Arduino Wireless Remote -- Help Please!

Projects Programming
21

Yeah thats fine. I also wanted to get a second button to work to trip a second relay. I tried this but it doesn't seem to work:

Send:

#include <VirtualWire.h>

int RF_TX_PIN = 2;
int Button1 = 13;      //Forward (Button 1)
int Button2 = 12;      //Backwards (Button 2)
 
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("Setup Complete");
  vw_set_tx_pin(RF_TX_PIN); // Setup transmit pin
  vw_setup(2000); // Transmission speed in bits per second.
  pinMode(Button1, INPUT);
  pinMode(Button2, INPUT);
}
 
void loop()
{
  if (digitalRead(Button1)){
  Serial.println("Forwards");
  const char *msg = "1";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg));  // Send 'Forwards' every 50ms.
  }
  
  else if(digitalRead(Button2)){
  Serial.println("Backwards");
  const char *msg = "2";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg)); // Send 'Backwards' every 50ms.
  }
  
  else {
  Serial.println("Stop");
  const char *msg = "0";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg));  // Send 'Stop' every 50ms.
  }
}

Receive:

#include <VirtualWire.h>
 
int RF_RX_PIN = 2;
int Relay1 = 8;
int Relay2 = 9;
 
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("Serial Connection Complete");
  Serial.println();
  Serial.println("*NOTE* Currently Connected to Receiver");
  vw_set_rx_pin(RF_RX_PIN);  // Setup receive pin.
  vw_setup(2000); // Transmission speed in bits per second.
  vw_rx_start(); // Start the PLL receiver.
  pinMode(Relay1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Relay2, OUTPUT);
}
 
void loop()
{
  uint8_t buf[VW_MAX_MESSAGE_LEN];
  uint8_t buflen = VW_MAX_MESSAGE_LEN;
  if(vw_get_message(buf, &buflen)){
    int i;
    // Message with a good checksum received, dump HEX
    Serial.print("Got: ");
    for(i = 0; i < buflen; ++i)
    {
      Serial.print(buf[i], HEX);
      Serial.print(" ");
     
     if(buf[i] == '1') {                 // Triggers Relay 3
         digitalWrite(Relay1, HIGH);     // Turn Realy 1 on
      }
      
     if(buf[i] == '2') {                 // Triggers Relay 2
         digitalWrite(Relay2, HIGH);     // Turn Realy 2 on
      }

     else {
       digitalWrite(Relay1, LOW);
      }
    }
    
    delay(50);
  }
}
22

Your not turning the second relay off. Try adding digitalWrite(Relay2, LOW); somewhere.

23

I tried this but it will not compile and I don't really know why:
It gives me expected } at end of input

#include <VirtualWire.h>
 
int RF_RX_PIN = 2;
int Relay1 = 8;
int Relay2 = 9;
 
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("Serial Connection Complete");
  Serial.println();
  Serial.println("*NOTE* Currently Connected to Receiver");
  vw_set_rx_pin(RF_RX_PIN);  // Setup receive pin.
  vw_setup(2000); // Transmission speed in bits per second.
  vw_rx_start(); // Start the PLL receiver.
  pinMode(Relay1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(Relay2, OUTPUT);
}
 
void loop()
{
  uint8_t buf[VW_MAX_MESSAGE_LEN];
  uint8_t buflen = VW_MAX_MESSAGE_LEN;
  if(vw_get_message(buf, &buflen)){
    int i;
    // Message with a good checksum received, dump HEX
    Serial.print("Got: ");
    for(i = 0; i < buflen; ++i)
    {
      Serial.print(buf[i], HEX);
      Serial.print(" ");
     
     if(buf[i] == '1') {                 // Triggers Relay 3
         digitalWrite(Relay1, HIGH);     // Turn Realy 1 on
      }
     else {
       digitalWrite(Relay1, LOW);
    }
     if(buf[i] == '2') {                 // Triggers Relay 2
       digitalWrite(Relay2, HIGH);     // Turn Realy 2 on
    }
     else {
       digitalWrite(Relay2, LOW);
     }
    delay(50);
  }
}
24

If you used Tools + Auto Format once in a while, or the tab key consistently, you'd see that you don't have matching } for every {.

