Updating analog sensor without using "void loop()"......

I currently have three analog sensors that update every 100ms. I have written a program that accomplishes this task when the code is inserted within "void loop" and works as it should. I have a menu program that has multiple menus, what i would like to do is insert this code into one of these menus. I have tried inserting the code into the menu function but the sensor does not update continuously, and I assume this is because the menu function is not part of or inside the "void loop". Is there a command I can try or a known way of manipulating code that does NOT run within "void loop" to update continuously?

Thank you in advance for your help and/or opinions.

Dave

You mean the code is stored inside it's own function? You simply need to call the function in the loop. You'd be better off, posting your code (Using the code tag) so that we have an idea of how you've set this up.

If you need to read those sensors every 100ms, you'll need a loop somewhere. You can out it anywhere, but you'll need a loop. Search for "blink without delay" and you'll see how this is done. Another option is to run a timer interrupt, and read the sensors in the ISR, but that's a little advanced.

Just do a loop, read the time using millis() and save this value. Each time through the loop, compare the current time with the saved time, and if the difference is at least 100ms, read the sensors.

skyjumper:
If you need to read those sensors every 100ms, you'll need a loop somewhere. You can out it anywhere, but you'll need a loop. Search for "blink without delay" and you'll see how this is done. Another option is to run a timer interrupt, and read the sensors in the ISR, but that's a little advanced.

Just do a loop, read the time using millis() and save this value. Each time through the loop, compare the current time with the saved time, and if the difference is at least 100ms, read the sensors.

Thats kinda of what i figured, I have to use a loop somewhere. Heres my dilemma, when I call sensors 1,2 & 3 in the loop under "menu #1" it works great, but when I switch to "menu #2" (which runs a different set of sensors) and call sensors 4,5 & 6 in the loop under "menu #2" all six sensors run over each other at the same time. Another words instead of running sensor 1,2 & 3 in "menu #1" then run sensor 3, 4 & 5 in "menu #2", they are running on top of each other after calling "menu #2". Its like "menu #1" does not clear or stop running when "menu #2" is called.

I will try to post a portion of the code, as I have already tried to post the complete program and it appears to exceed the character allowed.

Thanx!!
Dave

skyjumper:
If you need to read those sensors every 100ms, you'll need a loop somewhere. You can out it anywhere, but you'll need a loop. Search for "blink without delay" and you'll see how this is done. Another option is to run a timer interrupt, and read the sensors in the ISR, but that's a little advanced.

Just do a loop, read the time using millis() and save this value. Each time through the loop, compare the current time with the saved time, and if the difference is at least 100ms, read the sensors.

Heres a section of the code...

menu.getRoot().add(menu1Item1);
  menu1Item1.addRight(menu1Item2).addRight(menu1Item3);
  menu1Item1.add(menuItem1SubItem1).addRight(menuItem1SubItem2);
  menu1Item2.add(menuItem2SubItem1).addRight(menuItem2SubItem2).addRight(menuItem3SubItem3);
  menu.toRoot();        

}  // setup()...


void loop()
{

  readButtons();  //I splitted button reading and navigation in two procedures because 
  navigateMenus();  //in some situations I want to use the button for other purpose (eg. to change some settings)
  readSensors();
  
  Input = analogRead(A0);
  myPID.Compute();
  /************************************************
   * turn the output pin on/off based on pid output
   ************************************************/
  if(millis() - windowStartTime>WindowSize)
  { //time to shift the Relay Window
    windowStartTime += WindowSize;}
  if(Output < millis() - windowStartTime) digitalWrite(RelayPin,HIGH);
  else digitalWrite(RelayPin,LOW);
  
  
}  
          
 //loop()... 


void menuChanged(MenuChangeEvent changed){
  
  MenuItem newMenuItem=changed.to; //get the destination menu
 
  lcd.clear();
  lcd.setCursor(0,0); //set the start position for lcd printing to the second row
   
  if(newMenuItem.getName()==menu.getRoot()){
            
        lcd.setCursor(2, 1); // set the cursor to column 0, line 0
        lcd.print("PPO1");  // Print a message to the LCD.
    
        lcd.setCursor(8, 1); // set the cursor to column 6, line 0
        lcd.print("PPO2"); // Print a message to the LCD
    
        lcd.setCursor(14, 1); // set the cursor to column 12, line 0
        lcd.print("PPO3");  // Print a message to the LCD.
       
