Thanks PaulS, I am going to have a look on the website

]What do these connect to:
dirPinX
(no dirPinX2?)
dirPinY
dirPinY2
stepPinX
(no stepPinX2?)
stepPinY
stepPinY2

I have 3 step motors, 1 for the x axis and 2 for the y axis. Each step motor needs a direction and step pin.

I am making a homemade printer that draws shapes and I'm trying to make a circle but the stepper motors  are not working good. They aren't as fluid as they should. Here is the code:

 

Code:

void loop() {
  for (int angle = 0; angle <360; angle ++) {
   float angleRad = angle*2*PI/360;
   x = int(xInicial + cos(angleRad) * radi);
   y = int(yInicial + sin(angleRad) * radi);
    if (x <0) {
       digitalWrite(dirPinX, LOW);
    }
    if (x >0) {
       digitalWrite(dirPinX, HIGH);
    }
    x = abs(x);
     if (y<0) {
      digitalWrite(dirPinY, LOW);
      digitalWrite(dirPinY2, LOW);
    }
    if (y>0) {
      digitalWrite(dirPinY, HIGH);
      digitalWrite(dirPinY2, HIGH);
    }
    x = abs(x);
    y = abs(y)*2;
    Serial.println(x);
    for (int i=0; i<x; i++) {
        digitalWrite(stepPinX, LOW);
        digitalWrite(stepPinX, HIGH);
        delayMicroseconds(200);
    }
    for (int j=0; j<y; j++) {
          digitalWrite(stepPinY, LOW);
          digitalWrite(stepPinY, HIGH);
          digitalWrite(stepPinY2, LOW);
          digitalWrite(stepPinY2, HIGH);
          delayMicroseconds(200);
      }
  }
  while(true); 
}

The I thought that if I could run the "X axis" FOR and the "Y axis" FOR at the same time I will solve the problem. Is there anyway to do it?

Thanks

Hey guys,

I have a problem. I bought two steppershttp://dlnmh9ip6v2uc.cloudfront.net/datasheets/Robotics/57BYGH420.PDF and two big easy driver http://www.schmalzhaus.com/BigEasyDriver/ to make them work. I connected them as it is shown in the website, but when I tried to make them go they didn't work. They make like strange noise and vibrate but don't actually move. I use a 500 power supply which gives 25A d.c. Where is the mistake?

Thanks

Is it still defined as
  String myArray[2];
?

Yes it is. The problem is that I don't know how to handle the incoming data. I mean a entire  word (e.g. RB) and an hole number (e.g 125) in a 2 positions char array.

Ok, now I understood your code and I've modified a bit but I'm still getting wrong values in the serial monitor.

Here is the code

Code:

void loop() {
  if (Serial.available() >=7) {
    char c_Temp[3] = {0,0,0};
    c_Temp[0] = Serial.read();
    c_Temp[1] = Serial.read();
    c_Temp[2] = Serial.read();
    if (c_Temp[2] = ',') {
      myArray[0] = c_Temp;
    }
    c_Temp[0] = Serial.read();
    if(c_Temp[0] !=0) {
    c_Temp[1] = Serial.read();
      if (c_Temp[1] !=0) {
        c_Temp[2] = Serial.read();
      }
     myArray[1] = c_Temp;
    } else {
     myArray[1] = 0;
    }
  Serial.println(myArray[0]);
  delay (50);
}

Serial.println prints:

Code:

R,......
B,,....
RB,....
R,....

,....
0
,....
10,....
,1,....
B,,....
RB,....

if you are expecting a certain sequence it is better to wait for enough data rather than do stuff when anything is available.

The problem is that I don't know how long is going to be the value 'cause it may vary from 0 to 255.

And I am still having the same trouble parsing the string into array. Sorry these gets quite complicated for me.

Thank you for reply,

I tried to use your improvements, and I am getting bad values:

Code:

,1
RB

This is the code:

Code:

  if (Serial.available() > 0) {
     /*int h=Serial.available();   
        // if you are getting escape -characters try h--; here
      for (int i=0;i<h;i++){
             //inData += (char)Serial.read(); 
         }*/
         char c_Temp[3] = { 0, 0, 0 };
         c_Temp[0] = Serial.read();
         c_Temp[1] = Serial.read();
         Serial.read();
         myArray[0] = c_Temp;
         c_Temp[0] = Serial.read();
         c_Temp[1] = Serial.read();
         myArray[1] = c_Temp;
   }
   Serial.println(myArray[0]);
   Serial.println(myArray[1]);
   

Using if(Serial.available()>0) I am losing 0 values, for example if I send value 10, I just get back 1. I don't know if you understand me.

