This version of the software sees major changes in the codebase for the Arduino development environment (IDE). Its code base has been resynched with Processing (1.0.3) and now support multiple windows and other new features. Arduino 0017 also includes new icons, design and artwork created by Thomas Gläser (envis precisely).
Changes include:
[documentation / examples]
* Many new and revised examples from Tom Igoe.
[core / libraries]
* Updated LiquidCrystal library by Limor Fried. See reference for details.
* Updated Firmata library to version 2.1 (rev. 25).
* Replaced the Servo library with one (MegaServo) by Michael Margolis.
Supports up to 12 servos on most Arduino boards and 48 on the Mega.
* Improving the accuracy of the baud rate calculations for serial
communication (fixing double-speed problems on 8 MHz Arduino boards).
Thanks to gabebear.
[environment]
* Synchronized with the Processing 1.0.3 code base (rev. 5503), bringing
many improvements (listed below).
* New icons and about image by Thomas Glaser (envis precisely).
* Support for multiple sketch windows.
* The serial monitor now has its own window.
* Comment / Uncomment menu item (in Edit) and keyboard shortcut.
* Increase and Decrease Indent menu items (in Edit) and keyboard shortcuts.
* Support for third-party libraries in the SKETCHBOOK/libraries folder.
* Libraries are now compiled with the sketch, eliminating the delay when
switching boards and the need to delete .o files when changing library
source code.
* Arduino now comes as an app file (in a dmg) on the Mac.
* Adding the Arduino Nano w/ ATmega328 to the Tools > Board menu.
First impression: Nice but i have two small ideas..
In the Serial window it would be nice to have two buttons besides Send: Restart and Reconnect.
Restart sends a reset signal to the Arduino and Reconnect simply tries to establish a new serial connection (e.g. you have shortned the Arduino and the COM becomes temporarily unavailable - in that case you have to close and reopen the serial window)
Secondly - do you really have to show that splash? If it is not vitally needed it would be nice to have a option either in preferences or preferences.txt to skip that one..
But all in all.. it is, some sort of, nice update :0)
(and still.. PLEASE make Shift+Backspace deactivatable! Its not 9-Finger friendly!)
Previous versions start up with the last sketch used. V17 doesn't although the location IS stored in preferences.txt. Is there some switch that needs to be set and I'm missing it?
Also it sure would be nice if the app opened with the last window sizes and positions. All that stuff is stored but it always comes up at the defaults. This isn't new with 017.
Finally are the settings in preferences.txt documented somewhere?
You should put libraries in the libraries sub-directory of your Arduino sketchbook folder (e.g. ~/Documents/Arduino on Mac or My Documents/Arduino on Windows). You'll need to create the libraries/ directory. This way, libraries can stick around when you upgrade the version of Arduino. I'll try to update the documentation soon.