nodemcu-firmware/docs/modules/ble.md

# Bluetooth GAP/GATT Module
| Since  | Origin / Contributor  | Maintainer  | Source  |
| :----- | :-------------------- | :---------- | :------ |
| 2021-10-10 | [pjsg](https://github.com/pjsg) | [pjsg](https://github.com/pjsg) | [ble.c](../../components/modules/ble.c)|

The BLE module provides a simple interface to allow implementation of a simple GAP/GATT server.
This allows you to build simple gadgets that can be interrogated and controlled over BLE.

## ble.init(configuration)

This initializes the Bluetooth stack and starts advertising according to the data in the
configuration table. See below for a detailed description of this table.

At the present time, you can only call the `init` function once. There is some problem
in the underlying implementation of the BLE stack that prevents a `init`, `shutdown`, `init`
sequence from working.

#### Syntax
`ble.init(ble_config)`

#### Parameters
- `ble_config` A table with the keys as defined below.

##### Returns
`nil`

#### Example
```lua
function read_battery_level()
  -- This ought to do something better!
  return 50
end
local battery = { uuid="180f", characteristics={ {uuid="2a19", type='B', read=read_battery_level} } }
local myservice = {uuid="0123456789abcdef0123456789abcdef", characteristics={{uuid="1234", value=0, type='c'}}}
local config = {name="MyGadget=", services={ myservice, battery }
ble.init(config)
```

## ble.notify()

This notifies the Bluetooth stack that a new value is available to be read from the characteristic.

#### Syntax
`ble.notify(notifyvalue)`

#### Parameters

- `notifyvalue` This is the value of the `notify` table entry from the particular characteristic.

#### Returns 
`nil`

#### Example

```lua
ble.notify(config.services[1].characteristics[1].notify)
```

## ble.advertise()

Updates the advertising data field for future advertising frames.

#### Syntax
`ble.advertise(advertisement)`

#### Parameters

- `advertisement` This string will be placed in future advertising frames as the manufacturer data field. This overrides the a`advertisement` value from the config block.

#### Returns
`nil`

#### Example
```lua
ble.advertise("foo")
```

## ble.shutdown()

Shuts down the Bluetooth controller and returns it to the state where another `init` ought to work (but currently doesn't). And, at the moment, shutting
it down doesn't work either -- it appears to corrupt some deep data structures.

#### Syntax
`ble.shutdown()`

#### Returns
`nil`

#### Example
```lua
ble.shutdown()
```

## Conventions

## UUID

The service and characteristic identifiers are UUIDs. These are represented in twin-hex. They must be either 4 characters, 8 characters or 32 characters long.

## Configuration Table

The configuration table contains the following keys:

- `name` The name to use to advertise the gadget

- `services` This is a list of tables that define the individual services. The primary service is the first service. Many examples will only have a single service.

- `advertisement` This is a string to be advertised in the mfg data field.

### Service table

The service table contains the following keys:

- `uuid` The UUID of the service. This is a 16 byte string (128 bits) that identifies the particular service. It can also be a two byte string for a well-known service.
- `characteristics` This is a list of tables, where each entry describes a characateristic (attribute)

### Characteristic table

The characteristic table contains the following keys:

- `uuid` The UUID of the characteristics. This can be either a 16 byte string or a 2 byte string that identifies the particular characteristic. Typically, 2 byte strings are used for well-known characteristics.
- `type` This is the optional type of the value. It has the same value as a unpack code in the `struct` module.
- `value` This is the actual value of the characteristic. This will be a string of bytes (unless `type` is set).
- `read` This is a function that will be invoked to read the value (and so does not need the `value` entry). It should return a string of bytes (unless `type` is set).
- `write` This is a function that will be invoked to write the value (and so does not need the `value` entry). It is given a string of bytes (unless `type` is set)
- `notify` If this attribute is present then notifications are supported on this characteristic. The value of the `notify` attribute is updated to be an integer which is the value to be passed into `ble.notify()`

In the above functions, the value is that passed to/from the write/read functions is of the type specified by the `type` key. If this key is missing, then the default type is a string of bytes. For example, if `type` is `'B'` then the value is an integer (in the range 0 - 255) and the bluetooth client will see a single byte containing that value.

If the `value` key is present, then the characteristic is read/write. However, if one or `read` or `write` is set to `true`, then it restricts access to that mode.

The characteristics are treated as read/write unless only one of the `read` or `write` keys is present and the `value` key is not specified.

The calling conventions for these functions are as follows:

- `read` This is invoked with the characteristic table as its only argument.
- `write` This is invoked with two arguments, the characteristic table and the data to be written (after conversion by `type`)

#### Example

```
function read_attribute(t)
  return something
end

function write_attribute(t, val)
  -- Just store the written value in the table.
  t.value = val
end
```


### Type conversions

If the `type` value converts a single item, then that will be the value that is placed into the `value` element. If it converts multiple elements, then the elements will be placed into an array that that will be plaed into the `value` element.