  }else if(newMenuItem.getName()=="SET POINT-->"){
        lcd.print("SET POINT-->");
      }else if(newMenuItem.getName()=="SET POINT MENU--->"){
        lcd.setCursor(0, 0);  
        lcd.print("   SETPOINT  MENU     ");
        lcd.setCursor(0,1); 
        lcd.print("  SV=       PV=     ");
      }else if(newMenuItem.getName()=="Item1SubItem2"){
        lcd.print("Item1SubItem2   ");
  }else if(newMenuItem.getName()=="TIME SETTINGS"){
        lcd.print("TIME SETTINGS");
      }else if(newMenuItem.getName()=="Item2SubItem1"){
        lcd.print("Item2SubItem1   ");
      }else if(newMenuItem.getName()=="Item2SubItem2"){
        lcd.print("Item2SubItem2   ");
      }else if(newMenuItem.getName()=="Item2SubItem3"){
        lcd.print("Item2SubItem3   ");
  }else if(newMenuItem.getName()=="Item--->3"){
      lcd.print("Item--->3           ");
  }
}

void menuUsed(MenuUseEvent used){
  
   
  
}


void  readButtons(){  //read buttons status
  int reading;
  int buttonEnterState=LOW;             // the current reading from the Enter input pin
  int buttonEscState=LOW;             // the current reading from the input pin
  int buttonLeftState=LOW;             // the current reading from the input pin
  int buttonRightState=LOW;          // the current reading from the input pin


  //Enter button
                  // read the state of the switch into a local variable:
                  reading = digitalRead(buttonPinEnter);

                  // check to see if you just pressed the enter button 
                  // (i.e. the input went from LOW to HIGH),  and you've waited 
                  // long enough since the last press to ignore any noise:  
                
                  // If the switch changed, due to noise or pressing:
                  if (reading != lastButtonEnterState) {
                    // reset the debouncing timer
                    lastEnterDebounceTime = millis();
                  } 
                  
                  if ((millis() - lastEnterDebounceTime) > debounceDelay) {
                    // whatever the reading is at, it's been there for longer
                    // than the debounce delay, so take it as the actual current state:
                    buttonEnterState=reading;
                    lastEnterDebounceTime=millis();
                  }
                  
                  // save the reading.  Next time through the loop,
                  // it'll be the lastButtonState:
                  lastButtonEnterState = reading;
                  

    //Esc button               
                  // read the state of the switch into a local variable:
                  reading = digitalRead(buttonPinEsc);

                  // check to see if you just pressed the Down button 
                  // (i.e. the input went from LOW to HIGH),  and you've waited 
                  // long enough since the last press to ignore any noise:  
                
                  // If the switch changed, due to noise or pressing:
                  if (reading != lastButtonEscState) {
                    // reset the debouncing timer
                    lastEscDebounceTime = millis();
                  } 
                  
                  if ((millis() - lastEscDebounceTime) > debounceDelay) {
                    // whatever the reading is at, it's been there for longer
                    // than the debounce delay, so take it as the actual current state:
                    buttonEscState = reading;
                    lastEscDebounceTime=millis();
                    
                  }
                  
                  // save the reading.  Next time through the loop,
                  // it'll be the lastButtonState:
                  lastButtonEscState = reading;  

                  //records which button has been pressed
                  if (buttonEnterState==HIGH){
                    lastButtonPushed=buttonPinEnter;

                  }else if(buttonEscState==HIGH){
                    lastButtonPushed=buttonPinEsc;

                  }else if(buttonRightState==HIGH){
                    lastButtonPushed=buttonPinRight;

                  }else if(buttonLeftState==HIGH){
                    lastButtonPushed=buttonPinLeft;

