HowTo: pxlBlck – Commands for configuring the pxlBlck

The pxlBlck plugin and the functions of your pxlBlck can be configured in two different ways.

One option is to configure most of the functions via the plugin's web menu. You can find a lot of information about this in the article pxlBlck - Install and configure the pxlBlck plugin

In addition to this option, you can also set your pxBlck using commands during operation. This has the great advantage that you can also change settings automatically or based on rules. For example, you can automatically adjust the display brightness to the ambient brightness, switch off the display at night or when you are away (to save power) or change settings at the touch of a button.

General principles

In this article, I will mainly describe the various commands. These can be executed as usual for the ESPEasy framework. The various ways in which you can execute commands in the ESPEasy framework and send them to it are described in the article ESPEasy - Execute commands and actions via HTTP, MQTT, UDP and directly described.

The commands described in the following paragraph can be used to configure the pxlBlck plug-in by command and change its appearance/behavior during operation.

The structure of the commands is usually similar. After the actual command name, the parameters are passed, each separated by a comma. The form looks something like this:

commandname,parameter1,parameter2,…,parameterX,

Attention: It is important that the last parameter also ends with a comma. Without this comma, the last parameter is ignored.

The following commands are written in such a way that you can get a quick overview of the command and its attached parameters. The parameters are separated from each other and summarized in square brackets. In addition, the permitted value range of the respective parameter is also given in the square brackets.

Example:

Command Name,[Parameter1 0-1],[Parameter2 0-15],[ParameterX 0-255],

In this example, Parameter1 has a permitted value range of 0-1, Parameter2 a permitted value range of 0-15 and ParameterX a permitted value range of 0-255.

It is also important to note that values outside this permitted value range result in this parameter being ignored.

If you want to configure ParameterX in the example above, but leave the rest unchanged, you can send the following command.

commandname,2,16,133,

This specification causes the first two values entered to be ignored because they are outside the permitted value range. Only the last value "133" is accepted because it is within the permitted value range for "ParameterX".

Command list

Command: General Settings

You can use the "pb" command to make general settings. This can be used to configure the general behavior and the simple options for displaying your pxlBlck.

Command name

p.b

Command overview

pb,[display_enabled 0-1],[brightness 0-15],[rc_mark_brightness 0-15],[matrix_rotation 0-3],[selected_dial 0-15],[wc_it_is_enabled 0-1],[wc_o_clock_enabled 0-1] ,[rc_dir_inversed 0-1],[wc_language_id 0-15],[minimal_brightness 0-255],

Parameter description

Example

• Sets the brightness to 10 and leaves the activation/deactivation of the display unchanged: pb,2,10,

Command: Set colors

The assignment of colors changes depending on the dial selected. However, there is always a maximum of four possible colors that can be configured as follows.

Command name

pbclr

Command overview

pbclr,[color_id 0-4],[color_red 0-255],[color_green 0-255],[color_blue 0-255],

Parameter description

Example

• Set the first color to white: pbclr,1,255,255,255,
• Set the second color to white: pbclr,2,255,255,255,
• Sets all colors to white: pbclr,0,255,255,255,

Command: Set truth values

This option can be used to configure all options that are set using truth values. These can be set absolutely (On or Off) or "toggled" (i.e. changed to the opposite state).

Command name

pbbo

Command overview

pbbo,[value_id 1-6], [value 0-2]

Parameter description

Here is a short list of the variables (and their corresponding IDs) which you can use as the value for the Value_id parameter.

Example

• activates the wide hour marker: pbbo,4,1,
• deactivates the wide hour marker: pbbo,4,0,
• changes the status of the wide hour marker to the opposite: pbbo,4,2,
• changes the status of the display of the leading zeros to the opposite: pbbo,6,2,

Command: Set brightness

The various brightness levels can be configured using the command described here. The brightness can be set to a fixed absolute value, but can also be increased or decreased relative to the currently set brightness.

Command name

pbr

Command overview

pbbr,[brightnessId 0-2], [brightness 1-15], [absolute 0-1], [bottom border 1-15], [topBorder 1-15],

Parameter description

The brightnesses in the following list can be set using this command.

Example

The command

pbbr,0,5,1,1,15,

Sets all brightnesses (first parameter) to the value five (second parameter). The value is set absolutely (third parameter) and the lower limit is set to one (fourth parameter) and the upper limit to 15 (fifth parameter).

In the article pxlBlck - Automatic adjustment of the display brightness via LDR this command is used to automatically adjust the brightness to the ambient brightness.

Command: Set colors using the color wheel

This command can be used to set the colors based on the angle of a color wheel. For example, color changes can be implemented at the touch of a button by controlling all colors. Information on the color wheel can be found here, for example: https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farbkreis

The Color wheel (also Color wheel, Color circle, Colored tone circle, Color wheel, English color circle, color wheel) is an ordering system in which the colors (chromatic, most intense colors, saturated colors, pure colors, solid colors) are arranged in a circle.

