Update ConfigurableFirmata.ino

[PizzaProgram]

Adding option to:

• Start all output pins at "HIGH state"

to the example file.

[pgrawehr]

Thanks for this addition

[PizzaProgram]

I need more help on this, can not solve it alone. 🥺
Also I need to apologize for commiting too soon.

I've just tried this code I've commited in real life, and

• it has no effect !

I do not really understand why, and no matter what I try it makes things just worse.
(If I remember well, it worked with standardfirmata + Arduino Nano board combination.)

That means, if I apply this patch with ConfigurableFirmata + Raspberry Pi PICO board,
and plug in the board:

1. first it gives a little ground to all pins, (the LED of the relay board starts to glow with 25% strength)
2. than a few seconds later, after the "version-led-blink":
3. it turns all the output pins LOW (and by that, turns on all the relays, what i would like to avoid).

So there are 2 problems:

• it does not execute immediately on powering the board (probably because the pin state is floating)
• and it is somehow resetting to LOW state.

I've tried to copy the set-high code to the setup part too, but than the board goes into an infinite boot loop.
(Blinking shorts and logs non-stop.)

void setAllHIGH() {
PinStatus p = HIGH;

	for (byte i = 0; i < TOTAL_PINS; i++) {
		if (IS_PIN_DIGITAL(i)) {
		//if (i > 2) {p = LOW;} else {p = HIGH;} ;  // uncomment this for testing (distunguish 1+2. pin and all the others)
			digitalWrite       (i, p);
			Firmata.setPinMode (i, PIN_MODE_OUTPUT);
			digitalWrite       (i, p);
			Firmata.setPinState(i, p);
			digitalWrite       (i, p);
		}
	}
}

[pgrawehr]

First question: What board are you using?

The Arduino AVR-based boards boot with all pins in INPUT mode, so yes, they're floating. You should be able to add external pull-up resistors to make the input high at startup (and thus turn off the relays).

I can't say why it would then switch to low when the Startup code runs, I'll need to try.

[PizzaProgram]

What board are you using?

RPi Pico (see my prev. msg)

The Arduino AVR-based boards boot with all pins in INPUT mode, so yes, they're floating.

Yes, I know. It seems also this board does.
I've hoped to be able to turn HIGH fast enough during boot.
(Soldering 60+ resistors & wires is not really a dream job.)

I can't say why it would then switch to low when the Startup code runs, I'll need to try.

Thank You! 😄

[pgrawehr]

I just tried with an Arduino Nano, and this code works for me (all outputs high after boot phase):

		digitalWrite(i, HIGH);
		Firmata.setPinState (i, HIGH);

[PizzaProgram]

I just tried with an Arduino Nano, and this code works for me (all outputs high after boot phase)

So basically you just uncommented the 2 lines at my original Commit, and it works "out of the box" ?

• Or did you placed those 2 lines somewhere elsewhere?

[pgrawehr]

No, I just uncommented your lines (except that the first line should not have the Firmata. prefix) - that causes a compile error.

[PizzaProgram]

After investigating the problem from all sides, I've realized:

• It is not safe to work with "inverted pins" from software side!
• This must be solved on the hardware side!

to prevent any accidents.

There are 2 possibilities:

1. Use PNP / NPN inverter boards:

https://duckduckgo.com/?t=ftsa&q=PNP+NPN+opto+board&iax=images&ia=images

2. Use "High-triggered" Relay boards.

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=high+trigger+relay+board&t=ftsa&iar=images&iax=images&ia=images

... or those kind, which have jumpers to where someone can choose between Low trigger / High trigger

See those yellow jumpers on the picture.

So this commit should be reverted fully.
(There are also 3 other problems with my code.)

[pgrawehr]

Now I'm curious: Why is it not safe? Can you explain that?

[PizzaProgram]

Now I'm curious: Why is it not safe? Can you explain that?

< OFF >
For example:

• the software is freezing,
• electric disturbance,
• the separate 5V power of the arduino / RPi board dies (and the relay board keeps being powered).

Connecting heavy metal roller-shutters on those relays which can basically cut a head off, or "over-driving a heater" because it did not turn off...
Many things can go wrong even in a simple house, not to mention any industrial application.
(And believe me: Firmata is being used already for such tasks too!)

[pgrawehr]

Yikes... I do prefer if my head stays exactly where it is...