Advice on very simple project for newbie please.

I read your requirement as:
I have a programmable Arduino board that I want to use in projects, but I don't want to have to learn how to program it, I just want it do what I want done. That's not going to be possible, best to sell your Arduino to someone else.

Lefty

Grumpy_Mike:

'm just looking for some help to get me going without having to understand everything...

Bad attitude.
Start understanding look here for a start.
Arduino Tutorial - Lesson 3 - Breadboards and LEDs

Thank's that is very helpful.

The rest of the posters here seem a rather grumpy unhelpful lot.........

The rest of the posters here seem a rather grumpy unhelpful lot.........

If you were to browse through just some of the many thousands of posts on these forums and noticed the abundance of patient, helpful replies from the same members that responded to your request for help, I think you would realize that they are not a 'rather grumpy, unhelpful lot'. To quote someone's words from a post of this thread:

isn't it best to be honest?

These guys give a lot of their own time and vast knowledge of all sorts of technical areas. If you cannot comply with their methods of assistance then perhaps a member here can create what circuitry and code you need for a small fee or exchange. Just ask. - Scotty

scottyjr:

The rest of the posters here seem a rather grumpy unhelpful lot.........

If you were to browse through just some of the many thousands of posts on these forums and noticed the abundance of patient, helpful replies from the same members that responded to your request for help, I think you would realize that they are not a 'rather grumpy, unhelpful lot'. To quote someone's words from a post of this thread:

isn't it best to be honest?

These guys give a lot of their own time and vast knowledge of all sorts of technical areas. If you cannot comply with their methods of assistance then perhaps a member here can create what circuitry and code you need for a small fee or exchange. Just ask. - Scotty

Yes they are grumpy, critical and superior. Just the sort of responses that drives people away - maybe that's what they want though - leave them alone in their little club??

Some are not giving any assistance at all so there's nothing for me to comply with., if they don't want to help me then there's no need to comment at all.

However if there is anyone around that woudl do the design & coding work for a fee I'd be very happy with that! The link I was given was very helpful & I just need a bit of help with .net now.

Hi Scotty jnr

Try contacting Crossroads, his signature says he is available for design / manufacturer, and hes not a grumpy guy at all :slight_smile:

maybe that's what they want though - leave them alone in their little club??

If you have spent any time looking at this forum you would know that it isn't true. However what you appear to be saying is "do my project for me and don't bother trying to teach me anything"

Occasionally we do have posters that say that and we would try and encourage you to change that attitude. After all we know how to do what you want, we know we can do it so there is no challenge, in fact no point in doing it for you.
What we love, absolutely love, is to help you to learn and come out of the experience with your arduino feeling great.

One poster said to me, "thanks for the help and also for allowing me the thrill of getting it right myself"

It is a thrill and I would like you to experience that. I think this video sums it up.

Hi Scotty jnr

Boffin1, it isn't Scotty with the problem here. Just thought you ought to know.

Some are not giving any assistance at all so there's nothing for me to comply with.

Of course, you don't count me in that group. After all, I moved your post to the correct section for you.

What we love, absolutely love, is to help you to learn and come out of the experience with your arduino feeling great.

Amen

@ Grumpy Mike and Awol, well said.

Hi,

Ok I take the point - I am sitting here surrounded by coloured flashing LEDs & yes it's a nice achievement.

My perspective is I am trying to achieve something specific, rather than earn to develop something else, in the search for what I want I came across Arduino. I realise that the capabilities of it are way more than I need, I just have no time to learn it all.

So, if I can start again, I now have the UNO doing what I want via the Arduino software - any tips on how to upload a program via .net? Preferrably visual basic?

Thanks

any tips on how to upload a program via .net?

Why make things hard and reinvent the wheel?
Just use the IDE and avrdude will do the rest.

If what you meant was how to develop a program in VB that talks to the Arduino, that is quite a different story.
http://arduino.cc/playground/Main/InterfacingWithSoftware
Take a peak at all the ways that a PC, phone, etc. can talk to the Arduino.

AWOL:

any tips on how to upload a program via .net?

Why make things hard and reinvent the wheel?
Just use the IDE and avrdude will do the rest.

Hi

Thanks but I'm not quite sure what you mean - could you expand pleae?

PaulS:
If what you meant was how to develop a program in VB that talks to the Arduino, that is quite a different story.
Arduino Playground - InterfacingWithSoftware
Take a peak at all the ways that a PC, phone, etc. can talk to the Arduino.

Hi.

That looks useful thanks.

I'm wondering if it's too complicated for what I'm after though.
I have a red led on pin 11 and a green led on pin 12.
My .net program just needs to send 4 commands:

  • both off
  • both flashing
  • red only on
  • green only on
    Is it possible to find out the code the arduino needs to do this and simply send it out to the serial port?

Is it possible to find out the code the arduino needs to do this and simply send it out to the serial port?

This is code that you write on the arduino. It is very simple code, you can find out how to do it by visiting the learning section of this web site.

I don't really want to have to learn a lot about the technology ...

...

GRSP:
Yes they are grumpy, critical and superior. Just the sort of responses that drives people away - maybe that's what they want though - leave them alone in their little club??

Yes, good idea. Go to a forum where they are prepared to help people who aren't prepared to learn anything. Wherever that is.

Wow - so helpful, why bother?

GRSP:
Hello

Well I really don't know where to start - even where to attach the LEDs.

I realise I was a bit blunt but isn't it best to be honest? I'm just looking for some help to get me going without having to understand everything...

Hi,
From what I have found and I am pretty new to all this too, is that you need a couple of things to get started.

The first is the Arduino IDE (integrated design environment), the main page has a download section just select your operating system.
Arduino has made a simple GUI (Graphical User Interface) for the IDE, and made it possible to "Flash" the AVR on your Arduino by just plugging it into a USB port on your computer.

The second thing you need is a "Sketch", the GUI mentioned above has a bunch built in already, and they provide one that turns an LED on or off. They even take into consideration that you may only have the Arduino PCB and no LED or Resistors, the Sketch uses the pin number 13 as the I/O so the LED on the Arduino flashes based on how you programmed the Arduino using the "Sketch"

Third thing you need is an idea, from there you can start asking people how to program certain things using programming languages you choose. For example if your a PHP guy you can ask people how to turn an LED on or off using the language, or ask how the Sketch on the Arduino communicates with the GUI you're constructing.

Not all Arduino applications need a GUI, the Arduino can also be programmed to interact with you and others without the computer, for example you may want to have some Christmas lights flash on and off to the music playing.

So what do you want to do with your newly acquired Arduino?

Cheers,

Rob
http://whatisacnc.com

Rob, I think if you look at the OP's profile, you'll find you're wasting your breath.

AWOL:
Rob, I think if you look at the OP's profile, you'll find you're wasting your breath.

Thanks for the tip :slight_smile: