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[on:]

I am using an Uno with the SD shield as a stand alone data collection system.

The GM-10 is the actual Geiger counter or sensor, its readings compare with Background, a Cs-137 calibration source and Ra-226.

http://www.blackcatsystems.com/GM/products/GM10GeigerCounter.html

Its spending the night in my basement sniffing for Radon gas.

Here is the sketch.

Code:

// Geiger Counter Lib example

/* Adapted by Tracy Albert from programing for a frequecy counter by,
  Martin Nawrath KHM LAB3
  Kunsthochschule f¸r Medien Kˆln
  Academy of Media Arts
  http://www.khm.de
  http://interface.khm.de/index.php/labor/experimente/
 */
#include <FreqCounter.h>
#include <SdFat.h>
#include <SdFatUtil.h>

Sd2Card card;
SdVolume volume;
SdFile root;
SdFile file;
void setup (void);
unsigned long frq;
int cnt;
int pinLed=13

// store error strings in flash to save RAM
#define error(s) error_P(PSTR(s))
void error_P(const char *str)
{
  PgmPrint("error: ");
  SerialPrintln_P(str);
  if (card.errorCode()) {
    PgmPrint("SD error: ");
    Serial.print(card.errorCode(), HEX);
    Serial.print(',');
    Serial.println(card.errorData(), HEX);
  }
  while(1);
}

void writeCRLF(SdFile &f)
{
  f.write((uint8_t *)"\r\n", 2);
}
/*
 * Write an unsigned number to a file
 */
void writeNumber(SdFile &f, uint32_t n)
{
  uint8_t buf[10];
  uint8_t i = 0;do {
    i++;
    buf[sizeof(buf) - i] = n%10 + '0';
    n /= 10;
  } while (n);
  f.write(&buf[sizeof(buf) - i], i);
}
/*
 * Write a string to a file
 */
void writeString(SdFile &f, char *str)
{
  uint8_t n;
  for (n = 0; str[n]; n++);
  f.write((uint8_t *)str, n);
}
void setup(void){
  pinMode(pinLed, OUTPUT);

  Serial.begin(9600);        // connect to the serial port
  Serial.println("Geiger Counter");
 
  // initialize the SD card
  if (!card.init()) error("card.init");
  
  // initialize a FAT volume
  if (!volume.init(card)) error("volume.init");
  
  // open the root directory
  if (!root.openRoot(volume)) error("openRoot");

  
}
  void loop(){
// create a new file
  char name[] = "WRITE00.TXT";
  // wait if any serial is going on
  FreqCounter::f_comp=10;   // Cal Value / Calibrate with professional Freq Counter
  FreqCounter::start(60000);  // 1 minuit Gate Time
  while (FreqCounter::f_ready == 0)
   frq=FreqCounter::f_freq;
  Serial.print(cnt++);
  Serial.print("  cpm: ");
  Serial.println(frq);
    delay(100);
  digitalWrite(pinLed,!digitalRead(pinLed));  // blink Led
 
//-----------------------------------------------------

  for (uint8_t i = 0; i< 1000; cnt++){
   name[5] = i/10 + '0';
   name[6] = i%10 + '0';
   if (file.open(root, name, O_CREAT | O_APPEND | O_WRITE)) break;
  
  if (!file.isOpen()) error ("file.create");}
  // write 100 line to file
  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 100; i++){
    writeNumber(file, cnt);
    writeString(file, " cpm ");
    writeNumber(file, frq);
    writeCRLF(file);
  
  // close file and force write of all data to the SD

card
  file.close();}
 
}

[Reply #1 on:]

Thanks for sharing,

Please modify your post using the # button to wrap the code in [ code] [ /code] tags.

A few comments:

1) The logging will be faster if you first build up a string to write to the SD card

char buffer[32];
sprintf(buffer, "%ld,  cpm,  %ld, Hz \r\n", cnt, frq);   // all fields comma separated so Excel can make a graph
f.write(file, buffer, strlen(buffer));    // just one call

2) Now all the code in within loop(), think you should try to split it up in several functions to keep the overview.

