error when compiling

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Software Syntax & Programs
#1

Hi,
Just started to really toy with an arduino I was bought for christmas, so I’m pretty new to coding on it.

I’m getting the following error when compiling the code below.

“error: expected primary-expression before ‘=’ token”

#define RED     2    // sets the red light to pin 2
#define AMBER   3    // sets the amber light to pin 3
#define GREEN   4    // sets the green light to pin 4
                      
#define ON = 1;       // declare what on and off mean
#define OFF = 0;      

// Array for the light control
char sequenceLength = 9;
char pinsLights[]={RED, AMBER, RED, AMBER, GREEN, GREEN, AMBER, AMBER, RED};
char stateLights[]={ON, ON, OFF, OFF, ON, OFF, ON, OFF, OFF};
char stateLights[]={10000, 2000, 0, 0, 10000, 0, 3000, 0, 0};

void setup()
{
  pinMode(2, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(3, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(4, OUTPUT);
}

// code
void loop()
{
  char sequence = 0;  // start at element sero of all the arrays
  
  // and do for every light we've programmed
  while(sequence<sequenceLength))  // loop for number of sequences
  {
    // first switch on or off the current light in the sequence
    digitalWrite(pinLights[sequence],stateLights[sequence]);
    
    // then if there's a delay then wait (may not need this if delay(0) works correctly)
    if(delayLights[sequence])
      delay(delayLights[sequence])};
      
    // next light in the sequence
    sequence++;
    }
  }

The error seems to highlight
char stateLights={ON, ON, OFF, OFF, ON, OFF, ON, OFF, OFF};
as being the problem, but for the life of me I don’t see what the issue is. Anyone have any ideas?

#2

The problem is with the #define statements.

The compiler substitutes whatever follows the name, whenever the name occurs elsewhere.

So, this:

char stateLights[] = {ON, ON, ...

becomes

char stateLights[] = {=1;, =1;, ...

It should be obvious that that statement will not compile.

Change the #define statements to look like

#define ON 1
#define OFF 0
#3

Ah, of course, thank you. Sorry I'd spent too long trying to work out what this was to see the problem, I think.

#4