I'm an old guy who comes from the world of Fortran and big iron. So you can imagine me trying to figure out new hardware that seems to have changed every 2 or 3 months. The hardware is fairly well documented, but the software (C++) is ease enough to understand when you have a little background. However, trying to figure out how to get it from shelf to the end using device is like pulling teeth. Us old guys need something akin to a cookbook and a magnifying glass for this job. Quite frankly, I have searched high and low to find out just how to hook up the microcontroller and/or pre-made hardware modules to homebrew circuits.
Specifically, I have designed a multiple sensor cockpit reporting panel, but before getting fully involved in the project, decided to build the "Hello World" project for practice. The hardware portion was easy and fun. But, the software has been impossible. Finally, today, I found the direction for which download cable to hook, to which card, to start the process. I will have to wait until tomorrow to see if the next steps are covered. Therefore, any help, anyone can offer, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks folks.
The most basic thing to do, is buy an Arduino Uno, install the Arduino IDE, try the Blink example to see if the led blinks.
If you want help you have to tell us what the problem is.
I assume that "Hello World" is displaying that text on a display, but there are many types of displays.
There are also many Arduino boards and clones and Arduino compatible boards.
Therefor you have to tell us exactly what you have, which hardware, which software, which libraries, which modules, and ask a specific question.
We will be glad to help
When I search on Youtube for 'arduino', I get more than 2 million results :o
For example this tutorial : Arduino tutorial 1. - YouTube
Therefore, any help, anyone can offer, would be greatly appreciated. Thanks folks.
As Koepel suggests, ask specific questions, providing any relevant background information, and we'll do our best to help.
It's a bit of a steep learning curve initially, but fairly quickly it all begins to make sense.
erck89:
The hardware portion was easy and fun. But, the software has been impossible. Finally, today, I found the direction for which download cable to hook, to which card, to start the process.
There is absolutely ZERO useful information in this that would allow anyone to help you.
And I find it very surprising that someone who is an experienced Fortran programmer would not know that.
With one exception, I believe all microcontrollers are Arduino. As best this first time submitter can do, here is a list of of my microcontrollers:
Mini Pro
Nano
Mega 2560
UNO
UNO R3
NAruino UNO
Support and peripherals include, in part:
FTDI-FT232RL USB to TTL Serial Adapter
RTC
DC - DC Buck Converter(s) (ex; LM2596)
16 Channel Multiplexer
Arduino 1602a Display (16x2)
1.8 SPI 122x160 TFT Display Module
Curtis 701pr-112 6 Character counter
The project "Hello World" utilizes an Arduino UNO Microcontroller (MC), 1602a display, a 10K pot for contrast control, and a YwRobot power supply and an ac adapter providing 4.99vdc to the pot and consequently, pins 15 and 16 of the display.
The MC is connected to my PC via USB cable The green LED on the MC illuminates in a steady state while a yellow LED blinks at a rate of approximately 4 times per second. I have the display adjusted to illuminate a comfortable darker blue.
This is as far as I have been able to go, I look up the project or the display and they take me to a copy of the sketch and send me to a library that is suppose to contain the downloadable sketch, but doesn't. The general consensus here seems to paint me as some sort of idiot, which, I am not. I just need someone to "what you are looking for can be found here and downloaded through your PC and uploaded (if that is the case) by following the directions at the end of this link". I am sorry if I have unwittingly taken up anyones time.
erck89:
I look up the project or the display and they take me to a copy of the sketch and send me to a library that is suppose to contain the downloadable sketch, but doesn't.
This doesn't make a lot of sense, I'm afraid. Who's they? And if they take you to a copy of the sketch, then why do you expect a library to contain a downloadable sketch? You only need one sketch.
Which library are you talking about?
How do you have the LCD module connected?
A link to whatever instructions you're following would help.
The general consensus here seems to paint me as some sort of idiot, which, I am not. I just need someone to "what you are looking for can be found here and downloaded through your PC and uploaded (if that is the case) by following the directions at the end of this link".
Tell us exactly what you're looking for, and we'll try to oblige.
Perhaps you have installed a LCD library from the internet. If you did, you better remove that one.
The Arduino IDE has already included the LiquidCrystal library, and there are already examples in the menu for it.
This is the "Hello World" example : https://www.arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/HelloWorld
That example is also in the menu.
You could make a photo of the wiring, and we can try to check every wire.
If you are struggling with getting your first program loaded then go back to basics. The UNO should have an onboard LED so the first thing to try is to make it blink (this is "hello world" for microcontrollers).
Before you start make sure you have the right board selected (Tools->Board)
Make sure you know what port your Uno is using. I find the easiest way is to observe the list of available ports (Tools->Port) BEFORE you plug in your Uno, then plug it in and select the port that wasnt there before. I've found that sometimes plugging it in to a different USB port will give a different COM port number.
If you dont see a new COM port when you plug in your Uno then maybe your computer didnt load the USB device driver. You can check that (under Windows at least) via Control Panel->Device Manager -> Ports. Again plug and unplug your Uno and see what appears. If something appears with an error you may have to search the internet for an appropriate driver. If nothing appears then maybe your USB cable is faulty ( I've had cables that work OK for charging but not for data)
Once past this step choose File->Examples->Basic->Blink and see if this will upload correctly. If not get back to the forum with error messages or detailed symptoms so we can assist.
There are many different examples you can work through until you become familiar with the Arduino development process.
