I made a short video of my UI #3 off switch ramping. First I’m short tapping to switch between normal and boost a couple of times. Then I do a long tape which enables ramping (some flashing indicates ramping active). Then I short tap to ramp up, long tap to ramp down. Then I leave it inactive for two seconds and ramping times out (short flash indicates and the mode level is written to memory), and then it’s back to switching between normal and boost with short taps…. until a long press for ramp activation.
Turbo is not “rampable”. Both long and short tap in turbo switches to normal mode.
I use very low mode levels for demonstration so I don’t blind out the camera, and I’m only ramping minimal amount, the full range takes longer.
Ain’t STFU’ing no one. Got some good suggestions in here which I’ve already implemented for my own usage, things I didn’t think of myself. The fun part is seeing how flexible I can make my firmware to accommodate different usages.
So keep ’em coming! I wouldn’t be asking if I didn’t want to know
About the videos, I just noticed one thing: maybe due to the light already being ON (with the RC switch), the time limit to do the 2nd tap for turbo seems to be longer than on FC switch.
I can’t be sure of that, but looking to it, it seemed to me that I could take longer to make the 2nd tap on the RC than on the FC
Hum, that is quite nice to know! So, you can basically put one of your drivers in different types of flashlights and still having them with the common UI!! Quite smart!! No need to change the “mind setting” whenever you change the light
Thanks for showing how that UI works Mike! It is different from the one I used before, and I find it interesting!!
I have some questions about it, though :
so, in this UI you can only switch between 2 “levels” at a time, either it is the lowest & turbo, or somewhere in the middle of ramping & turbo, right?
when you turn the light OFF and ON, will it turn ON in the last ramping “level”, or will it be on the lowest output level? Or is the memory configurable for ramping?
Thanks in advance and sorry for the questions :zipper_mouth_face:
I have a fourth switch configuration too: Single switch. Single switch runs E-switch and clicky switch functionality simultaneously. I made it so I didn’t have to change switch configuration when testing clicky and E-switch functionality in my test light with dual switches. You could move it from a clicky switch light to E-switch light and it works without doing anything at all.
Yes, it’s a two mode level UI, where one is fully “rampable”, the other is turbo. I have another UI which uses traditional mode count, but with the option to activate ramping for every mode. Short tap cycles mode up, long tap activates ramping for that mode just like in the video. All modes including turbo are “rampable” in this UI.
Last ramping level, always. The idea behind this UI is just to have a simple two mode light, but make it easy to adjust the normal “non-turbo” mode.
Wow, that’s a cool feature!! I see there are plenty to chose from It would be something like on a Klarus G20, where the tail and side switches operate (almost) the same way?
Now you’re talking That’s a progressive UI in each mode!!! Love it :heart_eyes:
In this one you can access turbo the same way (“long” tap) or turbo is the highest level in the sequence of the others?
Thanks for clarifying this It is useful when one wants a specific locked level and doesn’t want to go through the ramping again!
Also, as the ramp is quick it is easy to go back to the lowest! It is indeed very versatile!! Lot of programming work there :student:
I have no idea how the Klarus G20 works, but my single switch config is essentially a clicky switch and E-switch light in one. Switches are totally independent.
In contrast, my dual switch configuration utilizes both switches and isn’t any good at all if you don’t actually have dual switches (a clicky switch and E-switch).
Long tap enables ramping, so no, turbo is in regular mode cycle. The idea behind this UI is that if you normally use a traditional mode switching UI without ramping (would be UI-1 in my firmware) you can switch to this UI, adjust the modes to your liking, then switch back to UI-1. Basically just a way to change mode levels without needing to flash firmware with adjusted modes.
I do have an UI without turbo in regular mode circulation, accessed by long tap only. I could add ramp activation with double tap… still testing options… Only concern I have with double tap is that it can interfere with regular mode switching. It could be very annoying for those who are used to UIs without it, so I’ll keep double tap detection limited to one or two UIs.
When ramping with a clicky switch and either lower or upper level is reached it automatically saves mode level and exits ramping (a flash indicates). No ramping that “bounces”, I hate that.
Ok, got it! I guess the G20 doesn’t work like that then!! :person_facepalming: That is a very nice thing specially because most of the lights work in complementary way, normally “enslaving” the clicky switch to just turn ON/OFF.
