Struggling to receive the correct data from a IR Sensor. Help please...

Hi all, I'm struggling to " read " my Sharp IR GP2Y0D340K Sensor.

Firstly I want to know how to connect the sensor to the arduino. If have looked and followed the diagram of the sensor in the following link : http://sharp-world.com/products/device/lineup/data/pdf/datasheet/gp2y0d340k_e.pdf (note it's a pdf file). I have wired the sensor to the arduino by connecting the pin 1 of the sensor to the 3.3 V on the arduino, pin 2,4 and 5 of the sensor to the ground of the arduino with the neccesary componnets (capacitator and resistor), and pin 3 to the analog input pin of the arduino. Is this correct?

I then used the simple AnalogReadSerial aswell as a modified AnalogInOutSerial example in the library of the arduino. Again, is this correct? When I open the serial monitor I only receive a constant value which doesn't change if the sensors orientation changes or the distence changes. I know this a proximity sensor which only gives output values, I think of 1 and 0, but the sensor gives me readings from 0 to 1023, but these values differ on the start of the serial monitor , not through out the "running" of the code.

Can someone please help me with : connecting the sensor to the arduino correctly if it isn't and help me with reading the sensor correctly so that it only gives a value of 1 or 0.
Any help will be grately appreciated, or even just a link to website that can help me. Tnx all.

have wired the sensor to the arduino by connecting the pin 1 of the sensor to the 3.3 V on the arduino

The datasheet you linked shows operating voltage as 4.5 to 5.5V.

Tnx AWOL , but if also tried that, I'm am now getting readings of 1023 dropping to about 900 if a object is in front of the sensor, and a value from 0 to about 100 when there is no object. Any idea why its so inconsistnet? I would also like to know how to map these valuese to 0 and 1, is'nt this a proximity sensor which only gives a value of 1 and 0? Tnx very much

I would also like to know how to map these valuese to 0 and 1, is'nt this a proximity sensor which only gives a value of 1 and 0?

Yes, it is a digital device - why bother reading it with an analogRead?

You don't mention connecting Pin 6 to ground.

You don't mention providing the recommended bypass capacitor:

Advice for the power supply
• In order to stabilize power supply line, we recommend to insert a by-pass capacitor of 47 ?F or more between Vcc and GND near this product.

Tnx John and AWOL , if got every working and functioning correctly :). I only want to know wat is the siggnificence of connecting pin6 to ground and how do I reduce the distance that the sensor can receive?

It looks like pin 6 is just a shield - an extra case ground.
From the datasheet, it looks like the detection distance is fixed.