Output decimal number as Binary on a relay card.

travis · May 2012

Just leaving this here. Got most of it from another thread, so thanks.

DEFINE_CALL'DECIMAL_TO_RELAY_CARD'(DEV rly, INTEGER iDecimalNumber){
//convert a decimal number into it's binary representation on a relay card
    LOCAL_VAR INTEGER itmp64

    FOR(itmp64 = 1; itmp64 <=8; itmp64++){
	[rly,itmp64] = iDecimalNumber & REL_MASKS[itmp64]
    }
}

DEFINE_CONSTANT
INTEGER REL_MASKS[8] = {1,2,4,8,16,32,64,128}

I don't like the variable/param/function names, but naming stuff is like the hardest part of programming.

Darkside · May 2012

Here's quite a simple way of performing binary representation on a rel card.

define_function fnDec2bin(integer decimalnum)
  {
  if (decimalnum & 1) on[dvRelay,1]
  if (decimalnum & 2) on[dvRelay,2]
  if (decimalnum & 4) on[dvRelay,3]
  if (decimalnum & 8) on[dvRelay,4]
  if (decimalnum & 16) on[dvRelay,5]
  if (decimalnum & 32) on[dvRelay,6]
  if (decimalnum & 64) on[dvRelay,7]
  if (decimalnum & 128) on[dvRelay,8]
  }

Easily modified to make a binary clock in your card cage to impress even the most 1/0 savvy client

Bigsquatch · May 2012

And bit masking can be used when the number of parameters passed to a function will vary.

DEFINE_CONSTANT

INTEGER RELAY_NONE = 0
INTEGER RELAY_1 = 1
INTEGER RELAY_2 = 2
INTEGER RELAY_3 = 4
INTEGER RELAY_4 = 8
INTEGER RELAY_5 = 16
INTEGER RELAY_6 = 32
INTEGER RELAY_7 = 64
INTEGER RELAY_8 = 128

DEFINE_FUNCTION fnRelayOn(INTEGER decimalNum)
{
  [dvRelay,1] = (decimalnum & 1)
  [dvRelay,2] = (decimalnum & 2)
  [dvRelay,3] = (decimalnum & 4)
  [dvRelay,4] = (decimalnum & 8)
  [dvRelay,5] = (decimalnum & 16)
  [dvRelay,6] = (decimalnum & 32)
  [dvRelay,7] = (decimalnum & 64) 
  [dvRelay,8] = (decimalnum & 128)
} 

DEFINE_START

// Turn on relays 1, 3, 5 & 7 
fnRelayOn(RELAY_1 | RELAY_3 | RELAY_5 | RELAY_7)

// Turn off all relays
WAIT 50 { fnRelayOn(RELAY_NONE) }

// Turn on relays 2 & 4
WAIT 60 { fnRelayOn(RELAY_2 | RELAY_4) }

This technique gets a lot of use in the Windows API for passing window flags into API functions, allowing users to pass in any combination of the pre-defined flags.

travis · May 2012

Bigsquatch wrote: »

fnRelayOn(RELAY_1 | RELAY_3 | RELAY_5 | RELAY_7)

Oh nice. Maybe I can use this elsewhere...

PhreaK · May 2012

When I read the title of this post my first though was 'why the hell would anyone want to pulse out a value on a relay'. Using the eight to represent the byte didn't even cross my mind - I am so building a clock with one of the spare NI's in the office.

Personally I prefer your initial version using the lookup table, its simple and neat. Also, as you only have 8 relays to play with (assuming you're talking about the internal ones) this limits you to a single byte rather than an integer.

define_variable

constant char RELAY[] = { $1, $2, $4, $8, $10, $20, $40, $80 }

define_function setRelayState(char mask) {
	stack_var char num
	for (num = 8; num; num--) {
		[dvRelay, num] = mask & RELAY[num]
	}
}

If you're just wanting to represent values and don't care about the convenience of the flag pattern shown by Bigsquatch you can do away with the table altogether:

define_function representValue(char x) {
	stack_var char num
	for (num = 8; num; num--) {
		[dvRelay, num] = x & (1 << (num - 1))
	}
}

Alternatively, if you needed to represent an integer you could do so using both the relays and io's:

define_function showValue(integer x) {
	stack_var char num
	stack_var char mask
	for (num = 8; num; num--) {
		mask = 1 << (num - 1)
		[dvRelay, num] = (x >> 8) & mask
		[dvIO, num] = (x & $FF) & mask
	}
}

</procrastination>

ericmedley · May 2012

Using an NI could gve you two bytes using the relays and the IOs. Also, with the right IR file an on would give you a solid LED on or off too for a fraud total of 3 bytes. Add to this using the serial ports for AM/PM and alarm enable/disable, you could build a nice alarm clock. You cold buzz some relays for a wake up buzzer. The only lingering issue is how to turn the darn thing off. (I guess pull the plug or wire a switch to an IO)

travis · May 2012

PhreaK wrote: »
If you're just wanting to represent values and do care about the convenience of the flag pattern shown by Bigsquatch you can do away with the table altogether:
define_function representValue(char x) {
	stack_var char num
	for (num = 8; num; num--) {
		[dvRelay, num] = x & (1 << (num - 1))
	}
}
</procrastination>

Job-security version.
I have a pair of these new-fangled EXB-REL8's at the moment to procrastinate with. Actually, this is for a project. I don't know what you all's excuses are.

Output decimal number as Binary on a relay card.

Comments