Common Application Framework preview

This sample demonstrates how to use Common Application Framework (CAF) to build event-based applications with ready-for-use modules and events. It uses both stock CAF modules available in the nRF Connect SDK and a custom module created specifically for the sample.

Requirements

The sample supports the following development kits:

Hardware platforms

PCA

Board name

Build target

nRF5340 DK

PCA10095

nrf5340dk_nrf5340

nrf5340dk_nrf5340_cpuapp

nRF52840 DK

PCA10056

nrf52840dk_nrf52840

nrf52840dk_nrf52840

Overview

The following diagram illustrates the sample application structure.

Common Application Framework preview sample structure

Common Application Framework preview sample structure

The sample uses the following CAF modules:

  • CAF: Buttons module - The sample uses this module to receive events related to a button press.

  • CAF: LEDs module - The sample uses this module to control the LED effects displayed on available LEDs.

Additionally, the sample uses its own custom module called led_state. This custom module serves the following purposes:

For more information about adding your own modules, see Adding custom modules on the CAF overview page.

User interface

Button 1:

Changes the LED effect displayed on the LED to the next defined LED effect:

  • The first default LED effect toggles the blinking of the LED, with the period set to 400 ms.

  • The second default LED effect toggles the breathing of the LED, with the period set to 400 ms.

  • The third default LED effect toggles a looped effect where LED blinks three times with 400 ms period and then turns off for 1000 ms.

Button 2:

Switches the active LED: Switches the active LED to the next available LED. The previously active LED keeps its LED effect, and the new active LED turns on.

LEDs 1-4:

Depending on the button presses:

  • If you press Button 1, the active LED displays the defined LED effect.

  • If you press Button 2, the active LED turns off and the next available turns on.

Configuration

See Configuring your application for information about how to permanently or temporarily change the configuration.

Defining LED effects

The configuration for each board is different and defined in the overlay file available in the respective directory in the boards directory. Additionally, each of the stock CAF modules has a header configuration file for each board, because the LEDs of each board are connected to different GPIO pins. These files are available in the configuration directory and you can modify them.

For example, the sample defines a few LED effects that can be displayed on LEDs. By pressing the buttons, you can change the displayed effect for the LED or toggle another LED.

The LED effects are defined in led_state_def.h file. The following snippet demonstrates the default LED effect configuration:

static const struct led_effect led_effect[] = {
   [LED_EFFECT_ID_OFF] = LED_EFFECT_LED_OFF(),
   [LED_EFFECT_ID_BLINK] = LED_EFFECT_LED_BLINK(200, LED_COLOR(255, 255, 255)),
   [LED_EFFECT_ID_BREATH] = LED_EFFECT_LED_BREATH(200, LED_COLOR(255, 255, 255)),
   [LED_EFFECT_ID_CLOCK] = LED_EFFECT_LED_CLOCK(3, LED_COLOR(255, 255, 255)),
};

When testing the sample, you can change the defined effects or add your own effects to the led_effect table.

Building and running

This sample can be found under samples/caf in the nRF Connect SDK folder structure.

To build the sample with Visual Studio Code, follow the steps listed on the How to build an application page in the nRF Connect for VS Code extension documentation. See Building and programming an application for other building and programming scenarios and Testing and debugging an application for general information about testing and debugging in the nRF Connect SDK.

Testing

After programming the sample to your development kit, you can test it by performing the following steps:

  1. Observe that the LED 1 turns on. This is the LED that is currently being controlled by the application.

  2. Press Button 1 on the development kit to toggle the next LED effect of the LED 1. The LED color starts blinking.

  3. Press Button 2 to switch to the next LED. The LED 1 keeps blinking and the LED 2 turns on.

  4. Press Button 1. The LED 2 starts blinking similarly to LED 1.

  5. Press Button 1 again and see the LED 2 starts breathing with a 400-ms period.

  6. Press Button 1 again and see the LED clock effect. The LED 2 blinks three times with a 400-ms period. It then turns off for 1000 ms. The effect is looped forever.

Dependencies

This sample uses the following nRF Connect SDK libraries:

In addition, it uses the following Zephyr drivers: