I am using the new Ping library with my code and have hit a dead end. My code is running a SparkFun stepper motor in a loop where it slowly increments the RPM. I eventually want to control the speed based on the distance measurement from my Ping((( sensor, but I've dumbed it down to find the error. It's not the best code for my motor, but for example sake it works. The problem is that even though I use the ping_timer like in the example calling:
sonar.ping_timer(echoCheck);
stops the motor from moving. once I comment that line out the motor starts working again. below is the code. any ideas?
#include <NewPing.h>
#include <AFMotor.h>
#define TRIGGER_PIN 7 // Arduino pin tied to trigger pin on the ultrasonic sensor.
#define ECHO_PIN 7 // Arduino pin tied to echo pin on the ultrasonic sensor.
#define MAX_DISTANCE 200 // Maximum distance we want to ping for (in centimeters). Maximum sensor distance is rated at 400-500cm.
AF_Stepper motor(200, 1);
NewPing sonar(TRIGGER_PIN, ECHO_PIN, MAX_DISTANCE); // NewPing setup of pins and maximum distance.
unsigned int pingSpeed = 1000; // How frequently are we going to send out a ping (in milliseconds). 50ms would be 20 times a second.
unsigned long pingTimer; // Holds the next ping time.
int rpm =10;
void setup(){
Serial.begin(115200);
pingTimer = millis(); // Start now.
Serial.println("Stepper test!");
motor.setSpeed(100); // 100 rpm
motor.step(100, FORWARD, SINGLE);
Serial.println("step done");
motor.release();
delay(1000);
}
void loop(){
// Notice how there's no delays in this sketch to allow you to do other processing in-line while doing distance pings.
if (millis() >= pingTimer) { // pingSpeed milliseconds since last ping, do another ping.
pingTimer += pingSpeed; // Set the next ping time.
sonar.ping_timer(echoCheck); // Send out the ping, calls "echoCheck" function every 24uS where you can check the ping status.
}
Serial.print("setting RMP = ");
Serial.println(rpm);
motor.setSpeed(rpm);
Serial.println();
Serial.println();
motor.step(100, FORWARD, SINGLE);
rpm = rpm +10;
delay(1000);
}
void echoCheck() { // Timer2 interrupt calls this function every 24uS where you can check the ping status.
// Don't do anything here!
if (sonar.check_timer()) { // This is how you check to see if the ping was received.
// Here's where you can add code.
Serial.print("Ping: ");
Serial.print(sonar.ping_result / US_ROUNDTRIP_CM); // Ping returned, uS result in ping_result, convert to cm with US_ROUNDTRIP_CM.
Serial.println("cm");
}
}