a-town robots

things blink. i see them.

[atownrobots]

Daily calendar email with Google script - new event section

Last week I fixed a bug in my daily calendar email. This week I am going to talk about making an improvement to the script. Because my wife and I share calendars and we both get this email I don’t always find out about new events she adds that are more than 7 days our (since the daily email only includes events for the next 7 days). I feel an improvement that could be easily made is to include a section at the bottom of the email that shows all new events that were added in the last 24 hours, and that is exactly what we I talk about in this post.

function mailWeeklyCalInfo() { //get all the calendars associated with my account and store the IDs in an array var calendars = CalendarApp.getAllCalendars(); var id = []; for(i = 0; i < calendars.length; i++) {   id.push(calendars[i].getId()); } //grab the date as well as create a date one week in the future var now = new Date(); var oneWeekFromNow = new Date(now.getTime() + (7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)); //(week / day / hour / min / second) var oneYearFromNow = new Date(now.getTime() + (52 * 7 * 24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)); var yesterday = new Date(now.getTime() - (24 * 60 * 60 * 1000)); //grab all the events for each calendar var events = []; for(i = 0; i < id.length; i++) {   events.push(CalendarApp.getCalendarById(id[i]).getEvents(now, oneWeekFromNow)); } //grab all events for the next year var allEvents = []; for(i = 0; i < id.length; i++) {   allEvents.push(CalendarApp.getCalendarById(id[i]).getEvents(now, oneYearFromNow)); } var newEvents = []; for(i = 0; i < id.length; i++) {   for(j = 0; j < allEvents[i].length; j++)   {     var createDate = allEvents[i][j].getDateCreated();     if (createDate > yesterday)     {       newEvents.push(allEvents[i][j]);     }   } } //get the deatils (title, datetime, and color for the calendar) for each event var eventDetails = [] for(i = 0; i < id.length; i++) {   for(j = 0; j < events.length; j++)   {     if(events[i][j])     {       if(CalendarApp.getCalendarById(events[i][j].getOriginalCalendarId()))       {       eventDetails.push({title: events[i][j].getTitle(), date: events[i][j].getStartTime(), color: CalendarApp.getCalendarById(events[i][j].getOriginalCalendarId()).getColor()});       }       else       {         eventDetails.push({title: events[i][j].getTitle(), date: events[i][j].getStartTime(),color: "black"});       }     }   } } //sort all the events by date (overall, not by calendar) eventDetails.sort(function (a, b) {   if (a.date > b.date) {     return 1;   }   if (a.date < b.date) {     return -1;   }   // a must be equal to b   return 0; }); //create an email with the info and email it! var body = ""; for (i = 0; i < eventDetails.length; i++) {   var color = eventDetails[i].color;   body += "<p style='color:" + color + ";'>EVENT TITLE: " + eventDetails[i].title + "<br>EVENT DATE: " + eventDetails[i].date.toDateString() + "<br>EVENT START TIME: "   + eventDetails[i].date.toLocaleTimeString() + "<br></p>";  } if (newEvents.length > 0) {   //add a header for the new events section   body = body + "<hr><br><p>Newly Added Events:<br>";   //loop through the new events and add to email   for (i = 0; i < newEvents.length; i++)   {     body = body + "Event Title: " + newEvents[i].getTitle() + "<br>Event Date: " + newEvents[i].getStartTime().toDateString() + "<br>Event Start Time: "     + newEvents[i].getStartTime().toLocaleTimeString() + "<br>";   }   body = body + "</p>"; }   GmailApp.sendEmail("[email protected]", "schedule for the next 7 days", "", { htmlBody: body, cc: "[email protected]", name: "me" }); }

There are several things to note here:

1) There are several more variables to hold dates for Yesterday and OneYearFromNow. I have decided to only show events that are added for the next year. that is where the OneYearFromNow date comes into play. I am showing events that were added in the last 24 hours and that is what the Yesterday variable is for.

2) There is a new array that will hold all events for the next year.

3) I then loop through that array and add any events with a create date that is greater than 24 hours ago (i.e. it was created yesterday) to an array for newEvents.

4) The last new item is in the email building section of the script and it simply checks if there any objects in the newEvent array, and if there are it loops through it and adds them to the bottom of the email. 

Once again I have posted the code on Github for you to check out if you like.

Google scripts is easy to use, power due to its hook into all of googles APIs and fun to use. I will be posting more about google app scripts soon.

[atownrobots]

Pallet corn hole - Planing and frame cuts

This week I was able to plane the edges of the first pallet worth of boards so they will sit nicely next to each other on the frame. Since we want the bean bags to slide along the surface of the boards we don’t want any gaps. 

