next topic »

[on:]

Hi,

I'm adapting the basic xBee doorbell project from 'Building wireless sensor networks' by Robert Faludi which involves two xbees and two arduino boards. I'm having some arduino code problems.

What I want the system to do is turn on a light based on the value from the LDR sensor OR print out a message when a button is pressed. At the moment the best I can do is have both sensors triggering the same action (flashing LED). I have tried to make them trigger seperate actions by using the code below, but it doesn't work.

Code on arduino1:

 if(photocellReading<lightsetting) {
           Serial.print('D');
           delay(100); //prevents port being overwhelmed
        }
  if (digitalRead(BUTTON) == LOW) {
    Serial.print('H');
    delay(100); // prevents overwhelming the serial port i increased the delay
  }

Code on receiving arduino2:

if (Serial.available() > 0) {
    if (Serial.read() == 'D'){
      digitalWrite(BELL, HIGH);
      delay(10);
      digitalWrite(BELL, LOW);
    }

else if (Serial.read() == 'H'){
     Serial.print("hey");
    }
  }

I've just started using xbees, and have looked around online but i cant understand why the code  'if (Serial.read() == 'H' || 'D')'   responds to both the LDR and push button but when i try to seperate them it only listens to one of them.

I would really appreciate any help on this!

Thanks!

Maraesa

[Reply #1 on:]

Hey everyone!

Seems I managed to fix the problem myself by looking at this post and incorporating the responses http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,91707.0.html

I declared a variable at the top: 'char val';

And then rather than putting 'Serial.read()' into my if loop, i instead placed the serial value into the 'val' variable, and inserted 'val' into the if loop.

My new code looks like this

char val;

if (Serial.available() > 0) {
val=Serial.read();
    if (val == 'D'){
      //ring the bell briefly
      digitalWrite(BELL, HIGH);
      delay(10);
      digitalWrite(BELL, LOW);
      // uncomment the next line if you don't have an oscillating buzzer
      //tone(BELL, 440, 100);
    }

if (val == 'H'){
     Serial.print(Serial.read());
    }
  }

It's still coming up with '-1's in the serial window rather than actual words but it's a start If anyone can explain why thats happening, please let me know.

Thanks,

Maraesa

[Reply #2 on:]

It's still coming up with '-1's in the serial window rather than actual words but it's a start smiley If anyone can explain why thats happening, please let me know.

Well, of course it is.

Code:

if (val == 'H'){
     Serial.print(Serial.read());
    }

Why are you trying to print what you are reading from the serial port to the serial port? I thought you said you wanted to print a specific message...

[Reply #3 on:]

Hiya yes i'd figured that out lol

[Reply #4 on:]

Thanks for your help. Will now close this topic