This week:
- MIDI Parsing Code Development:
- Built upon last week’s partial implementation of the MIDI parsing code. This week, I focused on completing the MIDI parsing functionality and structuring the code for readability and maintainability. In my last status report I said I want to have a bare-bones functioning MIDI-parsing feature this week and I think I have achieved that.
- Utilized the mido Python library to process the MIDI file, extracting note-on events and their corresponding durations.
- Testing Framework Setup for Local Simulation:
- Since the hardware components only got delivered yesterday, I set up a simulation environment to test the MIDI parsing logic without needing physical hardware.
- Modified the Python code to print parsed note and duration data to the console, instead of transmitting over UART. This modification allows for verifying the output sequence and timing without hardware dependencies.
- Local Testing Execution:
- Conducted initial local tests using some very simple sample MIDI files. Observed console output to confirm correct parsing of notes and durations.
- Implemented timing simulation with time.sleep() to replicate the actual note durations, which helped in verifying the accuracy of timing based on MIDI note lengths.
- Next week I need to work more on multiple test cases with more complex MIDI files to strengthen parsing capability under various conditions.
- STM 32 code which I have begun working on is designed to process MIDI commands received over UART and control solenoids accordingly. It involves use of STM32’s HAL library functions.
- Code Documentation and Clean-up:
- Documented the code structure and added comments to each function, making it easier to understand and maintain.
- Structured the parsing logic to handle only the necessary MIDI events (e.g., note-on events with non-zero velocity), improving code efficiency and readability.
Overall, this week had some significant progress in building the MIDI-controlled solenoid system. The next phase will focus on integrating the hardware components and refining the STM32’s control logic to create a robust, responsive system that accurately translates MIDI data into solenoid actuation. The hardware components got delivered a little later than expected (Friday, Nov 1st) but at least my efforts with testing MIDI-parsing functionality will allow us to proceed with more confidence when integrating the hardware.