Protocol

The protocol for programming the Christmas light controller is called Light Interfacing, Santa Helping Protocol (LISHP).  There are two types of commands used in LISHP: the mode command, used to make the basic building blocks; and the program command, used to make large complex sequences using the modes. The LISHP protocol ignores all white space.

Mode command

The complete grammar is as follows:

• A mode command consists of an 'M' and a mode number followed by a states list.

• A mode number is any number, 0 through 15, uniquely identifying the mode.

• A states list begins with a '{' followed by any number of state definitions and ending with a '}'

• A State definition begins with a '(' followed by a space-separated list of 16 binary digits, where a '1' signifies on and '0' signifies off for the corresponding light, and ending with a ')'.

• Comments may be placed anywhere in the file and begin with a '#' and extend to the end of that line.

Examples:

M 0
{
    #alternates the first and last 8 light controls
    (1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1)
}

M 1
{
    #Rainbow up
    (1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0)
    (0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 1)
}

Program command

The complete grammar is as follows:

• A Program command consists of a P followed by a '{', set of sequence commands, and then a '}'

• A sequence command may be either a sequence tuple or a loop command

• A sequence tuple begins with a '(', followed by space-separated length, period, and mode values, and ending with a ')'

• A length is an integer value, from 1-255, specifying the number of .1 second intervals that one wants to play that specific mode.

• A period is an integer value, from 1-15, specifying the number of .1 second intervals between state changes within a mode.

• A mode number is an integer value, from 0-15, specifying which mode to load and play.

• A loop command begins with an 'L' followed by a loop value then a '{' and a set of sequence commands, ending with a '}'.

• A loop value is an integer value representing the number of times that particular sequence is to be repeated.  A loop value of '0' is a special value representing an infinite loop.

• Comments may be placed anywhere in the file and begin with a '#' and extend to the end of that line.

Examples:

P
{
    #this program will run mode 0 for 10 seconds and then repeat mode 1 forever
   (100 2 0)
    L 0
    {
        (32 2 1)
    }
}

P
{
    #this program will play mode 0 then mode 1 and repeating 5 times before stopping
    L 5
    {
        (30 2 0)
        (32 2 1)
    }
}