How do I lock out a push button input with a selectable delay?

Question

I have a program i am working on where a relay is turned on -> waits a delay -> then turns off after either one of two things happen: 1) A set timer is reached OR 2) someone pushes a push button to trigger it.

Right now 90% of my code is working and i am stuck on how i go about "locking out" the push button from triggering the relay, for a select-able amount of delay time.

The timer portion of the code, with select-able times, is working. Depending on what analog 1 see's, it will trigger the relay appropriately after the selected time.

I tried to implement this same approach for the lock out timer, using analog 2 , to determine how long of a delay. I used a variable i called LOK to either read the button if it is unlocked (LOK = 0) or if it is locked (LOK =1) to wait the allotted delay time before unlocking and allowing the button to be read again.

I've tried all sorta of things and it still isn't functioning right. Maybe there is a better or simpler way to do this but I've racked my brain, and key word searching isn't helping.

Code below - please forgive random comments. I've been chopping up and moving things around i haven't edited any comments , so some may be from other snippets of codes from other projects.

int DUMP = 2; // Pin connected to big dump relay
int BUTTON = 3; // Pin connected to manual dump push button.
int BUTTONlight = 4; // Pin connected to push button light.
int BUTstate; // Current reading from BUTTON pin
int lastBUTstate = LOW; // Previous reading from BUTTON pin
long lastDebounce = 0; // Last time output was changed
long Delay = 50; // Debounce Time
unsigned long DUMPTIME;
unsigned long LOT;
unsigned long prevTIME;
int a=0;
int d=0;
int LOK = 0;
void setup()
{ 
 pinMode(A1, INPUT);
 pinMode(A2, INPUT);
 pinMode (BUTTON, INPUT);
 pinMode (BUTTONlight, OUTPUT);
 pinMode (DUMP, OUTPUT);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, HIGH);
}
int readTselector(int pin)
// returns the button number pressed, or zero for none pressed 
// int pin is the analog pin number to read 
{
 int b,c = 1;
 c=analogRead(pin); // get the analog value 
 if (c>1000)
 {
 b=0; // buttons have not been pressed
 } 
 else
 if (c<1000 && c>600)
 {
 b=1; // button 1 pressed
 } 
 else
 if (c<520 && c>400)
 {
 b=2; // button 2 pressed
 } 
 else
 if (c>100 && c<400)
 {
 b=3; // button 3 pressed
 } 
 else
 if (c<100)
 {
 b=4; // button 4 pressed
 } 
 return b; 
 }
void loop()
{
 int DUMPTIME = DTselect();
 int LOT = LOselect();
 int reading = digitalRead(BUTTON);
 unsigned long currTIME = millis();
 if ((currTIME - prevTIME) >= DUMPTIME) // Count to 2 minutes
 {
 LOK = 1;
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, LOW);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 prevTIME = currTIME;
 }
 if (reading != lastBUTstate)
 {
 lastDebounce = millis();
 }
 if (LOK == 1)
 {
 delay(LOT);
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, HIGH);
 LOK = 0;
 }
 if ((millis() - lastDebounce) > Delay && LOK == 0)
 {
 BUTstate = reading;
 }
 if (BUTstate == HIGH)
 {
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, LOW);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 prevTIME = currTIME;
 }
 lastBUTstate = reading;
}
int DTselect()
{
 a=readTselector(1); 
 if (a==0) // no buttons pressed
 {
 DUMPTIME = 210000;
 } 
 else
 if (a==1) // someone pressed a button!
 {
 DUMPTIME = 180000;
 }
 else
 if (a==2) // someone pressed a button!
 {
 DUMPTIME = 150000;
 }
 else
 if (a==3) // someone pressed a button!
 {
 DUMPTIME = 120000;
 }
 else
 if (a==4) // someone pressed a button!
 {
 DUMPTIME = 90000;
 }
 return DUMPTIME; 
 }
int LOselect()
{
 d=readTselector(2); 
 if (d==0) // no buttons pressed
 {
 delay(20000);
 } 
 else
 if (d==1) // someone pressed a button!
 {
 delay(15000);
 }
 else
 if (d==2) // someone pressed a button!
 {
 delay(10000);
 }
 else
 if (d==3) // someone pressed a button!
 {
 delay(5000);
 }
 else
 if (d==4) // someone pressed a button!
 {
 delay(0);
 }
 }

• crowie: what happened to the account of the OP?

