How to read and write EEPROM in ESP8266

Question

I need to know how I can write integer values in EEPROM and retain the value on power on.

char *Red = strstr(myTestUrl, "/R");
if (Red) {
  int RedValue  = atoi(Red + 2);
  analogWrite(12, RedValue);
  Serial.println("Red :");
  Serial.println(RedValue);
}

I want to write RedValue in EEPROM. How can it be done?

Answer 1

While EEPROM.read and EEPROM.write are valid methods, it's like mopping the floor with a toothbrush. Use EEPROM.put and EEPROM.get instead.

For example:

#include <EEPROM.h>

void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);

  uint addr = 0;

  // fake data
  struct { 
    uint val = 0;
    char str[20] = "";
  } data;

  // commit 512 bytes of ESP8266 flash (for "EEPROM" emulation)
  // this step actually loads the content (512 bytes) of flash into 
  // a 512-byte-array cache in RAM
  EEPROM.begin(512);

  // read bytes (i.e. sizeof(data) from "EEPROM"),
  // in reality, reads from byte-array cache
  // cast bytes into structure called data
  EEPROM.get(addr,data);
  Serial.println("Old values are: "+String(data.val)+","+String(data.str));

  // fiddle with the data "read" from EEPROM
  data.val += 5;
  if ( strcmp(data.str,"hello") == 0 )
      strncpy(data.str, "jerry",20);
  else 
      strncpy(data.str, "hello",20);

  // replace values in byte-array cache with modified data
  // no changes made to flash, all in local byte-array cache
  EEPROM.put(addr,data);

  // actually write the content of byte-array cache to
  // hardware flash.  flash write occurs if and only if one or more byte
  // in byte-array cache has been changed, but if so, ALL 512 bytes are 
  // written to flash
  EEPROM.commit();  

  // clear 'data' structure
  data.val = 0; 
  strncpy(data.str,"",20);

  // reload data for EEPROM, see the change
  //   OOPS, not actually reading flash, but reading byte-array cache (in RAM), 
  //   power cycle ESP8266 to really see the flash/"EEPROM" updated
  EEPROM.get(addr,data);
  Serial.println("New values are: "+String(data.val)+","+String(data.str));
}

void loop()
{
  delay(1000);
}

UPDATE: If you want to understand how the "EEPROM" is emulated in the ESP8266, you might want to reference https://github.com/esp8266/Arduino/tree/master/libraries/EEPROM, specifically, EEPROM.h.

Also, EEPROM.end is not needed, it simply clears the local byte-array cache of the flash/EEPROM from RAM. It serves on other function.

Answer 2

EEPROM.write(pos, val) writes one byte (val) at the address giving by pos. An "int" in ESP8266 takes 4 bytes, so it's a little more complicated, because EEPROM works in bytes, not ints.

Here is a code for writing one int val at some position pos in the EEPROM:

void eeWriteInt(int pos, int val) {
    byte* p = (byte*) &val;
    EEPROM.write(pos, *p);
    EEPROM.write(pos + 1, *(p + 1));
    EEPROM.write(pos + 2, *(p + 2));
    EEPROM.write(pos + 3, *(p + 3));
    EEPROM.commit();
}

and, of course, you need to read it back:

int eeGetInt(int pos) {
  int val;
  byte* p = (byte*) &val;
  *p        = EEPROM.read(pos);
  *(p + 1)  = EEPROM.read(pos + 1);
  *(p + 2)  = EEPROM.read(pos + 2);
  *(p + 3)  = EEPROM.read(pos + 3);
  return val;
}

In Arduino you call EEPROM.begin(), but in ESP8266 you have to call EEPROM.begin(n), where n is the total number of bytes you will need.

And remember that EEPROM have a short life span (by number of writes). You must minimize the number of writes!

EEPROM is permanent; you don't need to do nothing.

Answer 3

Method using the number of letters.

#include <ESP8266WiFi.h>

const char* SSID = "R360"; //MAX 32
const char* PASSWORD = "HFDYUK64323246"; //MAX 32

#include <EEPROM.h>

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);

  EEPROM_ESP8266_GRABAR(SSID, 0); //Primero de 0 al 32, del 32 al 64, etc
  EEPROM_ESP8266_GRABAR(PASSWORD, 32); //SAVE

  Serial.println();
  Serial.println(EEPROM_ESP8266_LEER(0, 32));//Primero de 0 al 32, del 32 al 64, etc
  Serial.println(EEPROM_ESP8266_LEER(32, 64));

  WiFi.begin(EEPROM_ESP8266_LEER(0,32).c_str(), EEPROM_ESP8266_LEER(32,64).c_str());

}
//
void loop() {}
//
void EEPROM_ESP8266_GRABAR(String buffer, int N) {
  EEPROM.begin(512); delay(10);
  for (int L = 0; L < 32; ++L) {
    EEPROM.write(N + L, buffer[L]);
  }
  EEPROM.commit();
}
//
String EEPROM_ESP8266_LEER(int min, int max) {
  EEPROM.begin(512); delay(10); String buffer;
  for (int L = min; L < max; ++L)
    if (isAlphaNumeric(EEPROM.read(L)))
      buffer += char(EEPROM.read(L));
  return buffer;
}

Answer 4

I use 2 separate functions in my code on ESP8266 - one with EEPROM.put(), one with EEPROM.get().

I had EEPROM.begin(sizeof...); only in EEPROM.put() function and put worked. But it took me quite a while, until I found out, that it must be used before EEPROM.get() as well.

Answer 5

Use #include <EEPROM.h>

EEPROM.begin(size); //Size can be anywhere between 4 and 4096 bytes.
EEPROM.write(0, RedValue);   // To store in 0th Location
EEPROM.commit();