A crazy problem with while loop :(

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

Hello Guys,

I have this crazy problem, I don't know why I couldn't come with a proper solution.

Story: I want to turn the robot to a some degree (30 degrees) according to sensor readings. for example if right is blocked turn 30 degrees left and check if front is free move forward else check if left is free turn 30 degrees left.
I am using a compass to read the current bearing. if moving right add 30 degress to current compass reading and turn right until new compass reading is between previous comapss reading + 30 and previous compass reading + 35.

Why 35? because, the compass reading is not accurate and it always gives one or two degrees up and down, for example: if the angle is 45, sometimes it gives 46 or 47 or 44. so, I am not worried about 5 degrees up and down.

if moving left. read current bearing and subtract 30 degrees from current bearing. turn left until new compass reaches our new angle.

here is the code.

void turnRightTheRobot(int angle){
  int currentBearing = getBearing();
  int newBearing = currentBearing + angle;
  if(newBearing > 359) {
    newBearing -= 359;
  }
  while(1) {
    int x = getBearing();
    if(x >= newBearing && x <= newBearing +5) {
      moveForward(leftMotorSpeed, rightMotorSpeed );
      break;
    }
    else {
      turnRight(leftMotorSpeed, rightMotorSpeed);

    }
  }
}

the problem raises here

if(x >= newBearing && x <= newBearing +5)

for example---> if the current compass reading is 350, want to turn 30 degrees to right, the compass reading should be between 20 and 25 to stop. However with my solution 350 is always greater than 20 and never smaller than 25. I am stuck here.
I appreciate if you guys can help me. PLEASE.

PS. I have also tried with OR like

if(x == newBearing || x == newBearing +1 || x == newBearing +2 || x == newBearing +3 || x == newBearing +4)

Didn't work. :(. some times it turns and works fine, but mostly turns and never stops :frowning:

2

Your while loop will never end because you have no exit condition.

What is in your if statement should be the condition for the while. Remember to initialize the newBearing variable just before you enter the loop.

Better still would be to use a do...while loop instead.

3

marco_c:
Your while loop will never end because you have no exit condition.

What is in your if statement should be the condition for the while. Remember to initialize the newBearing variable just before you enter the loop.

Better still would be to use a do...while loop instead.

Yes it will, there is a break in there to terminate the loop.

What is probably the problem is "order of precedence".

Try wrapping each sub-clause of your if in brackets:

if((x >= newBearing) && (x <= newBearing +5))
4

Yep, missed that. Still looks wrong written like that.

5

Thank you guys for the reply,

As I said, if the current bearing is greater than 330, it will turn right infinity, because the new bearing would be 1-30 degrees and it is always smaller than previous compass reading (greater than 330).

if (x >= newBearing && x <= newBearing +5)

is there any other option to rethink about the above code.

6

Modulo 360 arithmetic?

7

AWOL

Sorry, I couldn't understand your message, can you please tell with a little more details.

Thanks

8

http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/Modulo

9

hey guys,

It seems that I solved the problem, just wanted to post my code for some people facing same problem,

I don't know whether this approach is right or not, but it works. I hope it does not affect other parts of my application.
you are more than welcome to comment and suggest a better approach.

void turnRightTheRobot(int angle){
  int currentBearing = getBearing();
  int desiredBearing = currentBearing + angle;
  if(desiredBearing > 359) {
    desiredBearing -= 359;
  }
  do{
    int newBearing = getBearing();
    double desiredBearingSINE = sin(desiredBearing * (PI/180));
    double currentBearingSINE = sin(newBearing * (PI/180));
    
    if(desiredBearingSINE > 0 && currentBearingSINE < 0) {
     newBearing = newBearing - 360;
       }
     if(newBearing >= desiredBearing) {
      moveForward(0, 0);
      break;
    }
    else {
      turnRight(80,80);
    }
   }while(1);
}
10

I hate do/while loops. They are far too often misused. This:

  do{
   }while(1);

has to be just about the worst abuse of a do/while statement that I've ever seen.

11

Pauls,

Thanks for the comment, I am gona fix it. Someone suggested here to use do{ } while.

I was using a while loop, then they told me to change and use (do, while loop)

Thanks anyway.