I am wondering is it possible to have some kind of a chip or little part that is plugged into a breadboard type of component that has a little bit of space to hold uploaded code that the Arduino Uno can look for instructions there instead of on itself.
This piece would have to be pretty inexpensive otherwise you might as well just buy a whole bunch of Uno's instead.
Basically for examples to show people slash having something all pinned up on a shield type board I would like to add this piece if it exists to The Shield that I upload the code to from my PC to run everything on the shield.
This way I don't have to go and put the data cable into the PC and load the IDE to change instructions when I'm wanting to demo off pre-assembled examples each built on their own Shield you can just plug on quickly and only needing one main Uno board without having to go perform updates regularly.
This could also be very handy if you built all of the components and features required directly to the main board and the code needed for that on it for every single project globally using those exact features.
And then being able to just detach the battery swap The Shield plug in the battery and then have that altered functionality on the go way you don't have access to a PC.
I'm sure this is possible but is there a module or component or something that is designed for the Arduino to just plug into some of the pins on a shield board and do this fairly seamlessly for a beginner.
@mythn7
I don't understand the idea. Who should upload the code to this storage and why this more convenient than the upload the code directly to the board?
Thank you very much for that now I have another term that seems very important I can add to my ever growing list of keywords and topics I need to read about on top of all my tutorials.
Oh when I meant that I'm sure it's possible is if someone is able to do complex things, like using every single pin on the board without even having to find a tutorial or guide but really advanced abilities.
I had only added that in there because of the chance that like many other questions I've asked you always seem to get someone saying a suggestion that is basically some sort of super complex MacGyver build and I was trying to give the impression that's not what I want because I'm a beginner.
Do you have any suggestions for wanting to have all of the assignments and tutorials in reference container that would make it simpler to change out the project firmware with some kind of -
Auto select the sketch file when i plug in the shield then jack it into the pc, as a detect new configuration?
Would it be possible to have the uno's pcb component that that holds the firmware instructions swapped out for a socket that can mount it, then maybe buy a few of pcb parts to put as swappable?
Sorry if this sounds like a dumb question, Im just dont know a beginner way a teacher might have a bunch samples ready to go with only 1 uno in a way there is no downtime resetup causing un needed delays.
Well i was hoping i could swap out modules changing configurations without having to re compile and upload every time instead of spending funds on a separate uno for each sketch.
Or to be able to very quickly just swap parts and have a auto detect load the proper sketch and upload automatically for demos or being able to do something while it "loads / turns on"
I think the closest you can get is if you use some sort of remote over the air programming using WI-FI or Bluetooth. Then you would store the ready compiled code as HEX files in your PC, and then when you want to run one you upload it to the Arduino. Not sure how MacGyver that appears to you?
I have not done this myself but I have seen threads where other people have done this, or were asking for this capability. So in effect you are programming the Arduino each time you want to change your code.
You could probably achieve this at the microcontroller level if you use a Uno with a DIP (removable) version of the ATmega328P chip.
Simply have your various applications on different chips and plug one in as required. Otherwise, google for "microcontroller run code from external memory"
Ya that would be great if those atmega chips are affordable enough to use as "burnable cd's" type of drawer full.
I just have this compelling drive to have idiot proof plug and play samples setup to easily go back to review if i take a 6 month break and forget the babysteps.
I still have all my tests and homework binders from every grade ive ever done LOL
I do not see the scope of this development.
A controller is not just a player for programs, usually a project includes not only a controller and code, but a lot of additional peripherals. When you assemble, for example, a clock with a large screen, you usually insert the controller there for a long time, and do not remove it to use it in another projects. And you will not upload the washing machine code in the clock
On the other hand, if we are talking about learning and code examples, you also do not need ready-made codes stored in the repository. The point of learning is to try to change the program and observe the result, which is easier to do on a PC
Ya, but it was more for easy reference to more than the code but the whole working build without the 30 dollar main part i can make affordable example shields of to just snap on the board as easily as changing the game in a playstation.
Yes your right, there seems to be no economical way or a quick loading data way to swap sensor module configuration on the fly.
I was hoping to use this concept to act like a type of all in 1 pack.
Such as, this as a concept.
Where the handle is the uno, and each function head would be a shield setup for a task.
To use this in the cases of reverence examples or for actual design where each shield module is pushing the board to hard to be capable of making a super build where its all just wired in at the same time.
If you use the type of Uno with a 28-pin socket, you could fit one of these ZIF sockets which would allow you to easily swap out the chip for the one with the code you need already uploaded to it.
Unfortunately these ZIF sockets are bulky and would make it so that the shields would no longer fit, so you would also need to add these shield stacking headers:
I'm not sure how robust and easy to use the whole thing would be!
Maybe if you unsoldered the regular socket on the Uno and soldered in the ZIF socket, it would have a lower profile and shields could be fitted without the stacking headers.
Thanks for all the feed back guys, it was more of a thing i felt was simple enough of a concept to try and implement during my many example lessons, as i have over 40 sensors, as well as various types of motors and servos, and lcds , i basicly bought a ton of stuff to get free shipping, and cant see myself using much of this in real purpose permanent builds, so i started soldering the wires and pins to a breadboard through hole wafer pcb thing with pins that just line up to the uno, as my own diy shield.
My neice just turned 3, so she loves having me keep going back and forth from the auto LED toggle when dark, to the buzzer melody then to the beeping alarm when she walks by.
But gets board waiting for me to keep compile every time she says do them all again
You don't need to recompile your programs every time you want to upload a new program.
You can upload the HEX file directly, takes less than 3 seconds.
What about putting every block of code in each individual project sketch inside of a case selection, so that none of the code gets activated for the modules that are not currently plugged in and then having some kind of a chip or identification piece that has a number fixed to that piece of component, then I could kind of put a simple piece in a pin that the Uno would use to pull what module number is plugged into that PIN and then run the case equal to that value so then I would have all of the project call nested in one compile/ upload but maybe that's kind of approach will prevent the Uno from freaking out when it sees code for circuits that are not plugged in currently?
If there isn't something I can simply put in between two wires or just plug into one of the Uno's inputs that has a fixed one through 10 value type of physical jumper cap type of manual override setting,
Could I do something like having 10 different resistor types and then having the sketch read the name or value or something that is stuffed into that port to copy into a variable and name each case option to that value so that I do have something physical with unique never changing value that is used
I guess that would be more of a workaround if something like a single pin resistor or censored diode some kind of part that just tells the input socket what its name is in simple integer
It could work. One danger is that you run out of flash memory to store all the code. It is only 32KB. And it's not just the code from your combined sketches, there's also all the library code. But you could give it a try to see how far you can take the idea.
The Uno won't care about extra code or missing hardware unless code gets run that needs that hardware.
You would need some way to select what code you want to run, a piece of hardware like a multi-position switch. You can connect a bunch of resistors to such a switch and connect it to an analog input pin. The Uno can then read the analog pin at startup and determine switch position from the analog reading.
Yes, a pair of resistors which connect to an analog pin could do that. Similar but simpler than my multi position switch idea.
However, analog pins don't always give exactly the same value when read for a resistor pair, so don't check for the exact value. Check for a small range of values.
Yes, but why do not swap out the whole UNO like module? Or even better Nano. It is smaller. They have same MCU. There are also UNO shaped adapters for Nano.
