not knowing c

Because i don't know how to program in c and i don't want to start learning c i want to ask if there is a way to program arduino with gwbasic or qbasic or liberty basic using a program like arduino debugger to upload the .bas file. :-?

thanks

No

There are BASIC compilers available for the processor in the Arduino (or at least that is the impression I get from a quick google for AVR BASIC Compiler). That said, if you choose to go that route you are in for a world of pain. Consider all the traps and pitfalls everyone has encountered and corrected for on the Golden Path of using the Arduino 'correctly'.

By swapping over to a BASIC compiler instead of the C++ preferred by Arduino enthusiasts you'd be heading off into the Dark Wood with no trail to follow, and no one at all to help you if you got lost.

That way lies madness.

Before you consider it I would suggest one of the two options below.

  1. Just learn C. No matter what you might have heard C is not 'harder' than BASIC. C is actually quite easy to learn and there's no good reason to shy away from it.

  2. Just use a BasicStamp instead of an Arduino. Seriously, if you're that committed to BASIC, then just use an environment that was developed for use with BASIC.

If you want to try it out then there's a page about using the Bascom-AVR Basic compiler with the Arduino here: http://www.rhombus-tek.com/BC4Arduino.html and a forum thread about it here (which got slightly heated): http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1202732771/21#21

Andrew

I agree with Fjornir

There is no "good" way to do it with BASIC, so you will either need to use a BASIC Stamp or PICAXE which uses a BASIC-like language or learn C and use a *duino

You can actually accomplish a lot with the C code in the arduino examples without knowing very much C

You may not want to learn C but C is a very good language to know, it definitely improves your resume!

:slight_smile:

/* Blinking LED
 * ------------
 *
 * turns on and off a light emitting diode(LED) connected to a digital  
 * pin, in intervals of 2 seconds. Ideally we use pin 13 on the Arduino 
 * board because it has a resistor attached to it, needing only an LED

 *
 * Created 1 June 2005
 * copyleft 2005 DojoDave <http://www.0j0.org>
 * http://arduino.berlios.de
 *
 * based on an orginal by H. Barragan for the Wiring i/o board
 */

int ledPin = 13;                 // LED connected to digital pin 13

void setup()
{
  pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);      // sets the digital pin as output
}

void loop()
{
  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);   // sets the LED on
  delay(1000);                  // waits for a second
  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);    // sets the LED off
  delay(1000);                  // waits for a second
}

THE REASON THAT I DON'T WANT TO LEARN C IS JUST THAT I HAVE LIMITED TIME AND I WANT JUST TO SPEND IT ON MY WEEKEND PROJECTS SO

I WOULD LIKE TO SAY THANKS TO ALL OF YOU THAT TAKE TIME TO HELP ME THANKS

oups sorry about the upper case letters :o I just notice.

IF YOU ARE WORRIED ABOUT LIMITED TIME AND ARE UNWILLING TO LEARN C THEN YOU REALLY SHOULD BE LOOKING AT A BASICSTAMP OR SOMETHING ELSE THAT USES BASIC BECAUSE ARDUINO IS WRONG FOR THAT.

But good luck!

A small comment... before you give up on microcontroller C, check out BASIC for microcontrollers. It is not the GWBASIC that you learned many years ago.

micro BASIC and micro C look almost the same. Small differences but calling it BASIC is bit of a stretch. In the end, you will still need to learn what pins you need to flip and when. Also the libraries make or break your ability to create code fast. The arduino has good community support with libraries for most things.

The arduino has the best add-on support of any chip that I have used. The wide variety of low-cost shields makes the arduino system very attractive.

However, if you have a project in mind that already has code available, buy whatever works for that project. When in doubt, buy both.

http://www.rev-ed.co.uk/picaxe/

BasicStamp uses PBASIC

PICAXE uses something similar

You cannot use gwbasic or qbasic

I think the Picaxe system would be your best choice to look into. Very inexpensive to get started and uses Basic as it's programming language. Their free windows based IDE has both a built in basic simulator and debugger. They also have a active forum of users.

Lefty