Is there a "How to"

[petere]

I am a returning member.  According the the records presented to me once I recovered my password indicate that I have a grand total of two posts since early 2013 of which I have no recollection whatsoever.

My question is is there a how to for the use of the site?  I am at a total loss oh how to use the site.  The terminology also leaves me floundering.  Is there a glossary of the terms used on the sit? For example what is SMC or something sounding similar on the screen presented after logging in.  Another one on that page was "tembo" or "tambo" or a variation of them.  I am not expecting to be hand held for programming but some help re he site is what I am after.

Why I tried to get to the forum was to ask about "invalid libraries".  What makes a library invalid? I modified one or two to suit my purposes over three years ago and they worked at that time.  Will they now be "broken: as there were used with Arduino v1.1.05 I think it was ( the one supplied in the Linux Mint repositories) to the current 1.1.12.

[Robin2]

Perhaps this link which is near the top of every section of the Forum  How to use this forum - please read.


I have no idea how you could have encountered anything about invalid libraries. How were you trying the "get to the Forum" ?

...R

[petere]

Robin2

Thank you for the reply.  Tanks for the heads up for the how to use the forum post.  I did not read it because I was after how to use the entire site and did not want to go into a 12 hour session of confusion just to find that out.
Perhaps you are right, I should have done so.

Re the invalid libraries error it was not on the web site but on the application when I tried to check compile something.  I read today of some RTC library that had been made invalid in version 1.6.1.   That is something very very confusing re the arduino site, that is being able to find the same page twice. 

I feel like chucking it all in if the website is so friggin' confusing, because installing libraries with the library manager also failed, it still won't compile because that library is said to be missing when I can see it in my file system,

Thank you for your efforts mate.  cheers

[Robin2]

Re the invalid libraries error it was not on the web site but on the application when I tried to check compile something.  I read today of some RTC library that had been made invalid in version 1.6.1.   That is something very very confusing re the arduino site, that is being able to find the same page twice. 

I feel like chucking it all in if the website is so friggin' confusing, because installing libraries with the library manager also failed, it still won't compile because that library is said to be missing when I can see it in my file system,

In one paragraph you say it was not on the website and in the next paragraph you say the website is confusing.

Can you see how I am confused?
 
This Forum and the Arduino IDE that runs on your PC and which is used to compile and upload programs are completely separate.

If you are having a problem installing a particular library (or anything else) and if you describe what you are trying to do and post the error messages you are getting I'm sure somebody will be along with advice within an hour or two.

...R

[pert]

Is there a glossary of the terms used on the sit?

This may help:
http://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/HomePage
Other than that, Google is your friend.

I have a grand total of two posts since early 2013 of which I have no recollection whatsoever.

Here they are: http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=158763

what is SMC or something sounding similar on the screen presented after logging in.

If you actually want help you need to provide more information.

Another one on that page was "tembo" or "tambo" or a variation of them.

What page? You need to provide exact and complete information, not some vague garbage that is just going to waste our time and yours.

What makes a library invalid?

There are two causes of the "Invalid library" warning that I've seen:

• It's not a library. Frequently the issue is caused by people putting sketches(other than the example sketches included with the library) in the libraries folder but it could be caused by anything else that's not a library.
• It is a library but the library folder is not in the root of the libraries folder.

Will they now be "broken: as there were used with Arduino v1.1.05 I think it was

Libraries that were valid with older Arduino IDE versions are still valid with the current IDE. The difference is the old IDE versions didn't give a warning message about the useless stuff you had cluttering up your libraries folder and the current version does. There has never been an "Arduino v1.1.05".

the current 1.1.12.

There has never been an Arduino IDE 1.1.12. You probably mean 1.6.12, the most recent version of the Arduino IDE. It might sound like I'm being picky but successful programming requires you to be very precise and if you want to be effective at being helped you're going to need to take the same approach here on the forum. Make the effort to provide correct information if you want us to make the effort to help you.

Perhaps you are right, I should have done so.

No perhaps about it.

Re the invalid libraries error it was not on the web site but on the application

You should have made that clear. This is exactly what I'm talking about. You completely failed to explain what your issue was.

"the application" is called the Arduino IDE. Why not make the effort to say that. There are millions of applications, be precise!!!

That is something very very confusing re the arduino site, that is being able to find the same page twice.  

That's not a problem with the "arduino site". You will find the same issue with the internet in general. The solution is to become proficient with bookmarks, browser history, search engines, taking notes, and other research tools.

I feel like chucking it all in if the website is so friggin' confusing,

Maybe someone could help you with the problem if you actually explained what it was. So far you haven't really asked many specific questions we can attempt to answer.

installing libraries with the library manager also failed

We can definitely help you with these issues but you just need to make the effort to give us enough information. What evidence do you have that installing the library via Library Manager failed?

it still won't compile because that library is said to be missing when I can see it in my file system

Post your code USING CODE TAGS(</> button on the toolbar).
When you get an error compiling or uploading you will see a button on the right side of the orange bar "Copy error messages". Click that button. Then paste the error in a message here on the forum USING CODE TAGS.

[petere]

Robin2

Thanks for the further reply.

Sorry for confusing you there.  I had the invalid library issue with the IDE and was trying to find out why.  That was when I found the website confusing as I could not find the same page twice,possibly forgetting which search got me there.   That was two separate issues, sorry.  My problem was that my first "check compile"  with v 1.6.12 threw up the invalid libraries when the "invalid" libraries were not being used.

[Robin2]

Thank for explaining that more clearly. However if you want help with your compiling problem you will need to provide the relevant information - such as your program code and a link to the source of the library.

...R