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# PinInGroup

Arduino library to read a group of up to 16 input pins in one command.


# Description

A PinInGroup holds a number of input pins that can be read by means of a single **read()** command.
The PinInGroup makes it easier to work with a number of inputs that act as a logical unit.
Think of reading a parallel bus or read 4 lines from a matrix keyboard, or an array of switches.

One of the interesting possibilities of the pinInGroup is to add a single pin multiple times.
That allows one to read a pin e.g. in a burst of 8.

Another application of adding a pin twice could be reading a pin as first and as last of a group.
This allows you to check that state of e.g. a parallel bus has not changed during read (or changed an even number :).

Default **PININGROUP_MAXSIZE** = 16.


## Performance

The PinInGroup is not more efficient as reading the pins in a loop yourself.
However it is less programming and can give clearer code.

**Note** that the pins are not read at the same microsecond.
A small time is needed to go through all pins. 
This is platform, group size and pin state dependent.


## Interface

### Constructor

- **PinInGroup()** Constructor.


### Administration

- **void clear()** sets the size to zero so one can repopulate.
- **uint8_t add(uint8_t size, uint8_t \* pinArray, uint8_t mode)** adds a predefined array of pins to the group. 
Returns the number of pins added.
- **uint8_t add(uint8_t pin, uint8_t mode)** adds a single pin to the group. 
Returns the number of pins added (1 or 0). 
Mode can be **INPUT**(default) or **INPUT_PULLUP**.
- **uint8_t getPin(uint8_t index)** index = 0..15; returns the pin at slot index or 255 (0xFF) when out of range.
- **uint8_t getIndex(uint8_t pin)** returns the (first) index of the slot with pin number. 255 (0xFF) if not found.
- **uint8_t isInGroup(uint8_t pin)** returns how often a pin is added to a group. Can be more than once.
- **uint8_t size()** how many slots are used.
- **uint8_t getMaxSize()** how many slots are there in total.
- **uint8_t available()** how many slots are free.


### Read

- **uint16_t read()** reads a 16 bits unsigned int from max 16 pins. Every bit represents an input value. 
Note that the bits are in LSB order of the adding.
- **uint16_t read(uint8_t index)** index = 0 .. size - 1. 
Reads the single pin at index from the group. 
Returns 0 or 1 if OK and 0xFFFF when index >= size.


# Operation

See examples.


## Future

- Optimize the low level reading e.g. reading registers only once.
  - Hold register and bit info per pin. 
  - Especially for AVR this could be interesting performance wise.
- Create an analogPinGroup and a PWMGroup 
- extend to 32 bits / pins. class hierarchy. 8, 24 ?
- Allocate dynamic memory (0.2.0)
  - fragmentation?
  - would be memory efficient.
- clear() => reset() or clearGroup() ???
- do we need yield() somewhere?
- extend unit tests
  - getIndex()
  - getPin()

These ideas will be explored when time permits or needs arise.