provide a way to bypass the version blink sequence

Author: soundanalogous

Firmata.cpp

@@ -81,16 +81,19 @@ void FirmataClass::begin(void)
 }
 
 /**
- * Initialize the default Serial transport and  override the default baud.
+ * Initialize the default Serial transport and override the default baud.
+ * Sends the protocol version to the host application followed by the firmware version and name.
+ * blinkVersion is also called. To skip the call to blinkVersion, call Firmata.disableBlinkVersion()
+ * before calling Firmata.begin(baud).
  * @param speed The baud to use. 57600 baud is the default value.
  */
 void FirmataClass::begin(long speed)
 {
   Serial.begin(speed);
   FirmataStream = &Serial;
   blinkVersion();
-  printVersion();
-  printFirmwareVersion();
+  printVersion();         // send the protocol version
+  printFirmwareVersion(); // send the firmware name and version
 }
 
 /**
@@ -130,6 +133,7 @@ void FirmataClass::printVersion(void)
 void FirmataClass::blinkVersion(void)
 {
 #if defined(VERSION_BLINK_PIN)
+  if (blinkVersionDisabled) return;
   // flash the pin with the protocol version
   pinMode(VERSION_BLINK_PIN, OUTPUT);
   strobeBlinkPin(VERSION_BLINK_PIN, FIRMATA_FIRMWARE_MAJOR_VERSION, 40, 210);
@@ -139,6 +143,16 @@ void FirmataClass::blinkVersion(void)
 #endif
 }
 
+/**
+ * Provides a means to disable the version blink sequence on the onboard LED, trimming startup
+ * time by a couple of seconds.
+ * Call this before Firmata.begin(). It only applies when using the default Serial transport.
+ */
+void FirmataClass::disableBlinkVersion()
+{
+  blinkVersionDisabled = true;
+}
+
 /**
  * Sends the firmware name and version to the Firmata host application. The major and minor version
  * numbers are the first 2 bytes in the message. The following bytes are the characters of the

Firmata.h

@@ -139,6 +139,7 @@ class FirmataClass
     void printFirmwareVersion(void);
     //void setFirmwareVersion(byte major, byte minor);  // see macro below
     void setFirmwareNameAndVersion(const char *name, byte major, byte minor);
+    void disableBlinkVersion();
     /* serial receive handling */
     int available(void);
     void processInput(void);
@@ -199,6 +200,8 @@ class FirmataClass
     stringCallbackFunction currentStringCallback;
     sysexCallbackFunction currentSysexCallback;
 
+    boolean blinkVersionDisabled = false;
+
     /* private methods ------------------------------ */
     void processSysexMessage(void);
     void systemReset(void);

examples/StandardFirmataPlus/StandardFirmataPlus.ino

@@ -777,6 +777,9 @@ void setup()
   Firmata.attach(START_SYSEX, sysexCallback);
   Firmata.attach(SYSTEM_RESET, systemResetCallback);
 
+  // Save a couple of seconds by disabling the startup blink sequence.
+  Firmata.disableBlinkVersion();
+
   // to use a port other than Serial, such as Serial1 on an Arduino Leonardo or Mega,
   // Call begin(baud) on the alternate serial port and pass it to Firmata to begin like this:
   // Serial1.begin(57600);

keywords.txt

@@ -43,6 +43,7 @@ startSysex			KEYWORD2
 endSysex			KEYWORD2
 writePort			KEYWORD2
 readPort			KEYWORD2
+disableBlinkVersion		KEYWORD2
 
 
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