IO type DALI

JSON settings for DALI IO in Controller config.

DALI IO - JSON settings (Controller config)

This page describes all JSON fields supported by DALI IO in Controller configuration.

Where the settings are defined

Add a DALI item to the io section of the controller config. Example with the DALI label (max. 5 characters):

{
  "controller": {
    "name": "SC_00",
    "led": 19,
    "!button": 22
  },
  "io": {
    "DALI": {
      "type": "DALI",
      "variant": "DT6",
      "order": "W",
      "tx": 23,
      "!rx": 18
    }
  },
  "segments": {
    "DIMMA": {
      "io": "DALI"
    }
  }
}

Required / common fields

type: must be "DALI".
tx / pins:
- "tx" defines the DALI TX GPIO, for example 23. Alternatively, "pins": [..] can be used together with order to map pins to channels. For DALI, TX is the primary pin.
- Optional en pin can be used as enable.
- Pin modifiers: ! inversion, + pull-up, - pull-down. For example, "!rx": 18 means RX on GPIO 18 with inverted logic.
rx (optional):
- "rx" (or "!rx" for inversion) for receiving/monitoring, commissioning or diagnostics.
order:
- Defines channel layout and is parsed by utils::stringToPixelOrder().
  - W (one DALI channel per pixel)
  - WW (two DALI channels per pixel)
  - RGB (three DALI channels per pixel)
  - RGBW (four DALI channels per pixel)
- If not provided, the default is W.

DALI-specific fields

variant:
- Device modes: "DT6", "DT8_XY", "DT8_RGBWAF", "DT8_TC".
- Service modes: "MONITOR", "COMMISSION", "DECOMMISSION" (run at boot for diagnostics/addressing).
- Note: DT6_ONOFF is reserved and not implemented.
- If not provided, the default is DT6.
mapping (array of numbers):
- Maps channels to DALI short addresses (0-63); the meaning depends on order:
  - W: one value per pixel.
  - WW: two values per pixel, for example warm -> first and cool -> second.
  - RGBW: four values per pixel (R, G, B, W).
- A negative number repeats the previous value abs(n) times, for example [5,-3] -> [5,5,5,5].
- The length must be divisible by the channel count defined by order.
- Use short addresses starting from 0 upwards; gaps are allowed. The order in the array follows the pixel/channel layout and does not need to be numerically sorted.
- If mapping is missing, the port sends broadcast commands according to the first pixel rendered to this IO.
poweronlevel: 0-254. Power-on level. Values above 254 are clipped to 254 (255 = MASK/keep).
- Note: poweronlevel: 0 together with systemfailurelevel: 0 is suitable for phase-controlled lights that tend to flash during mains power on/off.
systemfailurelevel: 0-254. Level during a system failure. Values above 254 are clipped to 254.
- See the note above. Setting 0 helps eliminate unwanted flashing during power changes.
minlevel, maxlevel: 0-254. Level limits applied during startup (clipped to 254).
faderate: step rate per second, mapped to a DALI index (0-15) according to the table.
fadetime: time in ms, mapped to a DALI index (0-15) according to the table.
mincolortemp, maxcolortemp (DT8_TC): Kelvin, range 1000-10000 K; maxcolortemp >= mincolortemp.

Behaviour notes

DT6 (classic short-address control): mapping defines which short address the channel controls. If all channels are the same, firmware optimizes sending by using broadcast.
DT8 modes (DT8_RGBWAF, DT8_TC): use DT8 commands without mapping to addresses. The first pixel is converted into DT8 commands and currently sent as broadcast.

Examples

DT6 - W (inverted RX, ascending addresses):

{
  "controller": {
    "name": "SC_00",
    "led": 19,
    "!button": 22
  },
  "temperature": {
    "type": "NTC",
    "pin": 35,
    "resistance": 47000
  },
  "io": {
    "DALI": {
      "type": "DALI",
      "variant": "DT6",
      "mapping": [0, 6, 1, 4, 2, 3, 5],
      "order": "W",
      "tx": 23,
      "!rx": 18,
      "fadetime": 700,
      "faderate": 358,
      "poweronlevel": 0,
      "systemfailurelevel": 254,
      "minlevel": 0,
      "maxlevel": 254
    }
  },
  "segments": {
    "DIMMA": {
      "io": "DALI",
      "size": 7
    }
  }
}

DT6 - RGBW:

{
  "controller": {
    "name": "SC_00",
    "led": 19,
    "!button": 22
  },
  "io": {
    "DALI": {
      "type": "DALI",
      "variant": "DT6",
      "order": "RGBW",
      "tx": 23,
      "!rx": 18,
      "mapping": [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7],
      "fadetime": 700,
      "faderate": 358
    }
  }
}

DT6 - WW:

{
  "controller": {
    "name": "SC_00",
    "led": 19,
    "!button": 22
  },
  "io": {
    "DALI": {
      "type": "DALI",
      "variant": "DT6",
      "order": "WW",
      "tx": 23,
      "!rx": 18,
      "mapping": [0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5],
      "fadetime": 700,
      "faderate": 358
    }
  }
}

DT8 Tunable White (broadcast) with temperature range:

{
  "controller": {
    "name": "SC_00",
    "led": 19,
    "!button": 22
  },
  "io": {
    "DALI": {
      "type": "DALI",
      "variant": "DT8_TC",
      "tx": 23,
      "!rx": 18,
      "mincolortemp": 2700,
      "maxcolortemp": 6500,
      "fadetime": 700,
      "faderate": 358
    }
  }
}

Commissioning (runs commissioning at boot):

{
  "controller": {
    "name": "SC_00",
    "led": 19,
    "!button": 22
  },
  "io": {
    "DALI": {
      "type": "DALI",
      "variant": "COMMISSION",
      "tx": 23,
      "!rx": 18
    }
  }
}

Limits

DALI port: up to 24 logical pixels.
Levels are clipped to 254 (255 = “keep current” in DALI).
IO label length: max. 5 characters.