Here are some photos of how the boards sit next to each other before and after planing:

Close up, before:

After:

I also went ahead and cut the rails for the frame of the board. The rails weren’t quite long enough to to extend the full (official) 47 1/2″ so I trimmed them down and will have them sit “inside” the side rails. Here they are roughly placed together, I will attach them soon: 

[atownrobots]

Update: bug fix to google calendar app script

Last September I posted about a Google app script that emails me my weekly schedule every morning.

A few months ago an event made its way onto my calendar without being attached to a calendar. I think this happened because it was an event that I was invited to and not an event I added myself. Because of this there was no calendarID for the event and the email failed to send.

Here is the original code excerpt:

//get the deatils (title, datetime, and color for the //calendar) for each event  var eventDetails = []  for(i = 0; i < id.length; i++)  {    for(j = 0; j < events.length; j++)    {      if(events[i][j])      {        eventDetails.push(        {            title: events[i][j].getTitle()            , date: events[i][j].getStartTime()            , color: CalendarApp.getCalendarById(events[i][j] \            .getOriginalCalendarId()).getColor()});      }    }  }

And the fix:

//get the deatils (title, datetime, and color for the //calendar) for each event  var eventDetails = []  for(i = 0; i < id.length; i++)  {    for(j = 0; j < events.length; j++)    {      if(events[i][j])      {        if(CalendarApp.getCalendarById(events[i][j].getOriginalCalendarId()))        {         eventDetails.push({title: events[i][j].getTitle(), date: events[i][j].getStartTime(), color: CalendarApp.getCalendarById(events[i][j].getOriginalCalendarId()).getColor()});        }        else        {          eventDetails.push({title: events[i][j].getTitle(), date: events[i][j].getStartTime(),color: "black"});        }      }    }  }

It’s a simple fix and a good practice to do this type of error check on all objects before trying to use them. At this point I am sure that the rest of the script could use some more of these types of checks, however the script has been running since September and this was the only error that I encountered. Also, the fact that my wife and I are the only people that would be effected by “downtime” and that the data is accessible in another way, I am deciding to spent my time on other things that will have more returns, such as a list of newly added events that I will post about next week. If the script was more widely used or had more negative consequences when down I would take the time to add more robust error handling and checks.

[atownrobots]

Pallet Corn Hole - Part 1

So I have taken apart several pallets and it was a lot more work than I expected. The pallets were harder to separate without splitting the wood than thought and those nails were a lot harder to get out then I could have imagined.

The first two pallets I found and tried to take apart were not standard pallets. One had strange staple like fasteners instead of nails and this made it almost impossible to get the boards off without splitting. The boards I did get off were really hard to get the staples out of. I may just keep the wood sitting around and chop it up with the jig saw for a project that requires smaller boards in the future. The second pallet came apart as expected but it took some experimenting before I got a good technique down for getting the boards off. The bottom rails were also fairly small and I won’t be using them for this project. I will just consider taking that pallet apart as practice.

The third pallet came apart nicely and I will now start to clean up the wood and get it rough cut to size so I can start to build the first board.

Some of the boards did split a little so i used them to do a little testing. I used my hand plain to clean one up (I was actually amazed at how nicely they clean up), and used some wood glue and clamping to see if I could salvage any of the partly split wood.

Here you can see one of the bottom runners that split as I pried off one of the edge boards. I put some glue in and clamped together while it dries. The end result seems to be good and I will try to use this piece for the project:

Here you can see the first board I planed down as a test compared to a board fresh off the pallet. I also glued up the top section as a test which is why you can see some yellowing. I think some sanding or more planing will get rid of that:

And a close up to really highlight the difference:

[atownrobots]

Set an alert for an email reply

If you have an important email to send and want to know the second someone replies to it, it is very simple to have iOS alert you.

Before sending the email click in the subject field.

You will see a bell icon appear.

Click it and then click the “Notify me” button.

Now when someone reply’s you will get notified.

[atownrobots]

New Project: Pallet Corn Hole Boards

If you are not familiar with Corn Hole check out the official rules page.

It is a simple game where two teams of 2 try to throw bean bags into a hole on a board. The link above also has dimensions of the boards I will be using for this project. I have decided to use pallet wood for several reasons. Pallet wood is free and easy to find and I am new to woodworking. This means I can make mistakes without the pressure of messing up store bought wood. It also means I can experiment a little and not worry about cost. Another reason is that these pallets will likely end up being thrown out and I would rather see them reused for something we can enjoy. The last reason is that, if they turn out looking really good, I may try to sell them, or make a second set to sell. This will help me recoup some of the cost of the tools I bought, and the cheaper the build the quicker I can recoup those costs.

