Another Time question

Projects Programming
1

I want to write a COUNT UP timer for my hothouse. Basically count the days from when I planted a particular plant/seed.

I did the basics using millis(). For this sketch by question is how to NOT use DELAY and only write to the monitor once the time changes.

//  Crude COUNT UP TIMER for hothouse

//#include <Wire.h>     //Arduino library
//#include <LiquidCrystal_I2C.h>
//LiquidCrystal_I2C lcd(0x27,16,2);  // set the LCD address to 0x27 for a 16 chars and 2 line display

// Variables will change :
unsigned long NOW;                          // Storing the current Millis
unsigned long RunningDays;                  // Storing the Running Days
unsigned long RunningHrs;                   // Storing the Running Hrs
unsigned long RunningMin;                   // Storing the Running Min


// Constants that won't change :


void setup()   {
  Serial.begin(9600);                      // initialize serial communication:
  //    lcd.init();                        // initialize the lcd
  //    lcd.backlight();
}     //     ****************************** END SETUP *************************************

void loop()   {
  NOW = millis();
  RunningDays = (NOW / 86400000);                                                      //Determine how many Days in current milis
  RunningHrs  = ((NOW - (RunningDays * 86400000)) / 3600000);                          //Subtract Days in millis and determine how many hours left
  RunningMin  = ((NOW - (RunningDays * 86400000) - (RunningHrs * 3600000)) / 60000);   //Subtract Days & Hrs in millis and determine how many Minutes left

  Serial.print(RunningDays);
  Serial.print(" Days  ");

  Serial.print(RunningHrs);
  Serial.print(" Hrs   ");

  Serial.print(RunningMin);
  Serial.println(" Min.");
  delay(30000);

  //  lcd.setCursor(0,0);                     //Seting cursor position for Days
  // lcd.print(RunningDays);
  // lcd.setCursor(7,0);                      //Setting cursor position for Hrs
  // lcd.print(RunningHrs);
  //lcd.setCursor(12,0);                       //Setting cursor position for Min
  //lcd.print(RunningMin);

}                                 //***********************  End loop  **********************************

Second Question.....Then I tried doing the same using the Time.h library

/*
   Crude Count UP timer using Time Library
*/

#include <Time.h>

void setup()  {
  Serial.begin(9600);
 const unsigned long DEFAULT_TIME = 1357041600; // Jan 1 2013
}

void loop() {
  Serial.print(day());
  Serial.print(" ");
  Serial.print(hour());
  Serial.print(" ");
  Serial.println(minute());
  delay(1000);
}

Error code is

Arduino: 1.8.3 (Windows 10), Board: "Arduino Nano, ATmega328P (Old Bootloader)"

C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\arduino-builder -dump-prefs -logger=machine -hardware C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\hardware -hardware C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -tools C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -tools C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -built-in-libraries C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\My Scetches\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:nano:cpu=atmega328old -ide-version=10803 -build-path C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_996901 -warnings=none -build-cache C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_326436 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\arduinoOTA\1.2.1 -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avr-gcc\5.4.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino2 -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino14 -verbose C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\My Scetches\CountUp_timer_Days_2\CountUp_timer_Days_2.ino
C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\arduino-builder -compile -logger=machine -hardware C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\hardware -hardware C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -tools C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\tools-builder -tools C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\hardware\tools\avr -tools C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages -built-in-libraries C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\libraries -libraries C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\My Scetches\libraries -fqbn=arduino:avr:nano:cpu=atmega328old -ide-version=10803 -build-path C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_996901 -warnings=none -build-cache C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_cache_326436 -prefs=build.warn_data_percentage=75 -prefs=runtime.tools.arduinoOTA.path=C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\arduinoOTA\1.2.1 -prefs=runtime.tools.avr-gcc.path=C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avr-gcc\5.4.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino2 -prefs=runtime.tools.avrdude.path=C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avrdude\6.3.0-arduino14 -verbose C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\My Scetches\CountUp_timer_Days_2\CountUp_timer_Days_2.ino
Using board 'nano' from platform in folder: C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.6.23
Using core 'arduino' from platform in folder: C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.6.23
Detecting libraries used...
"C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avr-gcc\5.4.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino2/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10803 -DARDUINO_AVR_NANO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.6.23\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.6.23\variants\eightanaloginputs" "C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_996901\sketch\CountUp_timer_Days_2.ino.cpp" -o "nul"
Generating function prototypes...
"C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avr-gcc\5.4.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino2/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -flto -w -x c++ -E -CC -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10803 -DARDUINO_AVR_NANO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.6.23\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.6.23\variants\eightanaloginputs" "C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_996901\sketch\CountUp_timer_Days_2.ino.cpp" -o "C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_996901\preproc\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
"C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\tools-builder\ctags\5.8-arduino11/ctags" -u --language-force=c++ -f - --c++-kinds=svpf --fields=KSTtzns --line-directives "C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_996901\preproc\ctags_target_for_gcc_minus_e.cpp"
Compiling sketch...
"C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\tools\avr-gcc\5.4.0-atmel3.6.1-arduino2/bin/avr-g++" -c -g -Os -w -std=gnu++11 -fpermissive -fno-exceptions -ffunction-sections -fdata-sections -fno-threadsafe-statics -Wno-error=narrowing -MMD -flto -mmcu=atmega328p -DF_CPU=16000000L -DARDUINO=10803 -DARDUINO_AVR_NANO -DARDUINO_ARCH_AVR "-IC:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.6.23\cores\arduino" "-IC:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Arduino15\packages\arduino\hardware\avr\1.6.23\variants\eightanaloginputs" "C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_996901\sketch\CountUp_timer_Days_2.ino.cpp" -o "C:\Users\Herman\AppData\Local\Temp\arduino_build_996901\sketch\CountUp_timer_Days_2.ino.cpp.o"
C:\Users\Herman\Documents\Arduino\My Scetches\CountUp_timer_Days_2\CountUp_timer_Days_2.ino: In function 'void loop()':

