Help with inputs and mills() timers

Using Arduino Programming Questions
#1

Hello all, I am a newbie this is only my 3rd sketch. I try doing the research but I have a TBI and am just not as quick on the uptake as I used to be. Basically I am controlling a night light, a fan with external thermostat and a relay to override the thermostat. If it is low light and the LASER sensor is broken I want the light to come on for 10 mins. If it is above 80° (external thermostat) and the Laser sensor is broken it will turn on a fan. If it is below 80° and a button is pressed it will fire a relay that will override the thermostat for 10 mins. This sketch compiles but does not work, I need help fixing it. I have tried working with mills() timers with no luck. I have added to the sketch’s comments where I would like to add mills() timers. You will also notice the reference to LASER Mosfets in the sketch comments, I can’t figure out how to do multiple things with a single input so help here too if possible. It’s not like I haven’t tried, this is the 10th attempt at this sketch, I just can’t get it. THANKS FOR YOUR HELP, Mike…

Garage_light_WITH__NIGHT_LIGHT___FAN_OVERRIDE_LDR_WORKING.ino.ino (2.7 KB)

#2

I find it very hard to make sense of long paragraphs. This style is much clearer (for me at least)

Basically I am controlling a night light, a fan with external thermostat and a relay to override the thermostat.

If it is low light and the LASER sensor is broken I want the light to come on for 10 mins.

If it is above 80° (external thermostat) and the Laser sensor is broken it will turn on a fan.

If it is below 80° and a button is pressed it will fire a relay that will override the thermostat for 10 mins.

I have had a quick look at your code. It is very poorly formatted so I can't quickly make any sense of it. Use the Auto-Format option in the Arduino IDE and post the tidied up version.

The demo several things at a time illustrates how to use millis() for timing.

...R

#3

Robin, Thanks for the advise on how to post code questions. Here is the auto formatted sketch:

Garage_light_WITH__NIGHT_LIGHT___FAN_OVERRIDE_LDR_WORKING.ino.i.ino (2.18 KB)

#4

and the LASER sensor is broken

If the laser sensor is broken, it's not much good, is it? 8)

  pinMode(ledAPin, OUTPUT); pinMode(ledBPin, OUTPUT); pinMode(ledCPin, OUTPUT); pinMode(ledDPin, OUTPUT);
  pinMode(buttonApin, INPUT); pinMode(buttonBpin, INPUT_PULLUP); pinMode(buttonCpin, INPUT_PULLUP);

That was how far I got. ONE STATEMENT PER LINE!

#5

The variable names should indicate something about what they're used for. So that:

digitalWrite(ledBPin, HIGH); //OUT TO EXTERNAL LIGHT TIMER RELAY

becomes

digitalWrite(lightRelay, HIGH);

...and all caps is SCREAMING, even in code.

If the comments take the lines out to 199 characters long, consider giving them their own line.

I really can't read your code the way it is. It's just too much effort. If I was paid to do it I would.

Also, your aim of introducing millis() timing, will require a complete redesign of the entire program anyway. So nothing is lost.

#6

Have a look at how the code is laid out in planning and implementing a program.

Put the "action" code into short functions (with meaningful names) which you can test and then forget about.

Then you can focus on the logic of the problem.

...R

#7

Thank all you for your help. The sketch is working now. Here is a copy of the finished sketch. If anyone sees anything else to improve it let me know…Thanks again, Mike Now

Garage_light_WITH__NIGHT_LIGHT___FAN_OVERRIDE_LDR_WORKING.ino (2.12 KB)

#8