3) Use CTRL-t in the IDE to get your indentation right.

What are the results of the measurements?





 

[Reply #2 on:]

Thanks I will play with that Modification. Here are some results from the testing.

1 cpm 0 2 cpm 65547 _______I never understood why this second reading is so high since I added the SD card, it even shows up on the serial port? Below is background. 3 cpm 13 4 cpm 15 5 cpm 10 6 cpm 12 7 cpm 15 8 cpm 19 9 cpm 23 10 cpm 12 11 cpm 17 ___________CS-137 12 cpm 906 13 cpm 1556 14 cpm 1553 15 cpm 1538 16 cpm 1564 17 cpm 1556 18 cpm 1605 19 cpm 1658 ____________Ra-226 20 cpm 46176 21 cpm 59645 22 cpm 59445 23 cpm 59567 24 cpm 59568 25 cpm 59635 26 cpm 59442 27 cpm 59571 28 cpm 59367 29 cpm 59702 30 cpm 59676 31 cpm 59793 32 cpm 59596 33 cpm 59646 34 cpm 59574 35 cpm 59787 36 cpm 59526 37 cpm 59785 38 cpm 59736 39 cpm 23244 40 cpm 61100 41 cpm 61226 42 cpm 61106 43 cpm 61167 44 cpm 61249 45 cpm 61391 46 cpm 61335 47 cpm 61031 48 cpm 61063 49 cpm 61159 50 cpm 61209 51 cpm 61509 52 cpm 62050 53 cpm 61994 54 cpm 62242 55 cpm 62030 56 cpm 62029 57 cpm 61984 58 cpm 61961 59 cpm 62127 60 cpm 42656 ________Background 61 cpm 48  cpm 60 63 cpm 24 64 cpm 15 65 cpm 18 66 cpm 16 67 cpm 10 68 cpm 12 69 cpm 15 70 cpm 16 71 cpm 13 72 cpm 18 73 cpm 11 74 cpm 8 75 cpm 19 76 cpm 17 77 cpm 12 78 cpm 13 79 cpm 16 80 cpm 22 81 cpm 14 82 cpm 9 83 cpm 20 84 cpm 16 85 cpm 12 86 cpm 9 87 cpm 14 __________Cs-137 Again 88 cpm 529 89 cpm 1608 90 cpm 1663 91 cpm 1655 92 cpm 1685 93 cpm 1608 94 cpm 1637 95 cpm 1536 96 cpm 1594 97 cpm 1733 98 cpm 1608 99 cpm 1586 100 cpm 1717 101 cpm 1568 102 cpm 1618 103 cpm 1608 104 cpm 1556 105 cpm 1588 106 cpm 1623 107 cpm 1648 108 cpm 1672 109 cpm 1638 110 cpm 1636 111 cpm 1606 112 cpm 1574 113 cpm 1584 114 cpm 1614 115 cpm 1664 116 cpm 1608 117 cpm 1688 118 cpm 1565 119 cpm 1646 120 cpm 1629 121 cpm 1600 122 cpm 1615 123 cpm 1630 124 cpm 1627 125 cpm 1609 126 cpm 1681 127 cpm 1597 128 cpm 1669 129 cpm 1671 130 cpm 1642 131 cpm 1641 132 cpm 1565 133 cpm 1543 134 cpm 1596 135 cpm 1566 136 cpm 1590 137 cpm 1609 138 cpm 1523 139 cpm 1624 140 cpm 1598 141 cpm 1623 142 cpm 1618 143 cpm 1709 144 cpm 1626 145 cpm 1670 146 cpm 1588 147 cpm 1611 148 cpm 1669 149 cpm 1541 150 cpm 1611 151 cpm 1605 152 cpm 1593 153 cpm 1631 154 cpm 1645 155 cpm 1571 156 cpm 1582 157 cpm 1607 158 cpm 1602 159 cpm 1578 160 cpm 1677 161 cpm 1644 162 cpm 1661 163 cpm 1582 164 cpm 1564 165 cpm 1642

[Reply #3 on:]

Instead of the delay(100) in the loop() you might do some extra measurements and do some averaging, although the samples seem quite stable. The first reading when holding the sample Radon/ cesium can be lower as they approach the Geiger counter.

