Accessing information stored on Arduino

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi there,

I've been looking across the internet to try and find a decent solution to my idea, but have found such a mix of answers I've got my self so confused i thought I'd get an opinion if some of you don't mind please?

Background - I don't work with computers or study them - its a hobby thing, but I learnt basic a few years ago, and since forgot, quite happy to learn a new computer language but not sure which or if i need to!

I have constructed my arduino and programmed it to measure the speed of a projectile from either a paintball gun or bb gun, I am going to store this speed as data either in the processor chip, an extended EPROM chip or an SD card.

What I want to do, and not sure of the best way forward, is to be able to plug the arduino into my computer [mac running OSX] run a application purpose made, which can read the arduino, download these stored, logged speed values and turn them into various graphs, average figures standard deviations etc etc - Think you probably get the idea.

So my questions are as follows - is what i'm trying to do possible? how would you go about making the app? - java? anywhere you can point me to teach myself the relevant skills for this. - don't want to waste too much time learning programmes and languages that aren't relevant to what i'm trying to achieve!

2

I am going to store this speed as data either in the processor chip, an extended EPROM chip or an SD card.

"In the processor chip" is unclear. Are you referring to the built in EEPROM?

What I want to do, and not sure of the best way forward, is to be able to plug the arduino into my computer [mac running OSX] run a application purpose made, which can read the arduino

No can do. You can write an application that will send serial data to the Arduino. If you send something like "Report all stored values or I'll smash you to bits" (You could use something shorter/less threatening, but heh), the Arduino could be programmed to return the appropriate data.

This can be part of the same sketch that collects and stores the data.

So my questions are as follows - is what i'm trying to do possible?

Possible and fairly easy.

how would you go about making the app? - java?

Java would not be near the top of my list, although it can interact with the serial port on the Mac. If Cocoa/Dev-C allows access to the serial port, and it's hard to believe that it doesn't, that's what I'd use.

Of course, I have a Windows PC, so I'd use C#, but that probably isn't an option for you.

anywhere you can point me to teach myself the relevant skills for this.

Depends on what you mean by relevant skills. The Arduino side of it is pretty easy. The PC side is more complicated, but only because you have a lot more choices. Narrow down those choices, and the relevant skills become easier to define.

don't want to waste too much time learning programmes and languages that aren't relevant

Sacrilegious. Learning programming is NEVER a waste of time.

3

Have the arduino wait for a serial command to dump the data over serial or perhaps detect when the ardunio is powered from USB and do it then. To be honest you could do it with a terminal app on the Mac rather than write a program.

4

Thank you very much for the advice - very helpful!

Sorry, when i said stored on the processor i did mean the built in EEPROM memory as its not a huge amount of information.

re using terminal, this isn't a brilliant option for me as the end goal of my project is for me and friends of mine to be able to use this device to calibrate the paintball / bb gun using the arduino speedo as a tool for part of this process, I will probably be able to use terminal to retrieve the information like you say. However my friends who are less techy will want to be and to plug in the usb cable open up an app have have the information brought up for them.

Like you say sending a command to the arduino seems like the way to get information out of the arduino, I will have a good old look into Cocoa/Dev-C and give the project a go!

Thanks guys