A function to handle multiple datatypes

Using Arduino Programming Questions
51

Yes, I see.

Well, using templates ...

sendAnything.h

#include <Arduino.h>

template <typename T> void sendAnything (const T& value)
  {
  const byte* p = (const byte*) &value;
  for (unsigned int i = 0; i < sizeof value; i++) 
      Serial.write (*p++);
  }  // end of sendAnything

Sketch:

#include "sendAnything.h"

void setup ()
  {
  int MyInt;
  sendAnything(MyInt);
  }  // end of setup
  
void loop ()  {    }  // end of loop

Size:

Binary sketch size: 1,404 bytes (of a 32,256 byte maximum)

Using pointers ...

Sketch:

void sendAnything(const byte *value, unsigned int size)
{
  for (unsigned int i = 0; i < size; i++) 
    Serial.write(*value++);
}

void setup ()
  {
  int MyInt;
  sendAnything((const byte *)&MyInt, sizeof(MyInt));
  }  // end of setup
  
void loop ()  {   }  // end of loop

Size:

Binary sketch size: 1,442 bytes (of a 32,256 byte maximum)

So the templated version used less program memory.

Even if I send two different type (int and float) the templated version still is 6 bytes shorter. Of course, if you were sending dozens of types of data (would you actually do that?) then the pointer version would use less program memory.

Test on a Uno with 1.0.1.