Does anybody know of some program that can simulate the code you have written? I am getting a bit tired of have to setup my board and LEDs every time I want to mess with my code, especially if its only for about 5 minutes or so. If anyone knows of a program that can do this, please let me know!
I keep meaning to write one and failing.
Instead, what i’ve gotten into the habit of doing is keeping an arduino due w/a neopixel shield on it around, so that I can always just plug it in to play with leds.
I have several 1 meter strips of 32 and 48 pixels/m hanging in the window next to my desk. I have test controllers on breadboards ready to get plugged in and run test code on.
I’ve got a similar route as Dan has: I’ve built a couple of portable, durable(ish) LED setups and I just throw them in my bag. One is same as Dan: an Adafruit 5x8 shield on an Uno.
Another one is a hard plastic tube containing a Teensy 3 and 30 pixels of 144/m LEDs. http://imgur.com/rErBIvo
This latest one is an Adafruit 8x8 LED board with an Arduino Nano wired and hot glued to the back. http://imgur.com/0Z670uV
None are as flexible as a simulator would be, but no on-screen simulator will give you the visual effect of the brightness of real LEDs, so there are tradeoffs either way.
And yet-- I still keep thinking about writing a simulator, too…
I wired up a small prototype board with screw terminal blocks that makes connecting power, the controller and LEDs together a much easier process. I am waiting for a set of push button terminal blocks to make it even easier.
@Mark_Kriegsman To be honest, I don’t care much about the brightness. I have to lower it to about 50% every time I use my LEDs because of it’s shear brightness