Just curious as I'm new to this is it sound that I compile and create a stable sketch incrementally, what I mean is I am working on my sensors first then some valves that will actuate by said sensors values then was going to tackle having the output of said sensors displayed in some way on a 2x16 or a 4x20 or other display? I'm in no hurry this is a project I hope to have stable by Spring 
Oh and by the way nothing fancy just an automated plant watering/feeding setup
Yes, it makes good sense to develop incrementally. However you have to make early efforts to clear the path for future integration. Otherwise you will have a collection of stand alone code segments that are hard to stitch together. The classic approach is to encapsulate things in functions as much as possible. If you can develop classes, even better. The idea is to allow hiding of a lot of internal detail by providing well defined interfaces. Then there is much less chance of different elements of the program "walking on each other".
I agree 200% with @Delta_G. I obsess about testing things separately and learning things with the simplest possible program.
Maybe have a look at Planning and Implementing a Program
...R
Well thanks for the confidence that at least I'm grasping this early on it's been fun and frustrating but then that's how it goes I learned to just walk away for a bit and get my senses and it helps!
Robin2:
Maybe have a look at Planning and Implementing a Program...R
Thank you I will read up on it when I get some time! I did also buy an E-Book that goes incremental as well and has been useful already.
mrbilky:
Just curious as I'm new to this is it sound that I compile and create a stable sketch incrementally, what I mean is I am working on my sensors first then some valves that will actuate by said sensors values then was going to tackle having the output of said sensors displayed in some way on a 2x16 or a 4x20 or other display? I'm in no hurry this is a project I hope to have stable by Spring
Methodology does not mean 'your method'. Methodology is the study and assessment/analysis and scrutinization of methods that could (or might be) potentially be useful or relevant to your own project, and which you could employ/use in your project.
Methodology --- study of methods.
Delta_G:
From Merriam-Webster:Methodology - 1 :a body of methods, rules, and postulates employed by a discipline :a particular procedure or set of procedures demonstrating library research methodology
Apparently merriam-webster don't know what they are talking about. They're wrong if they reckon that 'methodology' can mean a particular procedure or a particular method.
I like to use functions to put code into compartments, but have yet to get deeper into classes and such.
I used to code in assembly and machine back in my Unix days for simple diagnostic routines, but getting into the arduino has been a great and rewarding experience.
The open source and willingness of the community to help solve issues has helped me level up several times over.
I have also tried to adopt a coding standard, based on Michael Barr’s Embedded C Coding Standard. Other recommended suggestions to learning coding are read books on coding and probably the most helpful, read other people’s code!
Oh, and leave yourself and others a breadcrumb trail, comment your code!
Delta_G:
Dictionary.comOxford English:
Cambridge:
MacmillanGot any sources? Or are you basing your definition on the deconstruction of the root and suffix of the word?
Yes (ie. at least some of those ones that you provided). And....for your second lead-on question....not at all. The correct definition is pretty much like what they discuss on the wikipedia page. Sure, you can't trust everything on wiki....but this particular definition --- you can.
Almost laughable about this one here "The two researchers are using different methodologies."
You'd think that normal people would just say "The two researchers are using different methods."
Also.... this one: "a methodology for investigating the concept of focal points". A normal person would say "a method for investigating the concept of focal points".
Whoever wrote "a methodology for investigating the concept of focal points" was using the wrong word.
Programming in Python requires the use of code formatting and makes the habit very easy to bring across to Arduino code.
...R
Guys, I find your methodology of posts dictionary definitions about methodology refreshing.
A bit off topic, but words are defined by either the genius who invents the thing and picks the name, or by the most ignorant persons possible.
if someone cannot understand a thing and either messes up the pronunciation or just makes a new term out of thin air because they do not understand the true definition, that person keeps that to themselves. if they use it and it becomes popular, it gets entered in the dictionary.
Lastly, the move today is to re-define everything in order to control the future.
Many words you older folks think about are being re-defined to mean new things that, in many cases are opposite your definitions.
This may be way too deep thought for this forum because it is so way off topic.
sorry, but as I age, I watch and this is one of the things that fits in with death and taxes as fundamental to our civilization today.
Mrbilky, we will all tell you that the output needed to light an LED is the same output needed to tun on a motor, a relay, or any number of things.
if you can program that LED to go on and off, you can control pretty much anything.
most of us start with a few switchs, and LED's and get the pattern we need.
get them to read out on displays and such. add in pot's and get them to work
add in one sensor at a time...
as was noted, save as you go.
I add notes on the top
/* distance sensor working with OLED, but not with LCD /
or
/ added OLED, but numbers are not changing smoothly */
sort of a note of where I left off.
and I often save as
DHT22_OLED_v4
showing the combined things and my latest version.
I save it new when I start. and add my notes when I close.
Ah yes, using versions and leaving yourself notes, very important, especially as we get older and forget, wait, what were we talking about?
You also need some dross control - every half year or so I have to archive everything and only keep the most useful or complete sketches in the active sketch folder.