One quick note about Pallets: Make sure to find and use pallets that are safe for wood working. Pallets should have codes on them indicating how they were treated to kill bugs. Pallets with the codes HT (heat treated), DB (Debarked), and KD (Kiln Dried) are all safe to use. DO NOT use pallets that say MB as they contain the chemical Methyl Bromide which you don’t want to inhale while sanding and sawing the pallets. Check out 1001Pallets which is the source of the above info.

Stay tuned for more info about the progress of this project.

[atownrobots]

Adding pauses to a contact phone number in iOS

I stumbled across this cool feature in iOS 8 recently. It is handy if you find yourself needing to host conference calls or other types of calls that require dialing a passcode of any type.

First: Add a phone number and click the “+*#” button.

Then add pauses and waits as needed:

After adding those you should see the symbols representing pauses and waits in the phone number. Commas are for pauses and semicolons are for waits.

Next time you are in the car you can just select the number and it will dial the number, pause when needed and dial your passcode.

[atownrobots]

long time no bloggy

It has been a while since my last post. The reasons for this are that I started a new job and that we are in the process of buying a house.

This has been more than enough to keep me busy and haven't had time to work on much that is worth blogging about.

I will probably lay off blogging until we move and get settled in.

I do have a few new ideas for the clock, even though I haven't finished some of the old ideas. I also have a few new projects I want to start.

So, please stay tuned and I'll be back soon.

[atownrobots]

My Spark Core, Adafruit Neopixel, Tix clock is finally done!!!

[atownrobots]

building the case

It has been a bit longer than I wanted since I last updated you on the Tix clock but I am happy to report that the I completed the build last week but didn't have time to write up some posts.

After getting the glass for the case, and building the grid to hold the LEDs and circuit I was a bit stuck on how to build the outer case.

After some google searches and wandering around the craft and hardware store searching, I came up with a plan that I would give a try.

I was truly not expecting it to work at all so I didn't do a very thorough job documenting it. However the basic plan was to take a strip of trim or molding (it is about a 1/4" thick by a 1/2" wide with a little bevel to it) and cut the strips to length with 45 degree angles to make up the front frame.

Then I grabbed a two inch by 1/4" inch piece of wood to make up the sides, top and bottom of the frame. I used some super strong wood glue and just glued the whole thing together.

It worked and looked a bit better than expected for sure.

A few coats of black spray paint I had sitting around and it was starting to look like a real frame.

Here is the back side of the frame with some spacers I used to keep the glass in the correct spot. They were later glued in with a few additional pieces that also act as a way to keep the glass in place. Here you can really see how the front trim part of the frame over laps letting the glass have some where to sit.

Next I literally taped the grid to the back side of the glass. Using black electrical tape helped closed up a few small gaps in between the frame and the poster board. If I made another clock i would do a bunch of things differently, and making the poster board grid exactly the correct dimensions is definitely one of them. If I made another I would start by building the case. Then I would cut the glass to fit the case and make the poster board grid the correct dimension to fit the inside of the case. The front of the case actually hangs over the glass so making the poster board slightly larger than what will be seen would have made it less necessary to get everything lined up so perfectly.

And here is what it looks like from the front:

Then I drilled two holes in the top. One for the photo resistor and one for the temperature sensor. In retrospect I should have placed the temp sensor on the side of the case. Currently it is mounted on top directly above the Spark Core and I think some heat is rising up and affecting the temperature.

And the final product:

Other than adding a bit of code which I haven't found time to do (for the other features that are strictly code based) the clock is done and functioning.

I have learned a ton on this project, adding some skills to my tool belt and I am very happy with the end result.

At some point soon I will finish the code (and post it), add a parts list and will add a more in depth post about all the lessons I learned.

[atownrobots]

Circuit board all soldered up

One item left on my to do list was to transfer the circuit from the breadboard to a more permanent perma-proto board.

This is now done and all that remains is the outer case and coming up with a light scheme. I will also need to code up getting the count from gmail and the weather from wunderground.com. I will work on these items this week but with the code almost done and the circuit done, it looks like I need to get me some power tools.

[atownrobots]

glass for the case

The only progress I have made for the case is in finding a piece of glass for the front.

The frame section at the craft store quoted me a price of over $70 for a 3 x 10 inch piece of "museum quality" glass.

This was a bit pricey so I passed. Today I went to the big box hardware store in town and found that they sell 10 x 12 inch plates of glass for around $2.50.

They even cut it to size. I got 2 pieces that were around 10 1/4 x 3 1/4 and one that was 10 1/2 x 3 1/2.

