Burning Bootloader

[es101]

Hi,

I am doing a project which will be a present for a friend. The arduino will be making a box lockable and for all intensive purposes the arduino will be 'embedded' and inaccessible.

Should I burn the bootloader with my sketch?

Or is this not what that means!?

Cheers

(please move to micro-controllers section if necessary)

[CrossRoads]

The arduino comes with a bootloader. Just put your sketch onto the arduino.
If for some reason you want the sketch to immediately start after a reset, or your friend not to be able to load a sketch via serial port, then get a programmer and use File:Upload Using Programmer to load the sketch.

[xl97]

hi..

1.) the best section to post this was probably here: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?board=67.0

as its dedicated for these question.. (mod will probably move it)


2.)the bootloader allows the board to 'pause/hang' and wait to see if a sketch is trying to be uploaded (new code).. if not.. it initiates/starts the code/firmware that is written on the main chip. You would be uploading your code over serial (RX/TX/V+/GND/DTR).

*the bootloader eats up some of your available room on the chip, so if you need more space, you might also consider not using it.
*if you opt to NOT have a bootloader your board will 'start' faster... (ie: no waiting for sketch uploads/check)


if you do NOT want a bootloader on the chip, you need to upload your code using the ICSP (SPI) pins (RESET, V+, GND, 13, 12, 11)  

if you mean embedded and inaccessible, means you can never program/update it again.. then (make sure everything is perfect).. and go with no bootloader..

are buying an Arduino board? or is this a custom board your making yourself?

if an Arduino board it should already have the bootloader on it.. in that case, just leave it (no harm)

if making a custom board, I always burn the bootloader at least once to set the fuses and all that crap thats beyond my skills to do/set manually..

then if needed.... I just overwrite it by uploading my sketch with (Upload as programmer) option using ICSP pins..

but its not like the bootloader takes along time or anything..

[nickgammon]

Should I burn the bootloader with my sketch?

Normally you use the (existing) bootloader to put the sketch there. So unless you have an ICSP programmer you have no alternative.

[Sembazuru]

Hi,

I am doing a project which will be a present for a friend. The arduino will be making a box lockable and for all intensive purposes the arduino will be 'embedded' and inaccessible.

Should I burn the bootloader with my sketch?

Or is this not what that means!?

Cheers

(please move to micro-controllers section if necessary)

This reminds me of the Reverse Geocache box that Mr. Mikal Hart (yes, the same one who's NewSoftSerial library became part of the Arduino 1.+ distribution of SoftwareSerial) did. Read through his blog http://arduiniana.org/projects/the-reverse-geo-cache-puzzle/ about the reverse geocache box and pay particular attention to some of the design elements for some gotchas that he avoided. He may even be able to give some pointers (I think I remember seeing him posting occasionally here) if asked politely and publicly.

There is also a tutorial for making a Reverse Geocache box in the AdaFruit learning system. See: http://learn.adafruit.com/reverse-geocache-engagement-box

Even if you plan on using another technique for unlocking the box (instead of gps coordinates like the above two examples), you should be able to get some good ideas about the physical latch and layout in the box.

Have fun!

[fungus]

Hi,

I am doing a project which will be a present for a friend. The arduino will be making a box lockable and for all intensive purposes the arduino will be 'embedded' and inaccessible.

"Intents and purposes", the phrase is "intents and purposes".

http://grammarist.com/eggcorns/for-all-intensive-purposes/

[nickgammon]

If it's a marriage proposal, that's pretty intensive.

[es101]

If it's a marriage proposal, that's pretty intensive.

It's not mate, but you're not far off haha.

Thanks everyone for your replies (except the grammar police )

Of FYI it's not a geocache box, but that leads me to an interesting thought as I wanted to do some more geocaching and was thinking about boxes. So Thanks!