25

When I try to do that It tells me this:

"Auto Format Canceled: Too many left curly braces."

26

Yes, and that's why. Add a closing bracket after the delay.

27

Ok let me try that

28

Ok, adding the bracket worked. Now I need to fix the controller. Using this code:

#include <VirtualWire.h>

int RF_TX_PIN = 2;
int Button1 = 13;      //Forward (Button 1)
int Button2 = 12;      //Backwards (Button 2)
 
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("Setup Complete");
  vw_set_tx_pin(RF_TX_PIN); // Setup transmit pin
  vw_setup(2000); // Transmission speed in bits per second.
  pinMode(Button1, INPUT);
  pinMode(Button2, INPUT);
}
 
void loop()
{
  if (digitalRead(Button1)){
  Serial.println("Forwards");
  const char *msg = "1";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg));  // Send 'Forwards' every 50ms.
  }
  
  else if(digitalRead(Button2)){
  Serial.println("Backwards");
  const char *msg = "2";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg)); // Send 'Backwards' every 50ms.
  }
  
  else {
  Serial.println("Stop");
  const char *msg = "0";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg));  // Send 'Stop' every 50ms.
  }
}

It just keeps sending "Backwards" over and over again.

29

Check your wiring on button 2, it wont send anything if it is not HIGH.

30

My wiring is correct. I don't even have to press anything and it will just spam "Backwards".

31

Something is making button 2 HIGH, so, do you have pull down resistors? You can not have a floating input, otherwise it will give you bad results.

32

I don't exactly know what a Pull down resistor is. I know what a resistor is though.

33 
  if (digitalRead(Button1)){

The digitalRead() function does not return a boolean. You should NOT be writing code that looks like it does.

34

So are you saying the code is set up to return a "True" or "False" statement but in face it is not?

35

So are you saying the code is set up to return a "True" or "False" statement but in face it is not?

No. I'm saying that you have written the code in a way that makes it appear as though digitalRead() returns true or false, when, in fact it returns HIGH or LOW.

36

Can "True" or False" act as "HIGH" or "LOW"? Or is there a different way I can re-write that statement in order for it to function as it should?

37

Alright playing around with the controller code for a while and this is what I have:

#include <VirtualWire.h>

int RF_TX_PIN = 2;
int Button1 = 13;      //Forward (Button 1)
int Button2 = 12;      //Backwards (Button 2)
 
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("Setup Complete");
  vw_set_tx_pin(RF_TX_PIN); // Setup transmit pin
  vw_setup(2000); // Transmission speed in bits per second.
  pinMode(Button1, INPUT);
  pinMode(Button2, INPUT);
}
 
void loop()
{
  if (digitalRead(Button1)){
  Serial.println("Forwards");
  const char *msg = "1";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg));  // Send 'Forwards' every 50ms.
  }
  else if (digitalRead(Button2)){
  Serial.println("Backwards");
  const char *msg = "2";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg)); // Send 'Backwards' every 50ms.
  }
  else {
  Serial.println("Stop");
  const char *msg = "0";
  vw_send((uint8_t *)msg, strlen(msg));  // Send 'Stop' every 50ms.
  }
}

Everything works, other then the fact that it is always transmitting "2" or backwards. As of right now I am stuck because I even did some research on how if-then-else statements and how they work and I don't see why this doesn't work.

38

Did you install pull down resistors on the buttons? Do a search for "pull down resistor", and to use them with buttons.

Added: Wait, did you put one the receive code a way to turn off the second relay? Another thing, does the serial monitor put out "Backwards"?

39

EDIT No and yes it does say "Backwards"

Is this what I am looking for:

992×699 27.3 KB

I can do this easy, I just want to make sure I am looking at the right thing. I am currently reading about them too, just to understand them a bit more.

40

HazardsMind:
Did you install pull down resistors on the buttons? Do a search for "pull down resistor", and to use them with buttons.

Added: Wait, did you put one the receive code a way to turn off the second relay? Another thing, does the serial monitor put out "Backwards"?

No I don't think I did and Yes it does just print out "Backwards" on the serial monitor, BUT every now-and-then I will see "stop".