CountUp_timer_Days_2:13: error: 'day' was not declared in this scope

Serial.print(day());

^

CountUp_timer_Days_2:15: error: 'hour' was not declared in this scope

Serial.print(hour());

^

CountUp_timer_Days_2:17: error: 'minute' was not declared in this scope

Serial.println(minute());

^

exit status 1
'day' was not declared in this scope

I confirmed in the TimeLib which is included in Time.h that "day", 'Hour" and "minute' is declared.

2

Your first question is quite hard. Time changes everytime so please explain when you want to change your display.
Every minute? Just put delay(60000);

If you just want a counter to change every minute, you should just keep track of the minutes and do the maths to print days, hours and minutes.
For example, initialize the minutes counter to 0
In the loop

delay (60000);
counter ++;  // one more minute
minutes = counter %60;
hours = counter / 60;
days = hours / 24;
hours = hours %24;

Or something similar, % being the rest of the division (modulo operation)

For the second question, this may be a library problem. You seem to be referring to the Time library by Paul Stoffregen here.
If so try change your include by
#include <TimeLib.h>and check you have this library installed

3

Would like to stay away from any DELAY statements, there is already an Arduino in the hothouse that is driving 2 pumps, so DELAY can effect the primary sketch fuction.

Correct Library you are referring to. I tried it but because TimeLib.h is not one of my directories in my Library directory it gave me an error.

4

Got question one sorted myself.

Added a NOW variable. Stupid question. :confused:

// Constants that won't change :


void setup()   {
  Serial.begin(9600);                      // initialize serial communication:
    PreviousMin = 1;
  //    lcd.init();                        // initialize the lcd
  //    lcd.backlight();
}     //     ****************************** END SETUP *************************************

void loop()   {
  NOW = millis();

  RunningDays = (NOW / 86400000);                                                      //Determine how many Days in current milis
  RunningHrs  = ((NOW - (RunningDays * 86400000)) / 3600000);                          //Subtract Days in millis and determine how many hours left
  RunningMin  = ((NOW - (RunningDays * 86400000) - (RunningHrs * 3600000)) / 60000);   //Subtract Days & Hrs in millis and determine how many Minutes left

  if (RunningMin != PreviousMin) {

  Serial.print(RunningDays);
  Serial.print(" Days  ");

  Serial.print(RunningHrs);
  Serial.print(" Hrs   ");

  Serial.print(RunningMin);
  Serial.println(" Min.");

  PreviousMin = RunningMin;
  }

  //  lcd.setCursor(0,0);                     //Seting cursor position for Days
  // lcd.print(RunningDays);
  // lcd.setCursor(7,0);                      //Setting cursor position for Hrs
  // lcd.print(RunningHrs);
  //lcd.setCursor(12,0);                       //Setting cursor position for Min
  //lcd.print(RunningMin);

}                                 //***********************  End loop  **********************************