Displaying output on computer screen while serial port is taken

Projects Programming
1

I'm using an arduino uno and I'm communicating with an external device via 0 an 1 (RX, TX). How do I also communicate with my computer to display outputs?

Is there any way to do that simultaneously or do I have to switch serial ports on and off or something else?

Thanks

2

Don't communicate with the external device on 0 and 1. Instead, use two other pins and use the SoftwareSerial library.

3

I had no idea you could do that, thanks for the help.
If you don't mind answering... what's the advantage of the extra serial pins on the other models if you can use whichever you want for serial regardless?

4

They are already defined, you don't need to add another library to use them... RTFM. I know that "real men" don't read manuals" but give it a try...

Doc

5

SoftwareSerial takes some of the processing away from your program in order to synthesize a serial port.

The bigger Arduinos with extra serial pins use hardware inside the Atmel chip, and thus are faster and more efficient.

6

what's the advantage of the extra serial pins on the other models if you can use whichever you want for serial regardless?

There's a HUGE difference between using dedicated UART hardware and bit-banging out any old pin.

Rob

7

Doc, relax. It's going to be ok.

Majenko -- thanks for actually answering the question. I wrote 400 lines of code last night, got the entire project finished, just have to hook up the hardware. I'm decent with coding but I'm new to hardware. Really appreciate your explanation, as simple as the question was.

8

Pardon me if I came on too strong but about 80% of the questions posed here could have been solved by the 'poster' simply reading the available, free documentation...
Including this little phrase thanks to Nomad
"There's a HUGE difference between using dedicated UART hardware and bit-banging out any old pin."

Doc

9

Docedison:
Pardon me if I came on too strong but about 80% of the questions posed here could have been solved by the 'poster' simply reading the available, free documentation...
Including this little phrase thanks to Nomad
"There's a HUGE difference between using dedicated UART hardware and bit-banging out any old pin."

Doc

Heh... I'm with you there :wink:

The forums are a replacement for the manuals / datasheets for those too lazy to do any work for themselves.

Some can't even be bothered to google - the number of posts I have been tempted to answer with a simple JFGI ... :wink: