Need a program written urgently - happy to pay

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

Hi all, Firstly I want to make it clear I have no knowledge whatsoever about programming, and require some help if possible.

I am in the throws of building a prototype that's using an Arduino as the controller. I have a friend doing the programming, but unfortunately he has to travel OS and as he's a noob at Arduino, it's going to take far too long to learn and program.

I can engage the company who have supplied me with all the hardware - Ocean Controls, to do the programming, but they're backed up for the next 2 weeks. The rub is, I need a basic program by this Firday, Australian time. :-/

I am happy to discuss my needs offline over skype, messenger, PM, whatever. I'm in Australia if it makes a difference.

Here's what I need to do if anyone is interested;

Control via remote control a curtain system that has 3 positions. The remote control outputs an ASCII string for the Arduino to reference for the positions. When the power is switched on, the system needs to power up and move until it hits a limit switch. This limit switch then becomes the "home" (0) position. I then need 2 other positions set that are relative to the home position, and can be set from any position. IE: I don't want to have to go 1,2,3. If desired, I want to be able to go 1,3,2 etc. So the Arduino will have to have a software interupt so it can keep track of its position using a position counter.

I'm using a DC servo motor. The driver is a Leadshine DCS303. Speed can be constant, no accel or decel required. From what I understand, the program will need to use Pulse width frequency, not modulation.

Anyway, if anyone is interested in writing this for me within a couple of days, I'm happy to pay commercial rates. You can respond here, PM me, email me at chris (dot) young (seventytwo as numbers) at gmail.com (sorry for the attempt at an anti bot email address), ping me on skype - username is bandwidth_waster or on messenger - username chris.young@messengeruser.com

Cheers,

Chris

#2

I'd like to make three comments...

  1. "So the Arduino will have to have a software interupt" - it is very dangerous to say such things, let the person solving the problem for you solve the problem. Not everybody is as good as interpreting what a client wants, and to some.. if the client mentions it, it has to be done that way (or client will be sad.. sad client no pay, client be happy!.. (or however you want to read that bit)).

  2. Might be tricky with the hardware, since any person who would write the code is likely to not have this hardware available. I could probably write the code, but since I don't have the hardware, I can't test.. and you always make mistakes, always.

  3. Arduino isn't all that hard to learn, I have a coding background and managed to get a grip on how things worked in a day or two.

I wouldn't mind providing help if you tried it yourself, but since I don't have the hardware to test any software I write, I won't accept the project.

#3

No worries. Yeah, the comment I made about the software interupt was me regurgitating what the guys at Ocean Controls told me.

As for not having the hardware, I don't expect anyone to have the hardware available, but can easily hook my machine up and do testing remotely. This is how we have been working anyway - Remote desktop sharing, like Live meeting, goto meeting etc has worked great so far.

Cheers,

Chris

#4

I think most people would be happy to help and not ask for anything but you need to give us a bit more to go on.

If you can do a basic sketch with the pin definitions then that would give something to start on.

Mowcius

#5

I actually have a schematic, but I'm in the middle of rebuilding my machine, so don't have access to it.

What I can tell you is how the pins are used in the design;

Pin 0 (RX) - Goes to TX pin of RS232/TTL converter Pin 1 (TX) - Goes to RX pin of RS232/TTL converter Pin 2 - Normally open pin of Microswitch Pin 3 - Normally open pin of microswitch 2 Pin 7 - Direction Pin 10 - Pulse 5v - +ve power Gnd - Ground

Cheers,

Chris

#6

I didn't update this thread, but MEM helped me out, and we got a program ready in time, and it worked great!

We're just in the throws of refining it now.

Cheers,

Chris

#7