Arduino IDE regular tab names vs TabName.h, with #include "TabName.h"

Projects General Guidance
1

Greetings;

I wasn't quite sure, whether to post this in General Guidance or Programming.

Here goes:

As this project grew in size and I'm growing more comfortable with the IDE and C in general, I started using Tabs to make things easier for me. I don't yet feel comfortable enough with classes (as someone in the forum kindly pointed out).

I initially started with regular tab names, then started adding numerals in front, to have a fixed compile sequence.
Then, after having read somewhere, I started using TabName.h, with a #include "TabName.h" in the main program Tab.

These two notations seem to behave differently, and I opted to use the x.h as the norm and was trying to migrate the regular tabs to TabName.h.

Not so fast Grasshopper, said the IDE.

When I tried to move the TFT tab, it says that the instance of tft is not defined...
When I tried to move the GetUtpTime, it says that Udp is now called EthernetUdp
When I tried .... etc...

I'm making sure I define all the global variables on the main page, call instances on the main page, essentially only keep the functions on the other TABS.

I tried putting numerals in front, to force a compile sequence, to no avail...

Can someone please enlighten me on the topic, and maybe point me in the direction of a document?

As mentioned before, I don't yet feel comfortable with classes.

the #include's are // at the beginning of the main code, and the tab names are temporarily back to normal names, without the .h extension.

Cheers

Pump_Room_Server_functions.zip (11.2 KB)

2

A *.h file is not for functions or variables. It never has been and it never will, not even in the Arduino IDE. Well, it is the 'c' and 'c++' language, so there are execptions :wink: However, you should not put your functions and variables in a *.h file.

When you create a tab without file extension, then it becomes a *.ino file. That is some kind of addition to the main *.ino file.
You can also put functions in a *.c or *.cpp file. For example a seperate part of code or code copied from a library.

The #include is often done in the main *.ino file (the most left tab).
Sometimes a seperate part of code is in a *.cpp file and it needs its own *.h file, then it can be possible to put the include only in that *.cpp file.

3

Thanks Koepel;

So, if I understand you correctly, I should abandon the TabName.h approach and instead use TabName without extensions.

If I understand correctly, they will compile in alphabetical order following the main sketch, appended one after the other.

Will give that a try.

Cheers

4

I'll move this talk to the programming section, after running into problems with the suggested approach...

5

It's okay, you don't have to move this thread.

The Arduino preprocessor makes function prototypes and combines all *.ino files into a single *.cpp file and presents that to the compiler.

The Arduino preprocessor is improved and changed. I had to re-organize my #include's a while ago. That can happen. The 'c' and 'c++' language is strict and well defined, but what the Arduino preprocessor does is not always strict.
Sometimes you have to make a workaround, when the Arduino preprocessor fails.

I prefer to put my global variables in the main *.ino file. Even if that is a lot. It keeps me out of trouble :wink:

6

@trilife's new topic where the discussion is continued:
https://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=686606