Similar colors lie next to each other (in a circle) and complementary colors (complementary colors, opposite colors, compensating colors) are (often) opposite each other.^[2] Six, twelve or 24 colors are usually arranged next to each other in a circle. Color circles draw a Color theory or are based on considerations of such relationships.

https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Farbkreis

The advantage of this command is that you can change through the various possible colors with one command. This is helpful, for example, if you want to select the next possible color by pressing a button.

Command name

pbclrwhl

Command overview

pbclrwhl,[colorId 0-4], [degree -360-360], [absolute 0-1],

Parameter description

The following table contains the colors and their associated IDs that can be set with this command.

Example

• Set all colors to the color in the color wheel five degrees forward starting from the current color: pbclrwhl,0,5,0,
• Set all colors to the color in the color wheel five degrees backwards starting from the current color: pbclrwhl,0,-5,0,
• Set the first color to the color in the color wheel five degrees forward from the current color: pbclrwhl,1,5,0,
• Set the third color to the color in the color wheel five degrees forward from the current color: pbclrwhl,3,5,0,

Command: Display scrolling text

This command can be used to display scrolling texts that run from right to left across the display. This only works if an LED matrix is configured that has a height of eight or more.

Command name

pbrntxt

Command overview

pbrntxt,[txt_color_red 0-255],[txt_color_green 0-255],[txt_color_blue 0-255],[bg_color_red 0-255],[bg_color_green 0-255],[bg_color_blue 0-255],[delay_time 0-1000] ,[start_pos 0-MATRIX_WIDTH],[text]

Parameter description

Example

• Scrolling text: Message "TestMessage" in green color: pbrntxt,0,255,0,0,0,0,50,8,TestMessage,
• Scrolling text: Message "TestMessage" in red color: pbrntxt,255,0,0,0,0,0,50,8,TestMessage,
• Scrolling text: Message "TestMessage" in blue color: pbrntxt,0,0,255,0,0,0,50,8,TestMessage,
• Scrolling text: Message "TestMessage" in blue color, directly visible: pbrntxt,0,0,255,0,0,0,50,0,TestMessage,

Command: Show icon

You can use the icon display to show icons you have created yourself on the display of your pxlBlck.

This means you can define the color of each individual pixel in a file, transfer this file to the pxlBlck and display it on the display using this command.

Various fade-in and fade-out options are available to you. You can also define a text that is displayed together with the icon. More detailed information on how to design your own icons, transfer them to your pxlBlck and display them there can be found in the following article

• pxlBlck - design icons, transfer them to the pxlBlck and display them

Command name

pbicon

Command overview

pbicon,[incoming animation 0-255], [outgoing animation 0-255], [in delay 0-255], [show delay 0-255], [out delay 0-255], [brightness 0-255], [running text 0-255],[icon name],[repetition 0-10],

Parameter description

The following tables contain an overview of the available animations for showing and hiding the icons.

Fade-in animations

Fade-out animations

Example

More detailed information on how to design your own icons, transfer them to your pxlBlck and display them there can be found in the following article

• pxlBlck - design icons, transfer them to the pxlBlck and display them

Command: FakeTV simulation

You can use this command to activate a fake TV mode. This causes color patterns to be played on the display of the pxlBlck that resemble those of a running television. This mode is useful, for example, if you want to simulate a presence when you are away. This could deter burglars or nosy neighbors 🙂

Command name

pbfaketv

Command overview

pbfaketv,[enabled 0-1],

Parameter descriptiong

Example

• Activate fake TV mode: pbfaketv,1,
• Deactivate fake TV mode: pbfaketv,0,

Command: Matrix/Color Test

This command is perfect for testing a connected LED matrix. If you enter the command, each color and white is displayed on the connected LED matrix one after the other for one second. This also makes it easier to find defective pixels or individual colors.

Command name

pbtest

Command overview

pbtest

Parameter description

-no parameters available-

Example

Command: Animations

You can use animation to signal an event. For example, they are perfect for displaying an event on the slot/ring clock or on other models that do not support icon display.

Command name

pbani

Command overview

pbani,[animation_type 1-6],[color_on_red 0-255],[color_on_green 0-255],[color_on_blue 0-255],[color_off_red 0-255],[color_off_green 0-255],[color_off_blue 0-255],[animation_delay 0-500],

Parameter description

Overview of the animations

Example

More detailed information including pictures and videos of the different animations and how you can display them on your pxlBlck can be found in the following article

• pxlBlck - Configure and display animations

Command: Configure watch faces

You can use this command to specify the displayed clock face or screen saver. The available clock faces and screen savers depend on the pxlBlck platform or LED matrix set.

You can also find an overview of the various clock faces and screensavers in the article pxlBlck - configure clock faces and screensavers

Command name

pbdia

Command overview

pbdia,[dial_id 0-X],[absolute 0-1],

Parameter description

Example

You can find more information including pictures and videos of the different clock faces and screensavers in the article pxlBlck - configure clock faces and screensavers.

Have fun with the project

I hope everything worked as described for you. If not or you have questions or suggestions please let me know in the comments. I will then add this to the article if necessary.
Ideas for new projects are always welcome. 🙂

PS Many of these projects - especially the hardware projects - cost a lot of time and money. Of course I do this because I enjoy it, but if you think it's cool that I share the information with you, I would be happy about a small donation to the coffee fund. 🙂