How to add an option to VL53L0X module #5862

espruino-discuss3 · 2025-02-12T15:20:16Z

espruino-discuss3
Feb 12, 2025
Maintainer

Posted at 2018-01-19 by SergeP

Hi!
I want to make tiny modification of VL53L0X module - add an option that means "address is changed already, use new address but do not send address change command to device" - I try to use few VL53L0X thru I2C address changer and one without changer and the address change command will prefer the last one from correct work.
The code is easy so I can make the modification in local copy. But my JS skills are not good so I think I can not write well-readable code in JS and Espruino tradition.

How to write it in good style? Well-designed interface is important in the place.
May be the option will be useful for other modules as well.

I am going to modify the module further to add features I need - continuous measurement mode etc. And I think I can put the code somewhere - GitHub branch or even here - and somebody who know JS can modify my code to add good JS style.

By the way, it seems to me, Mongoose OS Pololu VL53L0 code looks to be better for reverse-engineering then original ST.

espruino-discuss3 · 2025-02-12T15:20:19Z

espruino-discuss3
Feb 12, 2025
Maintainer Author

Posted at 2018-01-19 by PaddeK

Post the code here or in a github and i will have a look at it and modify it if necessary.

Posted at 2018-01-22 by SergeP

Thank you.
I've just written VCNL4200 module (still not full, but works). Please review it.

By the way, "Upload a file" does not work in last Firefox. File selection window opens, but nothing happens after I choose file. Where to write about the bug?

Attachments:

VCNL4200.js

Posted at 2018-01-23 by SergeP

The same after some debug. A few bugs were killed.

Attachments:

VCNL4200.js

Posted at 2018-01-23 by @gfwilliams

That looks really good to me! If you could add a page with an example in the style of http://www.espruino.com/Writing+Modules (or other files) it'd be really handy - or if not just paste one here and I'd be happy to make a page up for you.

Do you have a link to the VL53L0X changes you mentioned as well?

Posted at 2018-01-23 by SergeP

The code have at least one problem - bit fields for registers are not shown for module user (or I do not know how to use it). I do not know JS so I do not know how to correct the code. Could you help me?
I think I can not write description in style of "Writing Modules" because I use own board with a few sensors and do not know about boards available to others. But. of course, I can write code example:

var i2c=new I2C();
i2c.setup({ sda:D12, scl:D13} );

//var sensor = require("VCNL4200").connect(i2c,{address:0x51}); //0x51 is default address so may be omitted
var sensor = require("VCNL4200").connect(i2c);
//sensor.Configure(); //It is possible to use it for some default mode, but it should be investigated what to set as default
sensor.setAmbiConf(0);
sensor.setProxiConf12(0x2A,0x0B);
sensor.setProxiConf3MS(0x70,0x27); //0x27 to use INT pin as proximity signal, 0x7 to use INT as interrupt
sensor.setProxiLowThreshold(1000);
sensor.setProxiHighThreshold(3000);

sensor.logAll();

function log (){
  console.log(
      " Proximity: " + sensor.getProximity() +
      " Ambient: " + sensor.getAmbient() +
      " White: " + sensor.getWhite() +
      " Int: " + sensor.getInterruptFlags().toString(16));
}
setInterval(log, 1000);

Posted at 2018-01-23 by SergeP

I have just got VL53L0X board, so I have not still working code for the board. I think I would better send modifications after writing some:)

Posted at 2018-01-23 by @gfwilliams

I think what you might need is VCNL4200.prototype.ALS = ALS - then you can do:

sensor.setAmbiConf(sensor.ALS.IntegrationTime_ms200);

if that's what you were asking?

However I'd strongly advise against that as it will make the module use a lot of memory and isn't very easy for people to use or understand (they basically have to look at the datasheet for everything, and then figure out how to do what the datasheet said using your code).

Could you maybe try something like:

// Sets whatever this is, time is 50, 100, 200 or 400 (milliseconds)
VCNL4200.prototype.setAmbiConf = function ( time ) {
  var times = { 50 : 0, 100 : 64, 200 : 128, 400 : 192 };
  this.w(C.ALS_CONF_REG, [times[time],0]);
}

And the same for other functions that expect certain values - so doing the decoding inside the function itself. It's better if the functions actually abstract away from the underlying registers...

Posted at 2018-01-23 by SergeP

The register is to set not only the time but a few other parameters as well. So I can write function to set time only, of course. It can get register, then add time and set the register back. But may be it is easier to users to look at the datasheet, isn't it? While the datasheet is not well-understandable, but I do not think adding separate functions or parameters with strange names makes it more understandable.
So may be it would be better to remove the names from the module. Please do that if you think it will be better in Espruino environment.

Posted at 2018-01-23 by SergeP

I am working on VL53L0X module and I have seen a potential holywar: these modules have different semantic of I2C addresses. One uses 7-bit address, as in Linux and in some datasheets while another uses 8-bit shifted address like in some other datasheets.
Are you going to save current state when different modules have different meaning of I2C address or to change it (may be not just now) to be uniform?

Posted at 2018-01-24 by @gfwilliams

It should all be uniform, with 7 bit addresses (like are used for the I2C class at http://www.espruino.com/Reference#I2C). Which ones use shifted addresses? I'll see about changing them.