Global variable "not declared in this scope"

Projects Programming
1

I'm only used to programming things in PHP, so I understand there are differences. I don't understand why, no matter where I declare this variable, I keep getting the same errors.

My entire program so far is as follows:

int greenPin = 11;
int redPin = 10;
int switchPin = 9;
int lightState;

void setup()
{
pinMode(greenPin,OUTPUT);
pinMode(redPin,OUTPUT);
pinMode(switchPin,INPUT);
}
//int lightState;
int lightDisplay(lightState){

switch (lightState)
{
case 1:
digitalWrite(greenPin,HIGH);
digitalWrite(redPin,LOW);
break;
case 2:
digitalWrite(redPin,HIGH);
digitalWrite(greenPin,LOW);
break;
case 3:
digitalWrite(redPin,LOW);
digitalWrite(greenPin,LOW);
break;
}
}

void loop()
{

if (digitalRead(switchPin) == HIGH)
{
lightDisplay(3);
}
else
{
lightDisplay(1);
}
}

All I want to do is be able to call the lightDisplay() function and tell it whether to light a green LED, a red LED, or nothing at all. Seems like this would be easier than rewriting the digitalWrite() statements over and over.

Anyway, when clicking the Verify button, I get this:

sketch_apr01a:-1: error: 'lightState' was not declared in this scope
sketch_apr01a:12: error: redefinition of 'int lightDisplay'
sketch_apr01a:-1: error: 'int lightDisplay' previously defined here

lightState is declared at the top of the code so I don't understand how this can be happening. Am I using the wrong datatype or something?

2 
int lightDisplay(lightState){

Does lightState have a type?

3

You can get rid of it at the top of your code. You just need to 'declare' it in your function definition

void lightDisplay(int lightState){

And make it a void function because it returns nothing.

4

Thank you. I'm not used to having to declare variables that way, so no wonder I couldn't figure it out. Declaring the variable inside the function worked great.

5

There is a reference section for this idea of scoping!

It is worth the time to read and understand.

Global variables should generally be avoided.

Local variables are better.

Except for the exceptions -- but that is the advanced class.

6

guys can you tell me to fix this skecth

#include <AFMotor.h>
#define trigPin 3
#define echoPin 2
#motor1(1, MOTOR12_8KHZ); // create motor #1, 8KHz pwm
#motor3(3, MOTOR34_8KHZ); // create motor #3, 8KHz pwm

void setup() {
Serial.begin (9600);
pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(echoPin, INPUT);
motor 1.setSpeed(255); // set the speed to 200/255
motor 3.setSpeed(255); // set the speed to 200/255
}

int CheckDistance()
{
long duration, distance;
digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW); // Added this line
delayMicroseconds(2); // Added this line

digitalWrite(trigPin, HIGH);
// delayMicroseconds(1000); - Removed this line
delayMicroseconds(10); // Added this line
digitalWrite(trigPin, LOW);
duration = pulseIn(echoPin, HIGH);
distance = (duration/2) / 29.1;

return distance;
}

void MotorForward(int delaytime)
{
motor1.run(FORWARD);
motor3.run(FORWARD);
delay(delaytime);
}
void MotorBackward(int delaytime)
{
motor1.run(BACKWARD);
motor3.run(BACKWARD);
delay(delaytime);
}
void MotorRelease()
{
motor1.run(RELEASE);
motor3.run(RELEASE);
delay(1000);
}

void MotorLeft()
{
motor1.run(FORWARD);
motor3.run(BACKWARD);
delay(600);
}

void MotorRight()
{
motor1.run(BACKWARD);
motor3.run(FORWARD);
delay(500);
}

void loop()
{
int testDistance = CheckDistance();

Serial.print(testDistance);
Serial.println(" test");

if (testDistance >= 30 || testDistance <= 0){
Serial.println("Out of range");
//go forward and check range again
MotorForward(700);
MotorRelease();
}
else
{
Serial.print(testDistance);
Serial.println(" cm");
//object in path, reverse and turn to avoid
MotorBackward(600);
MotorRelease();
MotorRight();
MotorRelease();
MotorForward(600);
MotorRelease();
MotorLeft();
MotorRelease();

}

delay(500);
}

the problem is that it is saying motor 1 was no in the skecth

7

Sure, Fix that sketch!

Probably don't want the space between motor and 1, and motor and 3, here:

void setup() {
  Serial.begin (9600);
  pinMode(trigPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(echoPin, INPUT);
  motor 1.setSpeed(255); // set the speed to 200/255
  motor 3.setSpeed(255); // set the speed to 200/255
}
8 
#motor1(1, MOTOR12_8KHZ); // create motor #1, 8KHz pwm
#motor3(3, MOTOR34_8KHZ); // create motor #3, 8KHz pwm

I don't know what you were smoking when you wrote that, but you need to pass it around.