Greetings from a arduino newbe,
Note I am not a newbe with programming, computing, nor a newbe with basic electronics, just with arduino.
I was just given an arduino, and told to look at the web site.
Well the web site is great. Software download/install instructions was good (simple yum install to a fedora system), as is the first basic 'sketch' (funny name when their is no diagram with them!) known as 'blink' (to blink the onboard LED).
But what is really missing is the step between these two. That is the how to guide to start the software, and actually setup and run it. For example.
Do you have to plug in a power supply or can it run of the USB, for at least that first 'sketch'?
What do you do to run that first sketch?
Also the GUI sucks, and I would prefer to use my own editor, but how do you do things without the GUI, from the command line.
If fact what are the commands that you can use?
These are sort of very very basic things that any newbe that has a 'clue' needs to know, but is not listed anywhere I've been able to find on the web site.
Basically a simple basic page that goes between 'download software' and 'learning the first sketch'.
Hopefully someone can at least point me to this basic info!
Basically a simple basic page that goes between 'download software' and 'learning the first sketch'.
Not a bad idea. Draft something for us to review.
Also the GUI sucks, and I would prefer to use my own editor, but how do you do things without the GUI, from the command line.
If fact what are the commands that you can use?
These are not really things a newbie needs to be concerned about. The editor is not great, but it performs well enough for small sketches.
There are plenty of threads that talk about how to use external editors, and alternative build processes. Let the newbies discover them AFTER learning how to program, how to perform basic troubleshooting, and how to connect basic sensors, lights, etc. to the Arduino.
The ideal place for this initial information would probably added to the led 'blink' sketch, seeing as that is the first fundamentals pointed to. Just something is needed as a 'first steps' guide, between software and first sketch! Does not have to be much either, just the initial stuff that is 'obvious' to anyone who has already used it, but not 'obvious' to something who hasn't!
There is a very sharp 'first step' for a beginner to to get over. I think most would have a friend or workshop class to get though it, but it is just something the web site should cover.
One point I finally was able to answer after a search, whcih would be useful for that first step guide, is that no external power is needed for just that first led blink' sketch. If I knew that before I would have been able to start immediately, rather than having to wait until I can get a external power supply from elsewhere! Arrgghhh....
Fair enough for the command line stuff, though a summery of the commands on say the "environment" page would be useful, at least as a starting point. Especially to run "arduino" to start the GUI. I still haven't found it mentioned anywhere, not even the software install page as a 'test'. I only figured that out by trial and error!
Actually I was surprised that this first 'blink pin 13 led' sketch did not seem to be in the GUI library! The one called 'blink' in the GUI is for a larger LED display, not just the on board led.
I did notice a number of times links to specific board information but my board was not listed!
In fact it is not even listed on that hardware page either! It looks line the 'Uno' picture on the hardware page you pointed out, but is a Arduino Duemilanove, which the Uno description says it is similar to!
That can be added to the 'first steps' or "assumed information" page that is needed on the web site.
Now that I finally 'learned' that an external power supply is not needed to at least initially 'play' with the device,
I plugged it in to the computer.
The 'L' light was flashing in a 1 second on/off cycle, so I assumed the person who gave it to me (gift) had already run a 'led blink' program. I selected the right serial port, and up loaded a 'led blink' sketch with a slightly faster cycle (1/2 second). Finally confident I knew what I was doing.
The Tx/Rx lights flash, and then the the on board 'L' goes solid, no more blink!
Arrgghhh... Have not been able to get any further than that, not errors in GUI
But that is now beyond 'basics', and I'll work through troubleshooting for it.
The 'L' light was flashing in a 1 second on/off cycle, so I assumed the person who gave it to me (gift) had already run a 'led blink' program.
No. The chip is flashed at the factory, to test that it works. The blink sketch gives a good visual clue, with no external hardware required.
I selected the right serial port, and up loaded a 'led blink' sketch with a slightly faster cycle (1/2 second)...Have not been able to get any further than that, not errors in GUI
But that is now beyond 'basics', and I'll work through troubleshooting for it.
One step that often works is to post your code, and let others with more experience look at it.
That web site could use some updates, but it was essentially what I was looking for, a step-by step guide to getting started with using the arduino for the first time and probably should be added to the "Getting started" Web page.
As for my 'led blink' problem. Well it has taken a really strange twist, in that what is essentially equivalent code, working in one case but not the other. I will now post the specific problem in Trouble shooting.