About averaging: - http://arduino.cc/playground/Main/RunningAverage

[Reply #4 on:]

1) The logging will be faster if you first build up a string to write to the SD card

char buffer[32];
sprintf(buffer, "%ld,  cpm,  %ld, Hz \r\n", cnt, frq);   // all fields comma separated so Excel can make a graph
f.write(file, buffer, strlen(buffer));    // just one call

2) Now all the code in within loop(), think you should try to split it up in several functions to keep the overview.

3) Use CTRL-t in the IDE to get your indentation right.

What are the results of the measurements?

I keep getting the error.

No matching function for call to 'SD file::write(SDFile&, Char&, Size_t)

I am kind of at a loss as to what to do next? Any help is appreciated.

[Reply #5 on:]

I keep getting the error.

Can you explain in more detail what the error is?    So far I only saw that the second reading was quite high. Is this repeatable?

Do you have an URL to the freqCounter library?

Rob

[Reply #6 on:]

Sorry for the mess here. The previous sketch worked fine with the exception that it wrote the data to a .txt file, I want to write the data in a .cvs file for export to excel.

Here is the entire sketch that fails to complie.

Code:

// Geiger Counter Lib example

/* Adapted by Tracy Albert from programing for a frequecy counter by,
 Martin Nawrath KHM LAB3
 Kunsthochschule f¸r Medien Kˆln
 Academy of Media Arts
 http://www.khm.de
 http://interface.khm.de/index.php/labor/experimente/
 */
#include <FreqCounter.h>
#include <SdFat.h>
#include <SdFatUtil.h>
#include <f>

//SD card error 1,ff fix also in void setup.
#define CS 8
#define MOSI 11
#define MISO 12
#define SCK 13

Sd2Card card;
SdVolume volume;
SdFile root;
SdFile file;
SdFile f;
// macros to use PSTR
#define putstring(str) SerialPrint_P(PSTR(str))
#define putstring_nl(str) SerialPrintln_P(PSTR(str))






void setup (void);
unsigned long frq;

int cnt;
int pinLed=13;
// create a new file
char name[] = "LOGGER00.CSV";


char buffer[32];

// store error strings in flash to save RAM
#define error(s) error_P(PSTR(s))
void error_P(const char *str)
{
  PgmPrint("error: ");
  SerialPrintln_P(str);
  if (card.errorCode()) {
    PgmPrint("SD error: ");
    Serial.print(card.errorCode(), HEX);
    Serial.print(',');
    Serial.println(card.errorData(), HEX);
  }
  while(1);
}
/*
 * Write CR LF to a file
 */
void writeCRLF(SdFile &f)
{
  f.write((uint8_t *)"\r\n", 2);
}
/*
 * Write an unsigned number to a file
 */
void writeNumber(SdFile &f, uint32_t n)
{
  uint8_t buf[10];
  uint8_t i = 0;
  do {
    i++;
    buf[sizeof(buf) - i] = n%10 + '0';
    n /= 10;
  }
  while (n);
  f.write(&buf[sizeof(buf) - i], i);
}
/*
 * Write a string to a file
 */
void writeString(SdFile &f, char *str)
{
  uint8_t n;
  for (n = 0; str[n]; n++);
  f.write((uint8_t *)str, n);
}
void setup(void){
  pinMode(pinLed, OUTPUT);
  //and in void setupSD card error 1,ff fix.
  pinMode(CS, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MOSI, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MISO, INPUT);
  pinMode(SCK, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(10, OUTPUT);

  Serial.begin(9600);        // connect to the serial port
  //Serial.println("Geiger Counter");
  //writeString(file, " Geiger Counter ");

