The Complete Beginners Guide to the Arduino

I have decided to make my Complete Beginners Guide to the Arduino book available as a free download:-

http://earthshinedesign.co.uk/ASKManual/

This book is a work in progress. More projects will be added to it over time. It is aimed at the complete beginner.

If you find any errors in the book or would like to see any additions please let me know. Thanks.

Good job Mike.
Good contents, good look, good all.
Is "manual writing" yours? You write really well!

From page 36 of your starter kit manual:

if (x=5 && y=10) {....
This if statement will run it[ch700]s code only if x is 5 and
also y is 10.
|| means true if either operand is true, e.g. :
if (x=5 || y=10) {.....
This will run if x is 5 or if y is 10.
The ! or NOT statement means true if the operand is
false, e.g. :
if (!x) {.......
Will run if x is false, i.e. equals zero.
You can also [ch699]nest[ch700] conditions with parenthesis, for
example
if (x=5 && (y=10 || z=25)) {.......

I don't think you meant to use "=" there...

Andrew

Nathanivi - Yes I did i all from scratch.

Andrew - thanks, should have been == not = I know!

i'll take a look at that tonight and make any necessary changes.

Changes added. Thanks for your input.

I'll try and have a proper read of it soon, but at first glance it looks like a useful addition to the existing guides.

Andrew

Mike

Thank you very much for putting this together and making it available.

I've been using Arduino for a number of years but I think I'll still find your guide very useful. In particular, I like the fact that you've taken the time to explain the code in small parts.

Well done!

Thanks. Hope you'll find it of some use. More projects will be added over the next few weeks inluding:-

Scroll text marquee on dot matrix display
Using HD44780 LCD displays
Using 7-segment LED displays

Nice job, Mike ! :slight_smile:

Drat. I bought the Getting Started book, but yours is much better. I especially like that you spend time explaining how to determine resistor values. And explaining the need for protective parts, like diodes. The Make book gives the impression that all you need is big box of 10k resistors.

Thank you for making this available!

It looks to be the perfect tutorial. Really nice! Thanks for your generous contribution.

Errata. On page 12, paragraphs beginning "Now that" and ending with "Congratulations" are a repetition of paragraphs on page 11.

HTH

Errata: Project 1. The resistor is 150 ohm at the start of the project (parts image & text, p. 19), but becomes a 220 ohm at the end (parts image & text, p.23). The paragraph at the bottom of page 23 calculates that we need a 150 ohm resistor, but after the chart the first paragraph (page 24) says we need a 220 ohm resistor. The image shows a 220 ohm resistor

Finally, unless my eyes are deceiving me, the wiring schematic image (p.19) shows a 1000 ohm resistor.

I appreciate that you tell the reader to always wire a resistor in series with an LED -- I didn't get that from the equivalent section in the Make book. In fact, they put the LED across pin 13 and the gnd, giving the impression that resistors were optional.

Errata. Project 2. Commas are used instead of semi-colons in all "for" constructs and on all line endings throughout this chapter.

Thanks Mark for those errata. I have made the relevant changes and uploaded the amended version.

Thanks everyone else for the comments. Glad you appreciate the book. It took many months to create.

Hi Mike,

Wiring diagram on page 19 seems to be still showing a 1000 ohm resistor, though that could be my poor, sad eyes.

Page 30 the parts list calls for 220 ohm resistors, but text and wiring diagram indicate 150 ohm.

Am I correct to assume that wherever an LED connects directly there should be a 150 ohm resistor? Or are there some LED's that require a different size resistor?

By the way, the only reason I'm finding these potential problems is because you've created a document that's fun to read!

Thanks again,
Mark

That was probably me trying to quickly make the amendments this morning. I'll have a proper look at it as soon as I can. Thanks.

Thank you! :-*

On page 65, i think the wiring of the TIP120 isn't correct: you may have to swap pin 1 and 2 (base is 1, collector is 2).

However, this book is a very nice job, congratulations!

bye,
pedlo

Hi
i'm french
so like all french , my english is very bad ;D

but your job is very great...