Hi
Once I have programmed a sketch on an uno and want to put it onto a smaller controller for installation into my project (needs to be smaller) what is the best option? As a newbie I was 'tricked' into getting non genuine and other types, but eventually found I needed a genuine arduino nano as that was a genuine replica and could take the code without any mods. I now note it is almost impossible to find a nano to purchase. What ohter safe optoions are there on the market?
Hi,
If you're not comfortable with the idea of making your own minimal Arduino, I've not had any issues with pro mini types off eBay. What issues incidentally have you had with the ones you were 'tricked into' ?
Geoff
Oh come on!
Clone Nanos are a dime a dozen on eBay - and they work.
What's your beef?
Well, not quite a dime a dozen, bot not bad. 
Gravitech still carries them, along with many Nano shields
I prefer the pro mini over the nano, because the nano has built-in USB hardwired to pins 0 and 1. With the pro mini, you just unplug the FTDI adapter, and there's no USB adapter wasting power or interfering with other uses of pins 0 and 1 - plus they're smaller and cheaper.
But yeah - just buy the clones - that's what everyone does 
(and donate money to Arduino if you feel bad for not supporting them by not buying genuine). Occasionally the clones are DoA, but that's uncommon, and they're so cheap that there's no reason to get worked up about an occasional DoA.
I don't have any genuine boards, nor do I expect to ever purchase any (I do donate to Arduino to make up for it) - just lots of self-made boards and pro mini clones.
If you want a "real" nano, go to Adafruit.
Johnredearth:
Once I have programmed a sketch on an uno and want to put it onto a smaller controller for installation into my project (needs to be smaller) what is the best option?
Your best option is your own design although you will likely spend more building it yourself than a Pro Mini from China for $2.
Many Arduino projects that start out in UNO-land can esily become just a 328P-PU and a few components... this is especially if you do not need the USB port for communications.
Examples of how weird this can become: here
Ray
If you want a "real" nano, go to Adafruit.
Adafruit's "Nano" is apparently called the "Metro Mini" Adafruit Metro Mini 328 V2 - Arduino-Compatible - 5V 16MHz [STEMMA QT / Qwiic] : ID 2590 : Adafruit Industries, Unique & fun DIY electronics and kits
Well, not quite.
"Metro Mini":
Nano:
It has more-or-less the same chips but ... Notice any differences?
Thanks all
I am a newbie. Let me say that. I am not sure of the detail of all this but I bought a pro micro and couldn't get my computer to talk to it. I eventually managed to navigate the process but the code wouldn't work and someone on here told me that the board was different and the pins acted differently. That was a nightmare for me. He said I needed a nano becasue it was basically a small uno. I bought 2 nano's (Compatible Nano V3.0 - ATmega328 Mini USB Controller Board + Cable For Arduino) from China and the computer wouldn't talk to them. It was a while ago now but I googled the error message, and I think it was somehting to do with the boot software. I wrote to the people who sent them to me. Put posts on here and probably wasted a week of my life. I sold them for what I bought them for, bought a geniune nano, and it works beautifully. That is how I got 'tricked.' It is all in the fine print. The issue is that it is OK for people with levels of skill and knowledge to use clones but a complete waste of time for a new person to the game.
I need something I can plug into and adjust as I go along so it needs a port. I want the pins to work just like they do on a nano. Does anyone have a solid suggestion? if so, I will buy one and try it out but I may be back here again!!
Metro mini and Nano have significantly different pinouts. Metro is almost Uno-like. (also, no ISP connector on Metro.)
(I don't think Adafruit ever sold the genuine Nano. It was always a bit ... pricey.)
@johnredearth, your clone nano almost certainly had a CH340G chip on it, instead of the genuine nano's FTDI chip. The purpose of this chip is to communicate via serial with your computer. You need to install a driver for it, and if you have a mac, you need to do more work.
And you obviously didn't look very hard, you probably didn't look at all. So don't tell us you "probably wasted a week of [your] life". Do you want to know how I know? Well, it is because my very first google search "clone nano doesn't work" pulls up the answer ON THE VERY FIRST HIT! Its also the 3rd hit when googling "arduino nano doesn't work"...
I just looked at the top of the Google Shopping page and saw "arduino adafruit nano v3.0"
PS99. And you obviously didn't look very hard, you probably didn't look at all.
Is there something about the culture of this forum that people can be offensive in their comments? I don’t know anywhere where a person can say ‘you probably didn’t look at all.’ I find it breathtaking. Anyway. During my week I did look up all the stuff about bootloaders, in fact the same posts you have, and couldn’t make it work. This is because I am new to this and honestly, I want something that works off the shelf, not something that I have to google and download stuff for. You may also note that there are lists of posts from new people trying to do this and having problems, burning themselves (must be stupid), blowing things up etc. Just look! I even contacted the seller who was hopeless. That was a stupid thing to do but added to my week.
Maybe you should learn some manners before SHOUTING AT PEOPLE.
So.. taking a breath. My original question was about what I need to purchase, to ensure I can make an easy transition from an Uno to a smaller product. There are alots of hobbyists who want to know this and do not want to be trapped (better word) by products that look OK but require all sorts of extranious knowledge to make work. It seems that the Nano is the best option, particularly if you need to connect to adjust the sketch, or improve it.
Actually, this one looks great. http://core-electronics.com.au/nano-v3-0-board-arduino-nano-v3-0-compatible.html
Or if you fancy paying a quarter of the price (OK, I confess it is not immediately obvious whether or not core-electronics.com.au pays royalties to the Arduino project), the dealer to whom I pointed you in reply #2, whom we have found to be generally reliable though of course, slow delivery.
Fine, it is your choice to pay 4 times the price for essentially the same hardware. Or, you can instead just follow the well detailed Instructables' directions and let your computer recognize all clones, while also enriching your experiences rather than just saying its too hard.
I had a MAC and tried to figure out why the nano did not work. I first figured out it was the CH340G, then I found out it needed drivers, then I figured out the drivers did not work because its a mac, then I figured out that macs need special signed drivers and you need to use terminal to configure them, then I figured out that the instructions were incomplete and figured out what was missing, and that was all when I was still new to arduino and never owned a clone arduino before. So if I can figure it out, you should be able to follow explicitly clear instructions intended for windows on windowns found on the first google hit. That is all I am saying.
Did you know you can buy a USBasp and then you wouldn't need to install any drivers, that would have worked.
All I'm asking is that you do the research for yourself and do the work and put in the effort for yourself, I promise that trial and error and reading instructions will prove much more useful than having somebody else solve the problem for you. It just seems like your issue is easily solved, but you gave up way too early and that is what disappoints me...
do the research for yourself and do the work and put in the effort
That would be contrary to the "spirit of Arduino." 
A user shouldn't have to put in any effort toward anything other than their artistic sketch/project.
Wrong choice of words, but you know what I meant
