NeoPixelBus/ReadMe.md

# NeoPixelBus

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Arduino NeoPixel library

NOW SUPPORTS esp8266!  I suggest you use the the NeoPixelAnimator branch for Esp8266 platofrm as it contains enhancements that just can't be supported on AVR platform.  Includig HslColor object and an enhanced animator manager.

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Clone this into your Arduino\Library folder

This library is a modification of the Adafruit NeoPixel library.
The Api is similiar, but it removes the overal brightness feature and adds animation support.

## Installing This Library
Create a directory in your Arduino\Library folder named "NeoPixelBus"
Clone (Git) this project into that folder.  
It should now show up in the import list.

## Samples
### NeoPixelTest
this is simple example that sets four neopixels to red, green, blue, and then white in order; and then flashes them.  If the first pixel is green and the second is red, you need to pass the NEO_RGB flag into the NeoPixelBus constructor.
### NeoPixelFun
this is a more complex example, that includes code for three effects, and demonstrates animations.

## API Documentation

### RgbColor object
This represents a color and exposes useful methods to manipulate colors.

#### RgbColor(uint8_t r, uint8_t g, uint8_t b)
instantiates a RgbColor object with the given r, g, b values.

#### RgbColor(uint8_t brightness)
instantiates a RgbColor object with the given brightness. 0 is black, 128 is grey, 255 is white.

#### uint8_t CalculateBrightness()
returns the general brightness of the pixe, averaging color.

#### void Darken(uint8_t delta)
this will darken the color by the given amount

#### void Lighten(uint8_t delta)
this will lighten the color by the given amount

#### static RgbColor LinearBlend(RgbColor left, RgbColor right, uint8_t progress)
this will return a color that is a blend between the given colors.  The amount to blend is given by the value of progress, 0 will return the left value, 255 will return the right value, 128 will return the value between them.

NOTE:  This is not an accurate "visible light" color blend but is fast and in most cases good enough.

### NeoPixelBus object
This represents a single NeoPixel Bus that is connected by a single pin.  Please see Adafruit's documentation for details, but the differences are documented below.

#### NeoPixelBus(uint16_t n, uint8_t p = 6, uint8_t t = NEO_GRB | NEO_KHZ800);
instantiates a NewoPixelBus object, with n number of pixels on the bus, over the p pin, using the defined NeoPixel type.
There are some NeoPixels that address the color values differently, so if you set the green color but it displays as red, use the NEO_RGB type flag.

```
NeoPixelBus strip = NeoPixelBus(4, 8, NEO_RGB | NEO_KHZ800);
```
It is rare, but some older NeoPixels require a slower communications speed, to include this support you must include the following define before the NeoPixelBus library include and then include the NEO_KHZ400 type flag to enable this slower speed.

```
#define INCLUDE_NEO_KHZ400_SUPPORT 
#include <NeoPixelBus.h>

NeoPixelBus strip = NeoPixelBus(4, 8, NEO_RGB | NEO_KHZ400);
```

#### void SetPixelColor(uint16_t n, RgbColor c)
This allows setting a pixel on the bus to a color as defined by a color object.	If an animation is actively running on a pixel, it will be stopped.

#### RgbColor GetPixelColor(uint16_t n) const
this allows retrieving the current pixel color

#### void LinearFadePixelColor(uint16_t time, uint16_t n, RgbColor color)
this will setup an animation for a pixel to linear fade between the current color and the given color over the time given.  The time is in milliseconds.

#### void StartAnimating()
this method will initialize the animation state.  This should be called only if there are no active animations and new animations are started.  

#### void UpdateAnimations()
this method will allow the animations to be processed and update the pixel color state. 

NOTE:  Show must still be called to push the color state to the physical NeoPixels.

#### bool IsAnimating() const
this method will return the current animation state.  It will return false if there are no active animations.