published: November 22, 2019 — last modified: October 23, 2025
In version 1.2 of the snowflake firmware, I added a configuration mode, using a button attached to the data in of the first element.
The attached button can issue two actions: a short press and a long press. A short press is anything from 50ms to approximate two seconds, and a long press is any press longer than two seconds.
After the initial power-up of the decoration, it starts in the play animation mode, using the first automatic mode and a one-minute duration for each pattern.
In the play animation mode, a long press will turn the decoration off. If turned off, any button press will turn it on again.
A short press in play animation mode will switch to the configuration. The indicator for the configuration is the fast blinking LEDs around the first snowflake. Use button presses to change the configuration as described below. If you wait for six seconds, the configuration is accepted and the decoration goes back into the play animation mode.
You always start in the mode selection. Short presses will iterate through all auto modes, then through all single modes. After the last single mode, it will start over with the first auto mode.
The LED in the centre indicates an auto mode. The shown LED 1-5 indicate which auto mode is actually selected. After reaching the last auto mode, single pattern modes are selected.
The single pattern mode is indicated with the centre LED off and two LEDs in the inner ring. The two LEDs indicate the page of the pattern and the LED in the outer ring the pattern number. There are six patterns on each page, and after the sixth pattern, you switch to the next page.
After the last pattern, you switch back to auto mode selection.
If you wait for six seconds, the decoration will switch back into the play animation state, using the selecting mode.
A long press switches to the pattern duration configuration.
In the pattern duration configuration, you select how long a pattern in any auto mode is displayed, before the decoration switches to the next random pattern.
The indicator for this mode is dim-lit LEDs in the outer ring and centre. The* number of* LEDs in the inner ring displays the selected duration.
Each short press will iterate through the six durations. A long press will switch back to the mode configuration.
If you wait for six seconds, the decoration will go back to the play animation state, with the selected mode and pattern duration.
The selected mode and duration is not permanently stored in the decoration. If you remove the power, the configuration is lost.
If you have questions, missed any information, or simply want to provide feedback, feel free to comment below or reach out to us through Twitter!
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