Enjoying the Arduino

Help with hardware; help with programming

I became excited about the Arduino at the start of 2008. It uses a C-like language, which is just another high level language. If you can program in Java, or Pascal, etc, you can program in the Arduino language. (People from a Pascal background can say "goodbye" to the finger- annoying ":=", but semicolons remain a "little joy" to stay on top of.....)

I've used the Arduino development software extensively under Windows, and have, successfully!, given it a short "test drive" on a Linux (Ubuntu 7.04) box. It installed on Ubuntu nicely, there are installation instructions on the Arduino site.

How To articles...

Besides these tutorials, I've started a series of "How To" articles which you can dip into at random.

Also, I have an alternative, "quick start" guide. The alternative guide is written for people who already know something about programming.

You may want to go to the main Arduino site, www.arduino.cc if you haven't been there before.

Lastly, please someday visit the introduction and guide to the site these tutorials are part of, if only for the site search button!

Tutorials Table of Contents

Stop press!! New, better alternative

Most of the material on this page remains valid and useful. However the TUTORIALS... see below... have been supplanted by a new series.

Instead of the tutorials shown in the table of contents here, I would commend to you....

*** a NEW (12/09) course of tutorials on Arduino programming *** which I have built.

That new (1/2010) set supplants....

"Start here"
"Second tutorial"
"Third tutorial"
"3c- Getting output..."
"3b- Surviving..."

The new set is most relevant to someone who wants to work through a series of tutorials, and through them gain a comprehensive understanding of the C/C++ variant used in Arduinos and their clones, like the great ModernDevice.com BBB and RBBB.

The other tutorials below....

"Fourth tutorial"
"Fourth tutorial- alternate"
"Overview of binary"

...may be worth your time... but read at least the first few of the tutorials in the new set first.

As I said... the OTHER links on this page remain worth your while... I hope! (I know where they go, I am only hoping that my assessment matches yours, and that the links go to something you are looking for!)

Level 1 Tutorials:

If you haven't already seen it, ** PLEASE READ my general Arduino caveat

Start Here Setting up. And some general points.

Second tutorial Going loopy.

Third tutorial Introducing variables.

"3c" Getting output during development, e.g. messages to help with debugging.
"3b" Surviving with or without an LCD display. **You do not need to do this one.**

Fourth tutorial More on variables.
Fourth tutorial- alternate Very like the previous, but more elegant program.

Level 3 Tutorials:

An Overview of Binary Mostly theory.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

If you liked the above tutorials, I apologize for the fact that not more of the Pascal material they are based on has yet been translated. Until I can get to that work, you may find some of the material in my Pascal tutorials readable, useful, even for Arduino learning.

Introduction and Guide to these Tutorials

This site offers you a sequence of lessons which should help you master programming the Arduino in its version of C. You don't need to pay for a compiler: the tutorials can be followed with the free software that is available online for use with Arduinos. It runs on Windows XP, and maybe Vista, and can also be used on Linux boxes ('Ray!) and Macs. Thus, the material should be of general use. Feel free to use the tutorials in programming courses, but a credit of the source would be appreciated.

General Arduino Caveat

My pages about Arduino programming were started in February 2008. I didn't know much about the Arduino then, but know a lot more now.

So why did I start publishing so quickly, even though I was (then) new to the device?

I did it, and the subsequent work, because I think the Arduino is a great product. I like the support it already has, and hope to see it go from considerable strength to even greater success.

I say that on the basis of working with computers since 1968, and as someone who taught for twenty years. I don't yet say it on the basis of extensive experience with the Arduino.

I've also produced a Getting Started guide for the Arduino.

(If you think microcontrollers seem pretty cool, but you're not sure that the Arduino is what you need, my introduction to microcontrollers might be helpful.)

Other Tutorials by me, not integrated with the above:
Introduction to Dallas 1-Wire... Overview and links to tutorials with source code for accessing 1-Wire (aka MicroLan) devices, as used in iButtons. Dallas is now part of Maxim. ("1-Wire" is a registered trademark. The Pascalite hardware can access at least some 1-Wire devices, at least a little. I would guess that more functionality will be forthcoming in due course.)
Pascal for those who know Basic... but who haven't done much Pascal.
Using the database element of the free office suite "Open Office".

Editorial Philosophy

I dislike 'fancy' websites where there's more medium than message.... especially if that means I have to wait while multiple little items get downloaded. For a pretty picture, I can go to an art gallery. (Of course an attractive site with content deserves praise... as long as that pretty face doesn't cost download time.) In any case....

I am trying to present this material in a format which makes it easy for you to USE it. There are two aspects to that: The way it is split up and the way it is posted.

The way it is split up...

I have tried to split it up into 'bite-sized' pieces and to indicate which pieces are basic and of general importance, and which address more specific issues which may also be more complex, or require prior understanding of other issues. In other words, I try to show you how to walk before running. The 'Level 1' tutorials cover the basics. If you have no experience, start with the level one tutorials. If you decide to jump in at a more advanced level, and things are not clear, it might be an idea to skim the level one topics if only to learn about my way of expressing the concepts.

The way it is posted...

You should be able to read the tutorials on-line without difficulty. However, you should ALSO find it easy to capture them for off-line use, including editing for your own purposes. The following should work. I would suggest that you create a folder for the tutorials so that you can retain my filenames with no risk of clashes:

On-line, use your browser to view the tutorial you want to capture.

Use your browser's File|Save As... to save the web-page to your disc. At this point you can log off or visit other pages, perhaps saving them, too.

When you have logged off, use your browser's File|Open file to access what you saved.

Filenames...

I've tried to be organized: Names (generally) start "plt" or "pt", a historical artifact arising from the fact that these tutorials derived from earlier ones for Pascal. Next is a digit, for the level, then I've used letters one after the other, e.g. ptl2a, ptl2b, ptl3a. The letter doesn't mean much... it merely shows when I got around to that particular topic! And, appended to all of the above, you will usually find an "a", to indicate that the file is the Arduino version of the tutorial. Sorry... this is the messiest corner in all of my filename management!

In addition to the tutorials for which this page serves as Table of Contents, I have other sites with material you might find useful.....

    Delphi Programming Tutorials

    Using a Windows / DOS PC's parallel port with programs written in Delphi and other languages.

    Some pages for programmers.

To search THIS site.... (Go to my other sites, below, and use their search buttons if you want to search them.)
Click this to search this site without using forms.

The search engine merely looks for the words you type, so....
* Spell them properly.
* Don't bother with "How do I get rich?" That will merely return pages with "how", "do", "I"....

Please also note that I have two other sites, and that this search will not include them. They have their own search buttons.
My site at Arunet.
My Sheepdog Guides pages , another of this page's editor's sites.

Ad from page's editor: Yes.. I do enjoy compiling these things for you... hope they are helpful. However.. this doesn't pay my bills!!! If you find this stuff useful, (and you run an MS-DOS or Windows PC) please visit my freeware and shareware page, download something, and circulate it for me? Links on your page to this page would also be appreciated!

Click here to visit editor's freeware, shareware page.

Link to editor's (Arunet) homepage

Page tested for compliance with INDUSTRY (not MS-only) standards, using the free, publicly accessible validator at validator.w3.org