  //Repair for SD card errors.
  if (!card.init(true)) error("card.init");

  // initialize the SD card
  //if (!card.init()) error("card.init");

  // initialize a FAT volume
  if (!volume.init(card)) error("volume.init");

  // open the root directory
  if (!root.openRoot(volume)) error("openRoot");

  char name[] = "LOGGER00.CSV";
  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 100; i++) {
    name[6] = i/10 + '0';
    name[7] = i%10 + '0';
    if (file.open(&root, name, O_CREAT | O_EXCL | O_WRITE)) break;
  }

}
void loop(){
  // create a new file
  //char name[] = "WRITE00.TXT";
  // wait if any serial is going on
  FreqCounter::f_comp=10;   // Cal Value / Calibrate with professional Freq Counter
  FreqCounter::start(60000);  // 1 minuit Gate Time
  while (FreqCounter::f_ready == 0)
    frq=FreqCounter::f_freq;
  Serial.print(cnt++),
  Serial.print("  cpm: "),
  Serial.println(frq),
  delay(100);
  digitalWrite(pinLed,!digitalRead(pinLed));  // blink Led


    //----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

  for (uint8_t i = 0; i< 100; cnt++){
    name[5] = i/10 + '0';
    name[6] = i%10 + '0';
  }
  //for (uint8_t; i=0; i<100; i++);
  //write 100 line to file
  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 100; i++)


    char buffer[32];
  {
    sprintf(buffer, "%ld,  cpm,  %ld, Hz \r\n", cnt, frq);   // all fields comma separated so Excel can make a graph
    //f.write((uint8_t *)"\r\n", 2);
    f.write(file,buffer[32], strlen(buffer));
  }    // just one call

  //if (file.open(root, name, O_CREAT | O_APPEND | O_WRITE))break;

  if (!file.isOpen()) error ("file.create");

  //if (uint8_t f = 0; f < 100; f++){ 




  //if (file.open(root, name, O_CREAT | O_APPEND | O_WRITE))break;
  // writeString(file, " Geiger Counter ");
  // close file and force write of all data to the SD card
  //file.close();
  //}   
  //writeNumber(file, cnt);
  //writeString(file, " cpm ");
  //writeNumber(file, frq);
  //writeCRLF(file);



  // close file and force write of all data to the SD card
  file.close();
}

The error is on this line near the end of the sketch.

f.write(file,buffer[32], strlen(buffer));


The error given is.

***(ERROR)*****No matching function for call to 'SD file::write(SDFile&, Char&, Size_t)*****(ERROR)******

I hope this helps? I am use to Qbasic and line numbers.

[Reply #7 on:]

The error is on this line near the end of the sketch.

f.write(file,buffer[32], strlen(buffer));

Please post the error message next time.


use - f.write(buffer, strlen(buffer)); 


I noticed that there is quite some strange logic in the application wrt opening /closing files, comments and for loops. I assume you did a copy/paste from an example without really understanding what the example did, resulting in a lot of code in your sketch I think you just don't need.

Advise: Take paper and pencil, make a flow diagram what steps the sketch has to do and then rewrite the sketch from scratch , without copy and paste.

If you can't get it to work, let us know.

Q: What SD card (shield ?) are you using?


Back to my own projects,
Rob

[Reply #8 on:]

use - f.write(buffer, strlen(buffer));

Yeah thats where I started and I still got the same error!

This is the error I am getting!

""No matching function for call to 'SD file::write(SDFile&, Char&, Size_t)""

Its a sparkfun SD Shield and my on arduino did not like it at first, That is why I needed to add.

Code:

//SD card error 1,ff fix also in void setup.
#define CS 8
#define MOSI 11
#define MISO 12
#define SCK 13

And

Code:

//and in void setupSD card error 1,ff fix.
  pinMode(CS, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MOSI, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MISO, INPUT);
  pinMode(SCK, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(10, OUTPUT);

To even get it to write a text file to the SD shield.

This sketch runs flawlessly for days at a time.