Thanks for clarifying Mike! It seems logic that it is in the regular cycle! The ramping is like an extra to the “normal” UIs, which is a good option! It seems quite interesting!
Only one question on this one, does it have a pre-set number of levels (ex, 3 or 4), or is it user configurable (ex: chose 5 or 6)?
I guess that “double tap” is the option chadvone is saying “YES”, and I’d say “yes” as well! As long as it doesn’t interfere with the rest!
Although I don’t like Strobe or SOS that much, I, very personally, would like to have a UI usable with both FC and RC that would work with Turbo and single frequency Strobe at the same. Lets say that I would pick the guppy3drv and I would use the option 4 levels + Turbo (double tap) + Strobe ( 3 taps or looong tap or another option).
That would be my ideal UI, to have a Turbo and a hidden Strobe that could be accessed from OFF or from ON without interfering with the regular cycle of modes. Maybe this already exists in any driver currently available, but I’m not aware of it (it does exist, Olight M2R has it, but it is not a driver for mods…)
And I guess I will stop bothering with my questions and this quest for a perfect “UI & driver” I can be boring when I start that
User configurable up to 5 modes. Personally, I think if you use more modes than that you might as well use the ramping UI.
I’ve started playing around with double tap and I kind of like it. Never thought I would. That’s actually the whole point of this giveway, get’s me testing things I didn’t think if, and if I like it I use it. I’ll use it for something. I have space to play with, and my code as it is now I don’t have to do much to add this kind of stuff.
I do have strobe, beacon and SOS coded. I just haven’t decided on method of accessing them yet. Chad’s suggestion is interesting…
Anything can be done. It’s just a matter of how many times you want to press the darn buttons Double tap, triple tap, quad tap, it’s all supported in my firmware. All I need to do is just assign functions to them.
Great!!! More than 5 would be “too much” (if this thing ever exists ), so up to 5 is nice!
I guess this “challenge accepted” way of thinking is very nice of you, as it will lead to develop more ideas and UIs! :partying_face:
I wish I had the knowledge and tools to program, I would be stuck to the normal not-so-much-user-friendly-UIs that the lights come with!
I’ll be looking to see what will come from your experiments!!
Well, that’s good to know! It’s almost “UI by design” that can be created! Some of the things I suggest / wish for may not be much “intuitive” but it also depends on the user’s profile. And the type of light we’re dealing with of course
chad, I guess I will have to go through your threads on that UI, maybe we’re not that distant in terms of preferences :+1:
Also, Mike, thanks for proposing and accepting the “challenge” to go through these new ideas
I use vias with drill size 0.85mm (I use mm, not mil). I stick ribbon cables in them.
Here’s a photo of my test platform. Ribbon cable from USBASP to my little box with switches. That box has relays inside that engage/disengage the ribbon cables on each side of the box. I’ve extended the ribbon cables so it’s a little easier to stick ’em inside a flashlight head, don’t have to have the whole box hanging off the side.
Double-tap makes sense for getting to Turbo quickly but FWIW one feature that is quite handy in TK’s Crescendo is the double-tap during the initial startup to set light to Moonlight. It comes in handy when in pitch dark so as not to blind oneself.
The way it works is during the Power up, the light always starts in Moonlight mode initially for 500ms. During this time, if a Tap is detected (in other words Double-tap within 500ms dueing initial Power up) the light stays in Moonlight. Otherwise after this initial 500ms it proceeds to Last-mode-memory (or ramping, depending on whether Memory is toggles activated.)
That’s definitely worth considering. I have moon on startup by E-switch but hadn’t thought out a practical way of doing it with a clicky. Personally I wouldn’t want this on all of my lights but certainly one or two, so I’ll make it a setting which can be enabled / disabled. Thanks for the suggestion!
Don’t know if it is worth adding, but a long press & hold from any “level” or mode (blinkies), takes us back to ML level and stays there and starts ramping again.
I’ve been using Crescendo in the last days and its ramping and general UI is growing on me! Last night I was experimenting what I told above (long press & hold)!
That’s a progressive UI in each mode!!! Love it :heart_eyes:
It is useful when one wants a specific locked level and doesn’t want to go through the ramping again!