Arduino Protoshield R3 - connections between pads?

Other Hardware General Electronics
1

Hi all,

I've got a simple question, but one for which I seemingly can't find the answer. I have an Arduino Protoshield R3, which I'm planning to use for my circuitry - it'll have the pull-down resistors for the switches, etc. on it.

My understanding of prototype boards is that they have pre-drilled copper strips on one side, running in one direction, which allows the components to be connected up. I was under the impression that the protoshield worked the same way - that there would be connections between the pads in the middle, to allow connections between components. However, when I look closely at it, I cannot see tracks between the prototyping pads, like there are between some of the other pads on the shield. Is the protoshield one of these actual prototype boards, or am I mistaken?

Cheers,
Tbdanny

2

I've seen many different configurations of prototype shields. Some do have connections (strips), some don't.

Just solder a small piece of jumper wire between the pads you want connected.

3

Tbdanny:
Hi all,

I've got a simple question, but one for which I seemingly can't find the answer. I have an Arduino Protoshield R3, which I'm planning to use for my circuitry - it'll have the pull-down resistors for the switches, etc. on it.

My understanding of prototype boards is that they have pre-drilled copper strips on one side, running in one direction, which allows the components to be connected up. I was under the impression that the protoshield worked the same way - that there would be connections between the pads in the middle, to allow connections between components. However, when I look closely at it, I cannot see tracks between the prototyping pads, like there are between some of the other pads on the shield. Is the protoshield one of these actual prototype boards, or am I mistaken?

The protoshields I've seen have mostly individual through-hole plated pads with pads for DIP chips and strips for Vcc and Gnd. If the components you're using have thin enough leads, you can sometimes get 2 leads in the same hole (before soldering them). Otherwise, do as Tkrain suggested above and solder jumper wires between the pads.
Beware. Some of the cheap Chinese protoshields have offset pins that make the mounting holes of subsequent shields not line up with the ones on the Arduino. They'll work, but you can't bolt them together.

4

Thanks for the heads-up. The ones I've got are Italian-made - the real deal :-).