffHR[fn] = Hours lightoffMN[fn] = Minutes if viv >=2 then viv =2 LCDOUT $FE,$C0,"Light Circuit ",#viv lcdout $FE,$94,#lightoffHR[fn] DIG 1,#lightoffHR[fn] DIG 0,":",#lightoffMN[fn] DIG 1,#lightoffMN[fn] DIG 0 pause 200 If !S_butt then pause 250 fn = fn +1 viv = viv +1 hours = 0 minutes = 0 endif If fn >=2 then LCDOUT $FE,1 goto mainmenu endif goto lightoff

so I added the following lines to display the times on the LCD when the program is running

Code:

lcdout $FE,$D4+8,#lightsetHR[fn] DIG 1,#lightsetHR[fn] DIG 0,":",#lightsetMN[fn] DIG 1,#lightsetMN[fn] DIG 0 lcdout $FE,$D4+14,#lightoffHR[fn] DIG 1,#lightoffHR[fn] DIG 0,":",#lightoffMN[fn] DIG 1,#lightoffMN[fn] DIG 0

setting the time on to 00:00 and the off time to 00:01 the LCD displays 00:50 and 01:00 respectively. So obviously DT's routine will never match the times set..... I don't know why this has happened because in the original code it matched perfectly.... :(

pulling my hair out

OK as I couldn't figure the above out I started from scratch (again) and tried this:

Code:

For fn = 0 to 1 If lightsetHR[fn]<timeH or lightsetHR[fn]>timeH and lightsetMN[fn]<timeM or lightsetMN[fn]>timeM and lightoffHR[fn]<timeH OR lightoffHR[fn]>timeH and lightoffMN[fn]<timeM OR lightoffMN[fn]>timeM Then LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " if fn=0 then Lights1 = 0 if fn=1 then Lights2 = 0 endif If lightsetHR[fn]=timeH and lightsetMN[fn]=timeM then 'compare value of each set time to current time and if matches if fn=0 then Lights1 = 1 if fn=1 then Lights2 = 1 'turn on those light LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Lights ON" endif next fOR fn=0 to 3 If StartHour[fn]<timeH or StartHour[fn]>timeH and StartMin[fn]<timeM or StartMin[fn]>timeM and StopHour[fn]<timeH OR StopHour[fn]>timeH and StopMin[fn]<timeM OR StopMin[fn]>timeM then 'compare value of each start time to current time and if matches LCDOut $FE, $94," " SetPoints[fn]=normtemp[fn] endif If StartHour[fn]=timeH and StartMin[fn]=timeM then 'compare value of each start time to current time and if matches SetPoints[fn]=Droptemp[fn] 'change the corresponding set point to the drop temperature LCDOut $FE, $94,"Night" endif if StopHour[fn]=timeH and StopMin[fn]=timeM then 'compare value of each stop time to current time and if matches LCDOut $FE, $94," " SetPoints[fn]=normtemp[fn] 'change value back to normal temperature Endif next fn

Which works, apart from the original problem, in that at midnight the lights come on and stay on, and the temperatures drop to the default drop temperature. My guess is that as both start times and stop times = 00:00 this is what's causing the issue.

Anyone able to help come up with a suitable working snippet of code, or tell me why it doesn't work correctly when using DTs code ?

If everything is working except midnight add a

if midnight skip
this
that
and the other thing

Back to the drawing board??
I don't know Malc.

In post #14, you found out that the Start and Stop times were not being stored correctly from your button input routines, or they are getting changed somewhere else in the program.
And I agree, the routines I showed won't work if the preset times are wrong.

So why did you scrap the CheckTimes routine?
That isn't changing your start/stop times.

The latest code you showed would not compile.
Missing = signs for one (lightsetHR[fn]timeH).

thanks

Guys,

Thanks for the replies... I should be resting (been unwell recently) and not really spending all day on this ! maybe that's why my brain hurts !! - but I think I've found what is causing the problem...

On the easyPIC5 board, I noticed that when the time reached 00:00, LEDs on B5 - B7 seemed to strobe, and then stop at 00:01 - this was also observed on the version in the prototype, as the lights flashed at midnight today ! - this seems to put the PIC in some limbo / reset state... ?

I've managed to get something working that sets the night time drops and turns on the lights if set before the activation time... I'm going to look at either Daves suggestion of a skip midnight routine, or take a fresh look at Darrel's routines and see if I can get that working... would love to know why the PIC is behaving so strange at midnight

This idea might be worth a try..
http://www.picbasic.co.uk/forum/show...1881#post91881

1 Attachment(s)

Malcolm,

I missed this part in your conversion last time.

Code:

; if the Start and Stop times are the same, then Always OFF if (lightsetHR[fn]=timeH) AND _ (lightsetMN[fn]=timeM) then AlwaysOFF

It should be testing the Stop time instead of the Current time.

Here's the updated code.

Code:

CheckTimes: TimeCmpFlags = 0 ; clear flags first ; if the Start and Stop times are the same, then Always OFF if (lightsetHR[fn]=lightoffHR[fn]) AND _ (lightsetMN[fn]=lightoffMN[fn]) then AlwaysOFF ; is it past the Start time? if (timeH>lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightsetHR[fn] AND timeM >= lightsetMN[fn])then PastStart=1 ; is it past the Stop time? if (timeH>lightoffHR[fn]) OR _ (timeH=lightoffHR[fn] AND timeM >= lightoffMN[fn])then PastStop=1 ; does the period end the following day? if (lightoffHR[fn]< lightsetHR[fn]) OR _ (lightoffHR[fn]=lightsetHR[fn] AND lightoffMN[fn] < lightsetMN[fn]) then NextDay=1 if !NextDay then ; same day, use AND if PastStart AND !PastStop then ProgON = 1 else ; next day, use OR IF PastStart OR !PastStop then ProgON = 1 endif AlwaysOFF: return

I've run it in the simulator and it works perfectly.

Attachment 4648

Thanks guys,

Darrel, I'll give that a whirl later this morning.... and will report back if I have any issues

Love the look of that simulator.... nice layout

Thanks for the support

Edit - Just tried it by setting the current time to 8:15 and then setting the lighting to come on at 8:09 and off at 8:20 and when run it works fine - have also tried it with the clock set to 23:58 and a lighting period of 23:59 to 00:01 and that works too - Thanks DT

However.....

I can't get the display to show when the lights are on...

Code:

fn = 0 ; select the first Lights GOSUB CheckTimes ; compare the programed period IF ProgON THEN ; If in the program period IF Lights1 = 0 THEN Lights1 = 1 IF Lights1 = 1 LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Light 1 ON" ELSE IF Lights1 = 1 THEN Lights1 = 0 IF Lights1 = 0 LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " ENDIF fn = 1 ; select the second Lights GOSUB CheckTimes ; compare the programed period IF ProgON THEN IF Lights2 = 0 THEN Lights2 = 1 LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Light 2 ON" ELSE IF Lights2 = 1 THEN Lights2 = 0 LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " ENDIF if Lights1 = 1 and Lights2 = 1 then LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Lights ON" ELSE LCDOut $FE, $94+9," " Endif

The value for Lights1 or Lights2 changes from 0 to 1 as the corresponding LED on the development board lights up or turns off according to the value, but the IF Lights1 = 1 LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Light 1 ON" or IF Lights1 = 1 THEN LCDOut $FE, $94+9,"Light 1 ON" seems to be ignored