LED Strip Rainbow

Use the ‘Parts List’ image along with the component cards in your box to correctly plug in the electronic hardware to your Maker Board. The colorful dots next to the legs of the components match up to the ports where that leg should go on Maker Board’s ports.

Code

The code in the editor below is ready to run! Plug in the electronic components just like the Parts List card above, connect Maker Board to your computer's USB port with the cable, and hit 'Upload Your Code!'. Tinker with the code and change something! If you get stuck, you can hit the 'Restore' button to make the code go back to the working example.

/* Turn on each pixel of the LED strip in sequence, changing the color value of each pixel */ #include "LEDStrip.h" //The LEDStrip.h library gives your code access to special functions exclusive to the LED Strip LEDStrip strip = LEDStrip(15, 13, 12); //Set up the strip by defining how many pixels (15) and where the wires are connected (green = 13, blue = 12) void setup() { } void loop() { /* Create a variable i that has a starting value of 0 and, as long as i is less than 15, run the code between the curly braces, then increase the value of the 'i' variable by 1*/ for(int i = 0; i < 15; i++){ strip.setPixel(i,i*20); //Use the variable 'i' to set which LED pixel is being lit up //use the i variable times 20 (i*20) to set the color value. strip.draw(); //send the setPixel data to the LED strip delay(100); //delay 100 milliseconds (0.1 second) before running the 'for' loop again } } // (c) 2019 Let's Start Coding. License: www.letsstartcoding.com/bsdlicense

Walkthrough Video

Watch the video for a line-by-line explanation of how the example program works. Then you'll be ready to make some changes of your own!

Use this spectrum to estimate the color values you'll need for your 'setPixel' arguments to achieve your favorite color!

Challenges

Can you complete the challenges? Change the code in your code editor above. Upload your code to see the effect when you're finished. Complete a challenge? Check it off the list!

Add this line of code after the closing curly brace ( } ) of the ‘for’ loop : strip.clear(); . How does that change how the program runs?

Change the delay in the code. This change will be more obvious if you leave the strip.clear(); code in the program from the first challenge.

Change the second argument of the setPixel function from i*20 to a different multiple like i*5. How does this change the colors you see?

Concepts

These are the new code concepts covered in this example program. To become a great coder, read through these concepts to learn new vocabulary.

Quiz

If you're having trouble, try to run an experimental program or look at the example code to help you find the answer.

1. Which syntax ends the entire 'void loop' function?

semicolon ;
parentheses )
closing curly brace }

2. Which syntax ends a single code command?

semicolon ;
closing curly brace }
period .

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