Update LED bar to handle message type field

- Process 't' field to distinguish between beat ('b') and update ('u') messages
- Beat messages: execute pattern immediately using current parameters
- Update messages: only update parameters, don't execute pattern
- Maintains backward compatibility with default to beat if 't' not specified
- Enables proper synchronization between controller and bars

8_BAR_SETUP.md

@@ -0,0 +1,71 @@
+# 8-LED Bar System Setup
+
+This system supports 8 LED bars working together, each with unique names "100" through "107".
+
+## Quick Setup
+
+### 1. Configure Each LED Bar
+Each LED bar needs a unique name. Run the configuration script on each bar:
+
+```bash
+python configure_bar.py
+```
+
+Then enter the bar name (100, 101, 102, etc.) when prompted.
+
+### 2. Update Bar Names (Optional)
+To change the bar names, edit `/home/jimmy/projects/lighting-controller/src/bar_config.py`:
+
+```python
+LED_BAR_NAMES = [
+    "100",  # Bar 1
+    "101",  # Bar 2
+    "102",  # Bar 3
+    "103",  # Bar 4
+    "104",  # Bar 5
+    "105",  # Bar 6
+    "106",  # Bar 7
+    "107",  # Bar 8
+]
+```
+
+### 3. Default Settings
+All bars use the same default settings defined in `bar_config.py`:
+
+```python
+DEFAULT_BAR_SETTINGS = {
+    "pattern": "pulse",
+    "delay": 100,
+    "colors": [(0, 255, 0)],  # Default green
+    "brightness": 100,
+    "num_leds": 200,
+    "n1": 10,
+    "n2": 10,
+    "n3": 1,
+    "n": 0,
+}
+```
+
+## How It Works
+
+1. **Lighting Controller** sends ESP-NOW messages to all bars simultaneously
+2. **Each LED Bar** listens for messages addressed to its unique name
+3. **All bars** receive the same pattern/color/brightness settings
+4. **Synchronized effects** across all 8 bars
+
+## Current Features
+
+- ✅ All bars show the same pattern simultaneously
+- ✅ Individual bar addressing (100-107)
+- ✅ Optimized JSON payloads with defaults deduplication
+- ✅ Easy configuration via `bar_config.py`
+- ✅ MIDI control for all bars
+- ✅ n3 step rate functionality
+
+## Future Enhancements
+
+- Sequential patterns (bar 1 → bar 2 → bar 3...)
+- Wave effects across bars
+- Individual bar control
+- Master/slave synchronization
+- Physical arrangement awareness

configure_bar.py

@@ -0,0 +1,58 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+"""
+LED Bar Configuration Script
+Updates the settings.json file for each LED bar with its unique name
+"""
+
+import json
+import os
+
+# LED Bar names/IDs
+LED_BAR_NAMES = ["100", "101", "102", "103", "104", "105", "106", "107"]
+
+def update_bar_settings(bar_name, settings_file="settings.json"):
+    """Update the settings.json file with the bar name"""
+    if not os.path.exists(settings_file):
+        print(f"Error: {settings_file} not found")
+        return False
+    
+    # Read current settings
+    with open(settings_file, 'r') as f:
+        settings = json.load(f)
+    
+    # Update the name
+    settings["name"] = bar_name
+    
+    # Write back to file
+    with open(settings_file, 'w') as f:
+        json.dump(settings, f, indent=4)
+    
+    print(f"Updated {settings_file} with name: {bar_name}")
+    return True
+
+def main():
+    print("LED Bar Configuration Script")
+    print("=" * 40)
+    print("Available bar names:", LED_BAR_NAMES)
+    print()
+    
+    while True:
+        print("Enter bar name to configure (or 'quit' to exit):")
+        bar_name = input("> ").strip()
+        
+        if bar_name.lower() == 'quit':
+            break
+        
+        if bar_name not in LED_BAR_NAMES:
+            print(f"Invalid bar name. Must be one of: {LED_BAR_NAMES}")
+            continue
+        
+        if update_bar_settings(bar_name):
+            print(f"Successfully configured LED bar as '{bar_name}'")
+        else:
+            print("Failed to update settings")
+        
+        print()
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    main()

