Pushbutton to initiate a 5 time flash

Question

The following code operates in a way that LED starts to flash only if the pushbutton is pushed for one second. I want to change this and make the LED flash for 5 times, immediately on push, regardless if the button is held "long" or released immediately. Can anyone help me out with this? I'm using the LC_baseTools library btw. I managed to do this with another library with doFlash(5) but I have to work with LC basetools in this scenario and I can't figure out how to do it.

#include <mechButton.h>
#include <blinker.h>
 
#define BUTTON_PIN   11
#define LED_PIN      13
#define BLINK_MS     500.0
#define HOLD_MS      1000
 
mechButton  theButton(BUTTON_PIN);                    // A debounced button object. (Hook button between pin & ground)
blinker     theBlinker(LED_PIN,BLINK_MS/2,BLINK_MS);  // A fire and forget blinker object.
timeObj     pushTimer(HOLD_MS);                       // A timer object
     
void setup(void) {
   theBlinker.setOnOff(false);            // Make sure the blinker is acutally off.
   theButton.setCallback(btnClicked);     // Set the callback for the button.
}
     
// This gets called when the button is clicked.
void btnClicked(void) {
   if (!theButton.trueFalse()) {    // If it has been grounded..
      pushTimer.start();            // Start the timer.
      theBlinker.setPercent(100);   // Set the blinker to full on.
      theBlinker.setOnOff(true);    // Fire it up.
   } else {                         // Else, button released..
      theBlinker.setOnOff(false);   // SHut off the blinker.
   }
}
     
     
void loop(void) {
   idle();                             // idle runs the stuff in the background (button & binker)
   if (!theButton.trueFalse()) {       // If the button is currently pressed..
      if (pushTimer.ding()) {          // If the timer has expired..
         theBlinker.setPercent(50);    // Start blinking!
      }
   }
}

Answer 1

I managed to do this with another library with "doFlash(5)" but I have to work with LC basetools in this scenario and I can't figure out how to do it.

It looks like you are still allowed to write Arduino code in your sketch, so why not use the BlinkWithoutDelay "concept" and just write your own code.

I would favour an OOP solution for the LED flashing part of your requirement.

// Arduino IDE 1.8.9.
// Sketch uses 1126 bytes (3%) of program storage space.
// Global variables use 25 bytes (1%) of dynamic memory.
class Flasher{

  private:

    byte ledPin;
    byte ledState;
    unsigned int flashCounter;
    unsigned long highTime;
    unsigned long lowTime;
    unsigned long previousMillis;

  public:

    Flasher(byte ledPinNumber, unsigned long ledOnTime, unsigned long ledOffTime){
      ledPin = ledPinNumber;
      ledState = LOW;
      highTime = ledOnTime;
      lowTime = ledOffTime;
      previousMillis = 0;
      pinMode(ledPinNumber, OUTPUT);
      digitalWrite(ledPinNumber, LOW);
    }

    void Update(){

      // Check to see if it's time to change the state of the LED.
      unsigned long currentMillis = millis();

      if((ledState == HIGH) && (currentMillis - previousMillis >= highTime) && ((flashCounter > 0))){
        ledState = LOW;
        previousMillis += highTime;
        digitalWrite(ledPin, ledState);
        if(flashCounter > 0){flashCounter--;}
      }
      else if((ledState == LOW) && (currentMillis - previousMillis >= lowTime) && ((flashCounter > 0))){
        ledState = HIGH;
        previousMillis += lowTime;
        digitalWrite(ledPin, ledState);
        if(flashCounter > 0){flashCounter--;}
      }
    }

    void Start(unsigned int flashNumberOfTimes){
      flashCounter = flashNumberOfTimes * 2;
      ledState = LOW;
      digitalWrite(ledPin, ledState);
    }

    void Stop(){
      Start(0);
    }

    void SetPinHighTime(unsigned long pinHighTime){
      highTime = pinHighTime;
    }

    void SetPinLowTime(unsigned long pinLowTime){
      lowTime = pinLowTime;
    }

};

// Flasher object_name(Pin Number, ON Time MS, OFF Time MS);
Flasher led1(LED_BUILTIN, 500, 500);

void setup(){

  // Flash the LED 5 times.
  led1.Start(5);

}

void loop(){

  // Call the Update function as fast as possible.
  led1.Update();

}

Answer 2

First of all, considering your comment: "I don't have time [...] to tackle arduino programming" - If you don't learn how to code, then you can't work with code (and that includes putting together libraries you find on the internet). And learning takes time, it's that simple.

I recommend you forget about those libraries and implement that easy task from scratch, so you actually learn something. The below code has the logic you ask for, try to understand what it does.

#define BUTTON_PIN   11
#define LED_PIN      13

bool button_was_pressed=false;

void setup(){
  pinMode(LED_PIN,OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  if (digitalRead(BUTTON_PIN)) {
    if(!button_was_pressed) {
      for (int i=0;i<5;i++) {
        digitalWrite(LED_PIN,HIGH);
        delay(50);
        digitalWrite(LED_PIN,LOW);
        delay(50);
      }
    }
    button_was_pressed=true;
  }
  else {
    button_was_pressed=false;
  }
}

...pretty simple and it's only a few lines. You may want to debounce the button and use a non-blocking coding style, but that's a different chapter.

My advice is that you learn programming in a structured manner, e.g. by watching tutorials. A Q&A site is not the right place to do so, as we only answer questions.