"Error Message" Interpretation

Hi folks, I am banging my head against a brick wall trying to interpret "error messages". Is there a straight forward dictionary of "error messages"? in my attempts at searching my "error messages" I get lots of good examples of other peoples projects with the same "error message" as mine, but does not help me as the answers are not relevant to my project. I am trying to "stop" or "end" my sketch after one run and was advised to use " void loop() { } ." each attempt gave error message, " redefinition of void loop" or "unqualified-id", What exactly do they mean? Help would be much appreciated. Chez7.

Put your main code in void setup() and then put nothing in void loop(). With nothing inside of void loop there will be no repeating code and it just loops forever.

Thanks ElectricWater, will try that Chez7.

Hi Electric Water, Tried your suggestion, not working. When you say void loop() "put nothing in it " I assume you mean type "void loop() { } ". I have tried this where void loop currently sits, no go, I have shifted it to end of sketch, still no go. Where am I going wrong. Im sure theres a simple solution, Cheers
Chez7.

//Example 01 : Blinking LED

define LED 13 // LED connected to

//digital pin 13

void setup ()

{
pinMode( LED, OUTPUT ) ; // Sets the digital pin as output.

}

void loop()
{
digitalWrite( LED, HIGH); //Turn the Led on

delay(4000); // Waits for

digitalWrite(LED, LOW); // Turns led off

delay (4000) ; // Waits for

digitalWrite( LED, HIGH); //Turn the Led on

delay(500); // Waits for

digitalWrite(LED, LOW); // Turns led off

delay(500); // Waits for

}

There are a couple of ways to do what you want.
One way is to put all your code into setup like this:

void setup ()

{
   pinMode( LED, OUTPUT ) ;   // Sets the digital pin as output.
   digitalWrite( LED, HIGH);  //Turn the Led on
 
  delay(4000);               // Waits for
 
  digitalWrite(LED, LOW);    // Turns led off
 
  delay (4000) ;             // Waits for 
 
   digitalWrite( LED, HIGH);  //Turn the Led on
   
   delay(500);               // Waits for
 
 digitalWrite(LED, LOW);    // Turns led off
 
  delay(500);               // Waits for

}

 void loop()
{
 
}

Another way is to add while(1) or for( ; ; ) at the end of loop. Either of these is always satisfied so the code will hang at those lines.

# define LED 13  // LED connected to
                //digital pin 13
               
void setup ()

{
   pinMode( LED, OUTPUT ) ;   // Sets the digital pin as output.
}

 void loop()
{
   digitalWrite( LED, HIGH);  //Turn the Led on
 
  delay(4000);               // Waits for
 
  digitalWrite(LED, LOW);    // Turns led off
 
  delay (4000) ;             // Waits for 
 
   digitalWrite( LED, HIGH);  //Turn the Led on
   
   delay(500);               // Waits for
 
 digitalWrite(LED, LOW);    // Turns led off
 
  delay(500);               // Waits for

  while(1);  // this will loop forever right here 
}

This compiles just fine (sorry about the crap formatting)

//Example 01 : Blinking LED 

# define LED 13  // LED connected to 
                //digital pin 13
                
void setup () 

{ 
 pinMode( LED, OUTPUT ) ;   // Sets the digital pin as output.
    digitalWrite( LED, HIGH);  //Turn the Led on
  
  delay(4000);               // Waits for 
  
  digitalWrite(LED, LOW);    // Turns led off
  
  delay (4000) ;             // Waits for  
  
   digitalWrite( LED, HIGH);  //Turn the Led on
   
   delay(500);               // Waits for 
 
 digitalWrite(LED, LOW);    // Turns led off 
 
  delay(500);               // Waits for
  
}

 void loop()
{ 

}

Rob

Thanks, Rob and RoyK, I see now where I was going wrong, works spot on now. Cheers Chez7

Chez7:
Hi folks, I am banging my head against a brick wall trying to interpret "error messages". Is there a straight forward dictionary of "error messages"? in my attempts at searching my "error messages" I get lots of good examples of other peoples projects with the same "error message" as mine, but does not help me as the answers are not relevant to my project.

Just to touch on the original question... The canonical solution is in fact to just search for the error message and work out what's happening to other folks. I originally learned to program before this resource was available, and I'll say it's now MUCH faster to learn new tech because of it.

And then the other solution is to do just as you did -- post to a forum. Usually it's best to include the actual code causing the error and the actual error you get.

Thanks, Maniacbug, your advice noted,Chez7