Hey guys,

I thought that splitting strings was easier than in fact it is. Here is my code:

Code:

String inData;
String myArray[2];

void loop() {
  inData = "";
  if (Serial.available() > -1) {
     int h=Serial.available();   
      for (int i=0;i<h;i++){
             inData += (char)Serial.read();
         }
   }

From serial, I am getting and string like: RB,35
the inData var stores the string and than it has to be split into an array like: myArray[0] = RB ; myArray[1] = 35;
So the first data is a word and the second data is a value from 0 to 255.

I had a look at this topic http://www.arduino.cc/cgi-bin/yabb2/YaBB.pl?num=1247911854 but I don't know how to implement it in my sketch because they are using char instead of string.

thank you.

Yes, in fact the code is working good, the encoder is counting from 0 to 255, if I turn the knob clockwise and it reverses if I go counterclockwise. First problem is that "almost" ,and I say almost 'cause is not always, every time it counts +4 steps or -4 depending the direction. Using this code I could know if the weather vane is turning clockwise or counter clockwise, but I can't get the actually position of the knob to determinate north, south, east, west.

Hey guys,

I bought a rotary encoder from sparkfun (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9117). I have never worked with rotary, first I thought that it was like a potentiometer, but it doesn't. So my question is: Is it possible to know the direction of the encoder?
I want to built a weather vane using this encoder as a way to know the direction of the wind. (N,S,E,W).

I've this piece of code from http://www.circuitsathome.com/mcu/programming/reading-rotary-encoder-on-arduino, but I don't understand almost anything, even reading the website which is explained. Maybe it is not the best way to start.

Thank you.

Code:

/* Rotary encoder read example */
#define ENC_A 14
#define ENC_B 15
#define ENC_PORT PINC
 
void setup()
{
  /* Setup encoder pins as inputs */
  pinMode(ENC_A, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(ENC_A, HIGH);
  pinMode(ENC_B, INPUT);
  digitalWrite(ENC_B, HIGH);
  Serial.begin (115200);
  Serial.println("Start");
}
 
void loop()
{
 static uint8_t counter = 0;      //this variable will be changed by encoder input
 int8_t tmpdata;
 /**/
  tmpdata = read_encoder();
  if( tmpdata ) {
    Serial.print("Counter value: ");
    Serial.println(counter, DEC);
    counter += tmpdata;
  }
}
 
/* returns change in encoder state (-1,0,1) */
int8_t read_encoder()
{
  static int8_t enc_states[] = {0,-1,1,0,1,0,0,-1,-1,0,0,1,0,1,-1,0};
  static uint8_t old_AB = 0;
  /**/
  old_AB <<= 2;                   //remember previous state
  old_AB |= ( ENC_PORT & 0x03 );  //add current state
  return ( enc_states[( old_AB & 0x0f )]);
}

They've been wired normally. 3 pins for each component. Voltage,ground and analog in. proximity sensor is in A1 and microphone in A2
The code is just for the electret microphone as I said before. Because the problem appears when I wire the proximity sensor at the same voltage line of the microphone.

Hey guys,

I am having a trouble when I connect and infrared proximity sensor (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/242) and an preamplified electret microphone (http://www.sparkfun.com/products/9964).
When I connect the sensors separately, they work perfect, but when I connect both together the electret microphone reads signal of 1023 (5V) at all time.

Do I have to get the voltage from different power sources? That would be very weird.

Thanks,

Here I leave you the electret mic sketch to read the signal if its necessary.

Code:

const int micPin = A2;   
int valueMic = 0;
int valueMicMax = 512;
int valueMicMin = 512;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  for (int i =0; i < 100; i++){
    valueMic = analogRead(micPin);
    if (valueMic > valueMicMax){
      valueMicMax = valueMic;
    } else {
     if (valueMic < valueMicMin){
      valueMicMin = valueMic;
      }
    } 
  }
  valueMic = valueMicMax-valueMicMin;
  Serial.println(valueMic);
  valueMicMax = 512;
  valueMicMin = 512;
}

I am a bit lost with which would be the best choice.

This one using an IR LED and a photoresistor:

http://www.reconnsworld.com/ir_ultrasonic_basicirdetectemit.html

or this one using a QRD1114 IR emitted / Phototransistor.

http://bildr.org/2011/03/various-proximity-sensors-arduino/

Then an IR LED and a IR receiver would be a the best choice? Because maybe the hole isn't always completely dark.