Answer 1

I took your code and did a bit of an edit. You had some useless variables and you where redefining DUMPTIME and LOT in a wierd way. I also define some of your constants as #define's because thats the way you should always do it.

#define DUMP 2 // Pin connected to big dump relay
#define BUTTON 3 // Pin connected to manual dump push button.
#define BUTTONlight 4 // Pin connected to push button light.
#define DELAY 50 // Debounce Time
int BUTstate; // Current reading from BUTTON pin
int lastBUTstate = LOW; // Previous reading from BUTTON pin
long lastDebounce = 0; // Last time output was changed
unsigned long DUMPTIME;
unsigned long LOT;
unsigned long prevTIME;
int LOK = 0;
int readTselector(int pin)
// returns the button number pressed, or zero for none pressed 
// int pin is the analog pin number to read 
{
 int c = analogRead(pin); // get the analog value 
 if (c > 1000){
 return 0; // buttons have not been pressed
 } 
 else if (c<1000 && c>600){
 return 1; // button 1 pressed
 }
 else if (c<520 && c>400){
 return 2; // button 2 pressed
 } 
 else if (c>100 && c<400){
 return 3; // button 3 pressed
 } 
 else if (c<100){
 return 4; // button 4 pressed
 } 
 else return 0; // just in case
 }
long DTselect()
{
 switch(readTselector(1)){
 case 0: return 210000; // no buttons pressed
 break;
 case 1: return 180000; // someone pressed a button!
 break;
 case 2: return 150000;
 break;
 case 3: return 120000;
 break;
 case 4: return 90000;
 break;
 default: return 210000; // default
 break;
 }
 }
int LOselect()
{
 switch( readTselector(2) ){
 case 0: return 20000; // no buttons pressed
 break;
 case 1: return 15000; // someone pressed a button!
 break;
 case 2: return 10000;
 break;
 case 3: return 5000;
 break;
 case 4: return 0;
 break;
 default: return 20000; // default
 break;
 }
 }
void setup()
{ 
 pinMode(A1, INPUT);
 pinMode(A2, INPUT);
 pinMode (BUTTON, INPUT);
 pinMode (BUTTONlight, OUTPUT);
 pinMode (DUMP, OUTPUT);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, HIGH);
}
void loop()
{
 DUMPTIME = DTselect();
 LOT = LOselect();
 int reading = digitalRead(BUTTON);
 unsigned long currTIME = millis();
 if ((currTIME - prevTIME) >= DUMPTIME){// Count to 2 minutes
 LOK = 1;
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, LOW);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 prevTIME = currTIME;
 }
 if (reading != lastBUTstate){
 lastDebounce = millis();
 }
 if (LOK){
 delay(LOT);
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, HIGH);
 LOK = 0;
 }
 if ((millis() - lastDebounce) > DELAY && !LOK){
 BUTstate = reading;
 }
 if (BUTstate == HIGH){
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, LOW);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 prevTIME = currTIME;
 }
 lastBUTstate = reading;
}

A different version with a BUTflag variable to keep track of the button press and release. I have not dealt with the DUMPTIME variable but hopefully this will give you an idea of how to use flags so the logic doesn't fail.