Code:

// Geiger Counter Lib example

/* Adapted by Tracy Albert from programing for a frequecy counter by,
  Martin Nawrath KHM LAB3
  Kunsthochschule f¸r Medien Kˆln
  Academy of Media Arts
  http://www.khm.de
  http://interface.khm.de/index.php/labor/experimente/
 */
#include <FreqCounter.h>
#include <SdFat.h>
#include <SdFatUtil.h>

//SD card error 1,ff fix also in void setup.
#define CS 8
#define MOSI 11
#define MISO 12
#define SCK 13

Sd2Card card;
SdVolume volume;
SdFile root;
SdFile file;
void setup (void);
unsigned long frq;
int cnt;
int pinLed=13;
// create a new file
  char name[] = "WRITE00.TXT";




// store error strings in flash to save RAM
#define error(s) error_P(PSTR(s))
void error_P(const char *str)
{
  PgmPrint("error: ");
  SerialPrintln_P(str);
  if (card.errorCode()) {
    PgmPrint("SD error: ");
    Serial.print(card.errorCode(), HEX);
    Serial.print(',');
    Serial.println(card.errorData(), HEX);
  }
  while(1);
}
/*
 * Write CR LF to a file
 */
void writeCRLF(SdFile &f)
{
  f.write((uint8_t *)"\r\n", 2);
}
/*
 * Write an unsigned number to a file
 */
void writeNumber(SdFile &f, uint32_t n)
{
  uint8_t buf[10];
  uint8_t i = 0;
  do {
    i++;
    buf[sizeof(buf) - i] = n%10 + '0';
    n /= 10;
  } while (n);
  f.write(&buf[sizeof(buf) - i], i);
}
/*
 * Write a string to a file
 */
void writeString(SdFile &f, char *str)
{
  uint8_t n;
  for (n = 0; str[n]; n++);
  f.write((uint8_t *)str, n);
}
void setup(void){
  pinMode(pinLed, OUTPUT);
  //and in void setup…SD card error 1,ff fix.
pinMode(CS, OUTPUT);
pinMode(MOSI, OUTPUT);
pinMode(MISO, INPUT);
pinMode(SCK, OUTPUT);
pinMode(10, OUTPUT);

  Serial.begin(9600);        // connect to the serial port
  Serial.println("Geiger Counter");
  writeString(file, " Geiger Counter ");
 
  //Repair for SD card errors.
 if (!card.init(true)) error("card.init");
 
  // initialize the SD card
  //if (!card.init()) error("card.init");
 
  // initialize a FAT volume
  if (!volume.init(card)) error("volume.init");
 
  // open the root directory
  if (!root.openRoot(volume)) error("openRoot");
 
 
if (file.open(root, name, O_CREAT | O_APPEND | O_WRITE))// break;
 writeString(file, " Geiger Counter ");
 // close file and force write of all data to the SD card
  file.close();
}
  void loop(){
// create a new file
  //char name[] = "WRITE00.TXT";
  // wait if any serial is going on
  FreqCounter::f_comp=10;   // Cal Value / Calibrate with professional Freq Counter
  FreqCounter::start(60000);  // 1 minuit Gate Time
  while (FreqCounter::f_ready == 0)
   frq=FreqCounter::f_freq;
  Serial.print(cnt++);
  Serial.print("  cpm: ");
  Serial.println(frq);
    delay(100);
  digitalWrite(pinLed,!digitalRead(pinLed));  // blink Led
 
 
//----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

  for (uint8_t i = 0; i< 1000; cnt++){
   name[5] = i/10 + '0';
   name[6] = i%10 + '0';
   if (file.open(root, name, O_CREAT | O_APPEND | O_WRITE)) break;
   
  if (!file.isOpen()) error ("file.create");}
  // write 100 line to file
  for (uint8_t i = 0; i < 100; i++){
    writeNumber(file, cnt),
    writeString(file, " cpm "),
    writeNumber(file, frq),
    writeCRLF(file),
 
  // close file and force write of all data to the SD card
  file.close();}
 
}

But it writes to a .txt file.

