Hexapod build Serial

Projects General Guidance
1

Hi.

I have built this monster The Github
I am trying to get my IPhone to talk to a Arduino Mega via Bluetooth(HC06).
Reading the Information provided by the author Jakob Leander. I will post it below.

const char ACTION_FORWARD = 'F';                   // Walk forward
const char ACTION_BACKWARD = 'B';                  // Walk backward

The commands must be wrapped by [] to reduce risk of corrupted commands
'(F#)' = Walk Forward '(B#)' = Walk Backward

Read bluetooth command from the HC-06 one character at a time Identify a command starting with '{' and ending with '}'

const char startMarker = '\[';          const char endMarker = '\]';

So the question is from my App what format should I be sending. Examples :- [F#] or [F#] or ['F'#] or another ?? for the forward movement.
Please ask if you need anymore code or information.

Regards Antony.

2

You may want to re-read your post, you have used [ { ( . Which is correct?

3

The HTML of this forum mangles code meant for a computer. Re-write that using the <code> button.

Guessing...

const char startMarker = '['; // only ONE character between single quotes

If you need the escape character...

const char escChar= '\';
4

Hi.

That's just it I have no idea.

This is plain Text from his instructions.
Regards Antony.
5

What is, and how does it identify what you need versus what you get?

I think you are mixing "single-quote" (') with back-tick(`)... and are using the single-quote where you need the back-tick.

My single-quote is "under" my (unshifted) double-quote key.
My back-tick is "under" my (unshifted) tilde key.

6

Not understanding you at all. If you are saying you don;t understand some set of instructions, post the link to those instrauctions so we can read what you read.

7

I looked at the code and do not see any of {[( the ACTION_FORWARD is just the single char F which in code is 'F' but you only send F.

8

I think the user is trying to "protect" the "device" against data not intended to move the device by wrapping the "move" character in brackets. That is to say... F is just a character to be discarded or used elsewhere but will not move the device, but [F] means "move forward" to the device. And again with [B] The brackets acting like an esape character... so the sender is actually sending three characters (if not made into an array of three characters).

9

Ok, that makes some sense. In that case I would use an 'escape' char that is not 'normal input' Maybe a char array of acceptable chars/commands, and/or a char array of 'escape' chars.
The real secret to this is the handling of the input stream. I still remember as a fledgling programmer back in the 60's being given a similar task. I thin that is where I lost most of my hair. Of course today the 'str...' builtin functions do all the heavy lifting.
I don't normally give solutions and won't here, but my clue is
Set up two tasks to handle the input, one a raw get next char and the other the 'smart' string based parser. By task I just mean the normal 'doing many things at once using millis()' See the tutorials section if you dont know about that, there are many tutorials for that kind of pseudo-tasking.
2nd hint, you need at least 3 (assuming command is 1 and a start and end esc char) raw chars buffered before processing. I would think about 6 or even 9. Use a time frame to decide if input is done.

10

Yes.

They are also trying to fit two characters into a char... (if compiler allows, only last char is used)

const char startMarker = '\[';

So I hope they read the comment part of this...

const char startMarker = '['; // only ONE character between single quotes
11

If they don't understand that a char is 1 char, 8 bits then there is NO hope.

12

I looked at the Github link... and...

The first thing I saw was the commands in Github already are wrapped.... so, the original code is being un-wrapped to wrap it again with brackets? (the .ino has all the commands as single characters that get stuffed in the wrappers)

    '(H#)' = Home
    '(S#)' = Sleep
    '(F#)' = Walk Forward
    '(B#)' = Walk Backward
    '(L#)' = Rotate Left
    '(R#)' = Rotate Right

The second thing I saw was this show stopper:

It does not work on IoS devices as HC06 module is not compatible with IoS.

Compared to Post #1:

I am trying to get my IPhone to talk to a Arduino Mega via Bluetooth(HC06).

And show-stopper #3 is the need for a paid application...

I have used a paid 3-party component to handle low-level bluetooth communication

13

Use a HM-10 for iOS

14

Thank you for all the Info... Looking into it Now.
Thanks :grinning_face:
Regards Antony

15

Hi.
And a BIG thank you. Sonofcy and xfpd for your inputs.
Its sorted out the issues That I had.
I have the iPhone talking to a HM-10 Sending and receiving.
And I have a Android tablet talking to a HC-06 Sending and receiving.
Now I can progress forward with my build.
Again a BIG thank YOU.
Regards Antony.