#define DUMP 2 // Pin connected to big dump relay
#define BUTTON 3 // Pin connected to manual dump push button.
#define BUTTONlight 4 // Pin connected to push button light.
#define DELAY 50 // Debounce Time
int BUTstate; // Current reading from BUTTON pin
int BUTflag = 0; 
int go = 0;
long lastDebounce = 0; // Last time output was changed
unsigned long DUMPTIME;
unsigned long LOT;
unsigned long prevTIME;
int LOK = 0;
int readTselector(int pin)
// returns the button number pressed, or zero for none pressed 
// int pin is the analog pin number to read 
{
 int c = analogRead(pin); // get the analog value 
 if (c > 1000){
 return 0; // buttons have not been pressed
 } 
 else if (c<1000 && c>600){
 return 1; // button 1 pressed
 }
 else if (c<520 && c>400){
 return 2; // button 2 pressed
 } 
 else if (c>100 && c<400){
 return 3; // button 3 pressed
 } 
 else if (c<100){
 return 4; // button 4 pressed
 } 
 else return 0; // just in case
 }
long DTselect()
{
 switch(readTselector(1)){
 case 0: return 210000; // no buttons pressed
 break;
 case 1: return 180000; // someone pressed a button!
 break;
 case 2: return 150000;
 break;
 case 3: return 120000;
 break;
 case 4: return 90000;
 break;
 default: return 210000; // default
 break;
 }
 }
int LOselect()
{
 switch( readTselector(2) ){
 case 0: return 20000; // no buttons pressed
 break;
 case 1: return 15000; // someone pressed a button!
 break;
 case 2: return 10000;
 break;
 case 3: return 5000;
 break;
 case 4: return 0;
 break;
 default: return 20000; // default
 break;
 }
 }
void setup()
{ 
 pinMode(A1, INPUT);
 pinMode(A2, INPUT);
 pinMode (BUTTON, INPUT);
 pinMode (BUTTONlight, OUTPUT);
 pinMode (DUMP, OUTPUT);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, HIGH);
}
void loop()
{
 DUMPTIME = DTselect();
 LOT = LOselect();
 BUTstate = digitalRead(BUTTON);
 unsigned long currTIME = millis();
/*
 if ((currTIME - prevTIME) >= DUMPTIME && !LOK){
 LOK = 1;
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, LOW);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 prevTIME = currTIME;
 }
 else */
 if (LOK){
 delay(LOT);
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, HIGH);
 LOK = 0;
 }
 else if(!LOK){
 if(!go && BUTstate && !BUTflag){
 lastDebounce = millis();
 BUTflag = 1;
 }
 else if (!go && BUTstate && BUTflag==1 && (millis() - lastDebounce) > DELAY){
 BUTflag = 2;
 }
 else if (!go && !BUTstate && BUTflag==2){
 BUTflag = 0;
 go = 1;
 }
 else if (go){
 digitalWrite(BUTTONlight, LOW);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, HIGH);
 delay(10000);
 digitalWrite(DUMP, LOW);
 prevTIME = currTIME;
 go = 0;
 LOK = 1;
 }
 }
}

• Adam Alexander: Thanks, but it still isn't functioning right when any other case but 0 on A2 is selected. It seems the push button locks out completely from being triggered at all.
• crowie: What do you mean by A2? I didnt change any of the logic though. Just tidied up the functions and varibles. The code should look a little more compact now.
• Adam Alexander: Ah ok, and what i meant by A2 was analog 2 input. Now what's happening is if any other value than 0 is read from A2 it seems to cycle through the process twice after each button press. So with LOT being 5000 or 5 seconds, it cycles, waits 5 secs, and instead of resetting the LED and waiting for a new button press, it cycles a second time, waits 5 secs, then resets the LED. Also it will sometimes keep getting stuck in the cycle and resetting.
• crowie: @AdamAlexander I have added a different version
• Adam Alexander: I can't thank you enough! I need to logically think the flag through a bit more to grasp the concept, but the flags work great! I was able to just editted the DUMPTIME logic a bit to use flags and it is now also working in conjuction with the LOT delay time! Kudos!