I am very new at this and I know there is many aspects I do not understand yet, But I am learning.

[Reply #9 on:]

use - f.write(buffer, strlen(buffer));

thinks it needs a typecast, like in writestring().

==>  f.write((uint8_t*)buffer, strlen(buffer));


for generating a csv file you just need to need to have the filename right:

char name[] = "WRITE00.TXT";     ==>  char name[] = "WRITE00.CSV";

I'll dive into the code later.

[Reply #10 on:]

int pinLed=13;
You want to use pin 13 for the LED while it is already in use by the SPI bus  ==> #define SCK 13

You need to use a free pin or remove this code for now

----- update -----
- rewrote your code so it compiled (WIN7, Arduino 21) 
- split the main loop a bit in separate functions.
- (most) things not needed removed.

Give it a try (cannot test it as I have not your SD-card or sensor).

Code:

// Geiger Counter example

/* Adapted by Tracy Albert from programing for a frequecy counter by,
 Martin Nawrath KHM LAB3
 Kunsthochschule f¸r Medien Kˆln
 Academy of Media Arts
 http://www.khm.de
 http://interface.khm.de/index.php/labor/experimente/
 */
#include <FreqCounter.h>
#include <SdFat.h>
#include <SdFatUtil.h>


#define CS 8
#define MOSI 11
#define MISO 12
#define SCK 13


///////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// VARAIABLES
//
Sd2Card card;
SdVolume volume;
SdFile root;
SdFile file;

char name[] = "GEIGER.CSV";

unsigned long frq = 0;
unsigned long cnt = 0;


///////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// FUNCTIONS
//

// store error strings in flash to save RAM
#define error(s) error_P(PSTR(s))

void error_P(const char *str)
{
  PgmPrint("error: ");
  SerialPrintln_P(str);
  if (card.errorCode()) {
    PgmPrint("SD error: ");
    Serial.print(card.errorCode(), HEX);
    Serial.print(',');
    Serial.println(card.errorData(), HEX);
  }
  while(1);  // effectively STOP the sketch
}


void writeToFile(char *fileName, char *str)
{
  if (file.open(root, fileName, O_CREAT | O_APPEND | O_WRITE))
  {
    file.write((uint8_t *)str, strlen(str));
    file.close();
  }
}



unsigned long getFrequency()
{
  unsigned long freq = 0;

  FreqCounter::f_comp=10;               // Cal Value / Calibrate with professional Freq Counter
  FreqCounter::start(60000L);           // 1 minuit Gate Time  L to force long.
  while (FreqCounter::f_ready == 0)
  {
    freq = FreqCounter::f_freq;
  }
  return freq;
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// SETUP
//
void setup(void)
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("Geiger Counter 0.1");

  // SD card error 1,ff fix.
  pinMode(CS, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MOSI, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(MISO, INPUT);
  pinMode(SCK, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(10, OUTPUT);

  // init all for SD access.
  if (!card.init(true)) error("card.init");
  if (!volume.init(card)) error("volume.init");
  if (!root.openRoot(volume)) error("openRoot");

  Serial.println("Setup ready");
}


///////////////////////////////////////////////////
//
// LOOP - FOREVER
//
void loop()
{
  // GET MEASUREMENT
  frq = getFrequency();

  // DISPLAY IT ON SERIAL
  Serial.print(cnt++);
  Serial.print("  cpm: ");
  Serial.println(frq);

  // WRITE TO FILE
  char buffer[32];
  // all fields comma separated so Excel can make a graph
  sprintf(buffer, "%ld,  cpm,  %ld, Hz \r\n", cnt, frq);

  writeToFile(name, buffer);
}

[Reply #11 on:]

Hi!

Please, take a look to the new tutorial related to Radiation Sensor Board for Arduino launched by Libelium in Cooking Hacks. You can improve the code using the SD to storage the data received from this board.

Stay tuned!

[Reply #12 on:]

thanks for the link above doomy. very helpful for my project.