New Arduino user and why can't I find libraries?

Using Arduino Programming Questions
1

I just got started with Arduino and my first little project is using zimodem on a ESP8266 NodeMCU. I have the libraries for the board loaded in the Arduino IDE (V2.3.2). when I go load compile and load the sketch it fails trying to find the includes for items such as pet2asc.h. etc...

#include "pet2asc.h"
#include "rt_clock.h"
#include "filelog.h"
#include "serout.h"
#include "connSettings.h"
#include "wificlientnode.h"
#include "stringstream.h"
#include "phonebook.h"
#include "wifiservernode.h"
#include "zstream.h"
#include "proto_http.h"
#include "proto_ftp.h"
#include "zconfigmode.h"
#include "zcommand.h"
#include "zprint.h"

I for the life of me can't seem to figure out where these come from and where they get stored. I thought they came in when I updated the libraries from "http://arduino.esp8266.com/stable/package_esp8266com_index.json"

For now I'm just trying to find my way around the IDE and how it works before diving into any coding. I've loaded up some of the samples like the wifi scan and one I found that does telnet server to serial connection. Those load up fine and actually work.

So I'm stumped. How do I bring in those includes?

2

Hi @cbstc.

Please provide a link to where on the Internet you found this code. That will provide context that might be useful to the forum helpers.

3

Good idea. There are lots of examples built in to Arduino, illustrating the special features that make boards easy to use to collect data from sensors, control motors and lights, etc.

Learn about those and the C/C++ language before wasting a lot of time trying to figure out someone else's code for an advanced application like modem data transfer.

4

Have you installed them? This MAY help

5

Can you link to wherever you found the code you're trying to use?

Does the code have a bunch of tabs in it that you didn't copy over to your copy in the IDE? Those "" marks (and not <>) immediately make me think they aren't necessarily libraries, but .h files that may only exist wherever you found your overall code.

6

You're trying to run before you can crawl. Working with complex code that you don't understand is a recipe for constant frustration and failure. Take some time to learn the basics of coding first.

7

It's Zimodem off github.

Zimodem

8

I'm not new to coding. Just the Arduino and IDE. I understand how libraries and includes work. My first steps are to learn the IDE itself. I've already compiled and tested a few other canned example projects that worked fine. But there's something about this one. I'm trying to understand why those files are missing. I assumed they'd be in the libraries from the ESP8266 package.

9

That's what I'm using. The only difference is I'm using the latest IDE (2.3.2) vs 1.8.10. I've looked at others who have done this and AFAIK I'm using the same procedures. I know I'm missing something but don't know enough about the IDE to troubleshoot it adequately.

10
11

That's pretty much it. I've been digging into the examples but would like to get zimodem going as I have a Tandy M102 I bought new may years ago and zimodem looked like an interesting way to start with the Arduino.

12

Screenshot_20240704-114305_My Files
Screenshot_20240704-114305_My Files1080×2220 127 KB

I'm on my phone so it's a pain to double check what's missing, but it looks like all those .h files are there, can't you just copy them to the sketch folder for the sketch you're working on?

13

They are not standard Arduino IDE libraries so you need to copy them from where you got the code.

14

Yeah, I'm learning that now. The youtube page for the project doesn't mention any of that. At least now I have them in the sketch folder but now it's failing the compile with a function not declared. I have a feeling the zimodem project on github has issues...The readme doesn't say anything about bringing in those files.

15

FWIW, I downloaded the .zip file from github, unzipped, opened zimodem-master/zimodem/zimodem.ino in Arduino 2.0.2, set the board type to Generic ESP8266 form the "Sparkfun ESP8266 Boards v3.1.2" package, and hit the "Verify" button, and it compiled fine. (oh, not that "fine" - there were some warnings, but it did finish and create a .bin file.)
(Sorry that not all of those are "latest versions"; it was what I have currently installed.)

This is pretty standard procedure for a project that claims to be Arduino compatible but includes a lot of .cpp and .h files (and/or multiple .ino files.)
You have to download the whole mess, and open the .ino file that matches the directory name that the source code is in. (sometimes the .ino file is empty. But that can be OK.)

This sort of procedure

16

Well howdy doody!

I got it to work. Turns out I've been pulling the project down from Github the wrong way.

The clue was your reference to zimodem-master. That little green button that says "code". Who'd a thunk it.

It compiled and loaded into the NodeMCU without issue. I see what you mean about the warning messages though.

But it's working now. I can talk to the ESP with AT commands.

Thanks for the assist! (and patience!)

Looks like I need to do a little more work on how projects are stored in Github too.