                  }else{
                    lastButtonPushed=0;
                  }                  
}


void readSensors(){
        
          lcd.setCursor(2, 2); //sets the cursor to column 0, line 1    
          inputReading1 = analogRead(sensor1); //getting the voltage reading from the 02 sensor    
          float voltage1 = inputReading1 * aref_voltage; // converting that reading to voltage 
          voltage1 /= 1024.0;    
          lcd.print(voltage1, 2);//print actual voltage to lcd    
          delay(200);
      
  
          lcd.setCursor(8, 2); //sets the cursor to column 6, line 1     
          inputReading2 = analogRead(sensor2); //getting the voltage reading from the temperature sensor    
          float voltage2 = inputReading2 * aref_voltage; // converting that reading to voltage
          voltage2 /= 1024.0; 
          lcd.print(voltage2, 2);  //print actual voltage to lcd
          delay(200);     
    
    
          lcd.setCursor(14, 2); //sets the cursor to column 12, line 2    
          inputReading3 = analogRead(sensor3); //getting the voltage reading from the temperature sensor    
          float voltage3 = inputReading3 * aref_voltage; // converting that reading to voltage 
          voltage3 /= 1024.0; 
          lcd.print(voltage3, 2);  //print actual voltage to lcd
          delay(200);}
          
          if(DateTime.available()) {
          lcd.setCursor(3, 1);
          unsigned long prevtime = DateTime.now();
          while( prevtime == DateTime.now() ); // wait for the second to rollover

          DateTime.available(); //refresh the Date and time properties
          digitalClockDisplay( ); // update digital clock
          }
            
       }
        
      
void navigateMenus() {
  MenuItem currentMenu=menu.getCurrent();
  
  switch (lastButtonPushed){
    case buttonPinEnter:
      if(!(currentMenu.moveDown())){  //if the current menu has a child and has been pressed enter then menu navigate to item below
        menu.use();
      }else{  //otherwise, if menu has no child and has been pressed enter the current menu is used
        menu.moveDown();
       } 
      break;
    case buttonPinEsc:
      menu.toRoot();  //back to main
      break;
    case buttonPinRight:
      menu.moveRight();
      break;      
    case buttonPinLeft:
      menu.moveLeft();
      break;      
  }
  
  lastButtonPushed=0; //reset the lastButtonPushed variable
}

Try timer1 library. You can use the timer to call your sensor function every 100ms.

Heres my dilemma, when I call sensors 1,2 & 3 in the loop under "menu #1" it works great, but when I switch to "menu #2" (which runs a different set of sensors) and call sensors 4,5 & 6 in the loop under "menu #2" all six sensors run over each other at the same time.

Some proper terminology would really help. You can't "call a sensor". The sensor is just not capable of responding to a "call".

As a result of the terminology, I can't really understand what you are doing with the sensors "under menu 1". Displaying a menu is a state. There are other things going on in that state, and different things that you need to be doing while waiting for user input to define what state to go to next.

You need to study the blinkWithoutDelay example and remove all the delay() calls in your code, its not the way to do things when you have to attend to more than one task at once.

PaulS:

Heres my dilemma, when I call sensors 1,2 & 3 in the loop under "menu #1" it works great, but when I switch to "menu #2" (which runs a different set of sensors) and call sensors 4,5 & 6 in the loop under "menu #2" all six sensors run over each other at the same time.

Some proper terminology would really help. You can't "call a sensor". The sensor is just not capable of responding to a "call".

As a result of the terminology, I can't really understand what you are doing with the sensors "under menu 1". Displaying a menu is a state. There are other things going on in that state, and different things that you need to be doing while waiting for user input to define what state to go to next.

Paul,
Thanx for your reply. I know my terminology may not be perfect but your ability to read the code I posted must not be very good either. I was hoping that someone with an extensive backround in arduino would be able to read the portion of code I posted and offer some ideas and /or a solution. I appreciate your efforts but please if you have nothing to suggest please do not reply to the post.

liudr:
Try timer1 library. You can use the timer to call your sensor function every 100ms.

Thank you!! I'll give it a go!!

MarkT:
You need to study the blinkWithoutDelay example and remove all the delay() calls in your code, its not the way to do things when you have to attend to more than one task at once.

Thank you for your input. I have studied the bilnk without delay and found that the sensors work really well with a small delay, and this is due to the RGB leds that have to flash with each sensor to indicate the current output.