src/main.py

@@ -1,5 +1,4 @@
-import asyncio
-import aioespnow
+
 import patterns
 from settings import Settings
 from web import web
@@ -28,7 +27,9 @@ def main():
     sta_if.active(True)
 
     e = espnow.ESPNow()
+    e.config(rxbuf=1024)
     e.active(True)
+    # Increase buffer size for 8-bar payloads (default 526 bytes might be too small)  # Set to 1KB to handle larger multi-bar payloads
 
     wdt = machine.WDT(timeout=10000)
     wdt.feed()
@@ -50,21 +51,32 @@ def main():
             data = json.loads(last_msg)
             defaults = data.get("d", {})
             bar = data.get(settings.get("name"), {})
-
-            patterns.brightness = bar.get("brightness", defaults.get("brightness", patterns.brightness))
-            patterns.delay = bar.get("delay", defaults.get("delay", patterns.delay))
-            patterns.colors = bar.get("colors", defaults.get("colors", patterns.colors))
+            
+            # Check message type
+            message_type = defaults.get("t", "b")  # Default to beat if not specified
+            
+            # Always update parameters from message
+            patterns.brightness = bar.get("br", defaults.get("br", patterns.brightness))
+            patterns.delay = bar.get("dl", defaults.get("dl", patterns.delay))
+            patterns.colors = bar.get("cl", defaults.get("cl", patterns.colors))
             patterns.n1 = bar.get("n1", defaults.get("n1", patterns.n1))
             patterns.n2 = bar.get("n2", defaults.get("n2", patterns.n2))
             patterns.n3 = bar.get("n3", defaults.get("n3", patterns.n3))
             patterns.step = bar.get("pattern_step", defaults.get("step", patterns.step))
             
-            selected_pattern = bar.get("pattern", defaults.get("pattern", "off"))
-            if selected_pattern in patterns.patterns:
-                # Run the selected pattern ONCE in response to this message. Do not auto-tick elsewhere.
-                patterns.patterns[selected_pattern]()
+            # Only execute pattern if it's a beat message
+            if message_type == "b":  # Beat message
+                selected_pattern = bar.get("pt", defaults.get("pt", "off"))
+                if selected_pattern in patterns.patterns:
+                    # Run the selected pattern ONCE in response to this beat message
+                    patterns.patterns[selected_pattern]()
+                else:
+                    print(f"Pattern {selected_pattern} not found")
+            elif message_type == "u":  # Update message
+                # Just update parameters, don't execute pattern
+                print(f"Parameters updated: brightness={patterns.brightness}, delay={patterns.delay}")
             else:
-                print(f"Pattern {selected_pattern} not found")
+                print(f"Unknown message type: {message_type}")
             # except Exception as ex:
             #     print(f"Failed to load espnow data {last_msg}: {ex}")
             #     continue

src/patterns.py

@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ class Patterns(PatternBase): # Inherit from PatternBase
         self.n3 = 1 # Default step factor
         self.oneshot = False # New: One-shot flag for patterns like fill_range
         self.patterns = {
+            "off": self.off,
             "flicker": self.flicker,
             "fill_range": self.fill_range,
             "n_chase": self.n_chase,
@@ -23,9 +24,25 @@ class Patterns(PatternBase): # Inherit from PatternBase
             "rainbow": self.rainbow,
             "specto": self.specto,
             "radiate": self.radiate,
+            # Shortened pattern names for optimized JSON payloads
+            "o": self.off,
+            "f": self.flicker,
+            "fr": self.fill_range,
+            "nc": self.n_chase,
+            "a": self.alternating,
+            "p": self.pulse,
+            "r": self.rainbow,
+            "s": self.specto,
+            "rd": self.radiate,
         }    
         self.step = 0
 
+    def off(self):
+        """Turn off all LEDs"""
+        self.fill((0, 0, 0))
+        self.n.write()
+        return self.delay
+
     def flicker(self):
         current_time = utime.ticks_ms()
         base_color = self.colors[0]

src/settings.py

@@ -14,9 +14,9 @@ class Settings(dict):
 
     def set_defaults(self):
         self["led_pin"] = 4
-        self["num_leds"] = 100
+        self["num_leds"] = 59
         self["color_order"] = "rgb"
-        self["name"] = f"3"
+        self["name"] = f"103"
 
     def save(self):
         try: