Code only works when I use Serial.print(...)

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

As the title says, the code is supposed to turn some ERMs on and off when it gets messages from the client. That only works when I print "ch1 off" ( and the other ones). If I don't print these strings the ERMs do not turn off.
I guess the prints work as a delay that makes sure the code works, but I don't understand why.

Does anybody know how to fix this without using an extra delay or these prints?

#include <WiFi.h>


#define ch1 18       // INDEX
#define ch2 16      // THUMB
#define ch3 5      // PALM
#define ch4 17       // MIDDLE


const char *ssid = "SenseGlove_wifi";
const char *password = "1248163264";
const int serverPort = 1234;


int onTimeCh1;
int onTimeCh2;
int onTimeCh3;
int onTimeCh4;

const int longTime = 500;   // ms
const int middleTime = 100; // ms
const int shortTime = 50;


double oldTimeCh1 = 0;
double oldTimeCh2 = 0;
double oldTimeCh3 = 0;
double oldTimeCh4 = 0;

bool partyMode = false;

WiFiServer server(serverPort);
WiFiClient client;

void quickBuzz(){
    analogWrite(ch1, 255);
    delay(shortTime);
    analogWrite(ch1, 0);
  }

void setup()
{
   onTimeCh1 = longTime;
   onTimeCh2 = longTime;
   onTimeCh3 = longTime;
   onTimeCh4 = longTime;

  pinMode(ch1, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(ch2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(ch3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(ch4, OUTPUT);
 
  analogWrite(ch1, 0);
  analogWrite(ch2, 0);
  analogWrite(ch3, 0);
  analogWrite(ch4, 0);

  Serial.begin(115200);
  client.stop();
  WiFi.disconnect();
  

  WiFi.begin(ssid, password);
  
  

  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED)
  {
    delay(1000);
    Serial.println("Connecting to WiFi...");
  }

  Serial.println("Connected to WiFi");
  quickBuzz();
  server.begin();
  Serial.println("Server started");
  Serial.println(WiFi.localIP());
}

void loop()
{
  // Check for a new client
  client = server.available();
  if (client)
  {
    quickBuzz();
    quickBuzz();
    Serial.println("New client connected");

    // Read data from the client
    while (client.connected())
    {
      double millisTijd = millis();
      if((millisTijd - oldTimeCh1) >= onTimeCh1){
        analogWrite(ch1, 0);
        // Serial.print("ch1 off");
      }
      if((millisTijd - oldTimeCh2) >= onTimeCh2){
        analogWrite(ch2, 0);
        // Serial.print("ch1 off");
      }
      if((millisTijd - oldTimeCh3) >= onTimeCh3){
        analogWrite(ch3, 0);
        // Serial.print("ch1 off");
      }
      if((millisTijd - oldTimeCh4) >= onTimeCh4){
        analogWrite(ch4, 0);
        // Serial.print("ch1 off");
      }
      
      
      if (client.available())
      {
        String data = client.readStringUntil('^');
        
        if(data == "0"){
          analogWrite(ch1, 255);
          oldTimeCh1 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh1 = longTime;
        }
        else if(data == "1"){
          analogWrite(ch2, 255);
          oldTimeCh2 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh2 = longTime;
        }
        else if(data == "2"){
          analogWrite(ch3, 255);
          oldTimeCh3 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh3 = longTime;
        }
        else if(data == "3"){
          analogWrite(ch4, 255);
          oldTimeCh4 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh4 = longTime;
        }
        else if(data == "4"){     // sliderVR
          analogWrite(ch1, 255);
          analogWrite(ch2, 255);
          oldTimeCh1 = millisTijd;
          oldTimeCh2 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh1 = shortTime;
          onTimeCh2 = shortTime;
        }
        else if(data == "5"){
          analogWrite(ch1, 255);
          analogWrite(ch2, 255);
          analogWrite(ch3, 255);
          analogWrite(ch4, 255);
          oldTimeCh1 = millisTijd;
          oldTimeCh2 = millisTijd;
          oldTimeCh3 = millisTijd;
          oldTimeCh4 = millisTijd;
        }
        else if(data == "6"){ //keyboard presses thumb
          analogWrite(ch1, 255);
          oldTimeCh1 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh1 = middleTime;
        }
        else if(data == "7"){ //keyboard presses index
          analogWrite(ch2, 255);
          oldTimeCh2 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh2 = middleTime;
        }
        
        else if(data == "8"){ // pencil hold
          analogWrite(ch1, 60);
          analogWrite(ch2, 60);
          oldTimeCh1 = millisTijd;
          oldTimeCh2 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh1 = middleTime;
          onTimeCh2 = middleTime;
        }
        else if(data == "9"){ //pencil draw
          analogWrite(ch1, 120);
          analogWrite(ch2, 120);
          oldTimeCh1 = millisTijd;
          oldTimeCh2 = millisTijd;
          onTimeCh1 = middleTime;
          onTimeCh2 = middleTime;
        }

        Serial.println("Received data: " + data);
        // client.print("Data received: " + data); // Respond to the client if needed
      }
      

      
    }
  }
}
2

  • why do you check if client.available() within the while (client.connected) loop? sorry, thought was server.available()

  • why delay -- if((millisTijd - oldTimeCh1) >= onTimeCh1) without resetting oldTimeCh1 which repeated performs the analogWrite() once the time is exceeded?

  • should there be something that disables the timer/operation once performed -- setting oldTimeCh1 to zero and making the timer contingent on it -- if(oldTimeCh1 && (millisTijd - oldTimeCh1) >= onTimeCh1), setting it to zero when the operation executes

3

It looks like implementing these changes fixed it, thank you!
~edit -> did not work

4

It did not work:/

5

what exactly doesn't work?

what are ERMs?

6

I am sorry it works now. I implemented what you said, but did it in the wrong way with some wrong parentheses.
ERM are the Eccentric rotating mass vibration motors that I am using. Thank you so much for the help again!

7

another thing is the millis() values are unsigned long, not double

your onTimeChN and oldTimeChN variables should also be unsigned long

8

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