Is there some sort of switch or something that people use for this?
Why are you constantly plugging/unplugging the USB cable? Are you doing it because you're using Arduino as a power source for your test projects/breadboard?
If that's the case, this is what I use:
B005D65LEG
B007PA7YUC
You can go to Amazon.com and search for those two part numbers.
One allows you to use a 9-volt battery to power your breadboard, and the other basically, does the same thing, but it has a power switch that allows you to just turn it on and off, instead of unplugging it all the time.
Those work fine for me and it saves all the ware and tare on Arduino from being used only as a power source for testing.
I guess you need to be more specific on why you need to keep plugging/unplugging the cable so someone can help you find the right part.
Yes, I'm using the arduino as a power source as described in the starter kit project book. If I understand things correctly, I can get the 9 volt unit you mentioned with the switch and feed those lines to my breadboard instead of feeding the lines coming out of my arduino uno board. If I do this, I can flip the power off on this new unit while keeping the arduino wired to my computer when making adjustments on the breadboard. Is that correct?
I use those all the time, they save a lot of hassle. With that second item, (the box/case) you can put the 9-volt battery inside the box and plug those two wires directly into your breadboard.
If you need to make changes, there is a switch on top of that box that will cut the power supply to the battery, so there is no need to unhook the wires every time.
The first item I listed will plug directly into the Adruino and allow it to be powered without a USB cable, so there is no reason to hook up the USB cable unless you need to transfer data to/from your computer.
Those are only a couple dollars, and they save a ton of hassle.
Thanks a lot for the info. This is exactly what I was looking for.