This will cover the faceplate with a bit of glass left on each side that will fit into the cases edge, like a picture frame.

I think. And hope. We shall see.

[atownrobots]

flaw in the plan

I fired up my clock this morning, happy that there wasn't much work to be done. I was going to let it sit on my desk and be a clock while I work when I noticed a problem right away.

The time was 9:59. It was fortunate that it wasn't past 10 yet because the first whole row of lights (the hour's ten digit) was off.

This means that from 12 AM (0:00) all the way until 9:59 the first digit would be completely dark. This doesn't work well if I plan to use the digit as a temp alarm as I had previously planned.

This also means that the other digits won't make good indicators at least some of the time. The second digit is off for the entire hours of midnight, ten and 20 (8pm) o'clock. The minutes digits are off for ten minutes at the beginning of each hour or for a minute every ten minutes respectively.

This needs to be worked out.

I could add a few more pixels to the top of the case as indicators since I have two left. Or I could simply use regular LEDs. Another options is to light up a digit and have it blink even if there should be no digits lit if there is an alarm.

I am not sure I am crazy about either of those ideas.

The other choice is to have the entire clock always be the same color.

The color alone will indicate what type of alarm. I plan on having the indoor temp, and email indicator (0, 1-9 or >10 emails unread), and a weather beacon. 

I would like to leave the colors for the weather beacon true to the inspiration of the Old John Hancock tower in Boston. That means red, flashing red, blue, and flashing blue are already used.

Steady blue, clear view.

Flashing blue, clouds due.

Steady red, rain ahead.

Flashing red, snow instead.

If the clock is any blue or red color that will indicate that there are no unread emails, and the temp is fine.

I can then combine the weather color with the alarm color. Since I have three more alarms (1-9 emails, >10 emails, and temp alarm) I will need three more colors. If I use green it can combine with red to make yellow or with blue to make cyan. But what about the other two alarms. Hmmmm....I am stuck. Something else to ponder while I work on the case.

[atownrobots]

second new feature

The next feature I spoke about was the temp alarm / sensor.

I have added that now and here is the updated diagram.

The first digit (the hour's ten place) is blue if the temp in the room is in a range of +/- 5 degrees from the normal temperature we have our thermostat set to. If it goes outside the range the digit becomes red.

[atownrobots]

First new feature

The first new feature I have added is a photo-resistor.

A photo-resistor is a resistor that has a variable amount of resistance depending on how much light it is exposed to. I am using it to dim the brightness of the clock when it is dark or make it full on when it is bright in the room.

The connection is super simple and you can see how it is done on the arduino playground. 

With this feature done I can move on to the next feature which will be a temperature alarm.

If they temperature inside falls outside of a certain range one digit worth of pixels will turn a different color. This seems sort of useless because if you can see the clock you would probably know that it is very hot or cold inside. However, the nice thing about the spark core is that it is connected to the internet at all times.

This means I can log the temperature if I want and have it send me a text message if the temperature leaves the comfort zone indicating a heating or a/c failure, or worse, a fire. 

Pictures of the brightness feature won't be very exciting but here is an updated Fritzing diagram.

[atownrobots]

smarter every day - inspiration

The original idea for this Tix project came when I saw a clock in one of smartereveryday's videos. You can see it right away in the background but  at 2 minutes into the video he refers it to as "my clock". This sparked the seed that made me want to build this clock.

Yesterday I tweeted at Destin (again) and he tweeted back (again), this time with an image...

@b3ko pic.twitter.com/qCqsIJU56o

— Smarter Every Day (@smartereveryday) October 23, 2014

...pointing at his tix!

[atownrobots]

to do and done

In a previous post I made a list of items that needed to be done. I had broken it down like this:

The physical case

The circuit

The code

Each part can then be broken down into smaller parts. Each part is at least 75% done. Here is what I feel is still remaining.

The outer case still needs to be done. This includes the glass for the front and whatever the the sides and back plates will be made of.

The circuit. Right now all of the circuit other than the neopixels are on a bread board. This needs to be transferred onto a perma-proto board so it can be mounted into the case.

I also need to add a few sensors to the circuit for a few features I would like to add. More on that later.

The code is done for the basic clock feature, but as I said in number 3 above, I need to add a few more bits of code for the remaining features.

Out of all these remaining items I think the case will be the most challenging. This is mostly because I don't have the tools or skills to make the case how I would like. Without access to power tools, a 3d printer, a cnc machine, or a laser cutter I am not sure how I am going to make this.

I am going to look into designing the case and then ordering it through a service that does laser cutting or 3d printing such as Ponoko.com or shapeways.com but I would like to keep the budget under control.

I will do some brainstorming and get back to you. sit tight.