Problems with data output

I have been working with an Arduino Uno and an IMU-board (SparkFun 6 Degrees of Freedom IMU Digital Combo Board - ITG3200/ADXL345 - SEN-10121 - SparkFun Electronics).

Overall, I have been having issues understanding the wiring of the board and which code to use. I tried to follow: ADXL345 Hookup Guide - SparkFun Learn. But all I got was garbage for my data. I just tried the adxl code because I figured that I would try one of the components at time, plus I could not find code out there that encompassed both components.

I was hoping that someone could point me in the right direction with how to proceed with this personal project.

For libraries, I have only added the AXDL345 library provided at: GitHub - sparkfun/SparkFun_ADXL345_Arduino_Library: Arduino Library for the ADXL345

My pins go as follows:
IMU ARDUINO
3.3v 3.3v
GND GND
SDA A4
SCL A5
INT1 0
INT0 1

My goal for the project is to take data from the IMU and plot it so that I can calculate their total distance.

Please provide more details:

Post your ADXL345 testing code using code tags (</> button on the toolbar).

Explain what you mean by garbage data? What data did you get? What were you expecting instead?

 /*  ********************************************* 
 *  SparkFun_ADXL345_Example
 *  Triple Axis Accelerometer Breakout - ADXL345 
 *  Hook Up Guide Example 
 *  
 *  Utilizing Sparkfun's ADXL345 Library
 *  Bildr ADXL345 source file modified to support 
 *  both I2C and SPI Communication
 *  
 *  E.Robert @ SparkFun Electronics
 *  Created: Jul 13, 2016
 *  Updated: Sep 06, 2016
 *  
 *  Development Environment Specifics:
 *  Arduino 1.6.11
 *  
 *  Hardware Specifications:
 *  SparkFun ADXL345
 *  Arduino Uno
 *  *********************************************/

#include <SparkFun_ADXL345.h>         // SparkFun ADXL345 Library

/*********** COMMUNICATION SELECTION ***********/
/*    Comment Out The One You Are Not Using    */
//ADXL345 adxl = ADXL345(10);           // USE FOR SPI COMMUNICATION, ADXL345(CS_PIN);
ADXL345 adxl = ADXL345();             // USE FOR I2C COMMUNICATION

/****************** INTERRUPT ******************/
/*      Uncomment If Attaching Interrupt       */
//int interruptPin = 2;                 // Setup pin 2 to be the interrupt pin (for most Arduino Boards)


/******************** SETUP ********************/
/*          Configure ADXL345 Settings         */
void setup(){
  
  Serial.begin(9600);                 // Start the serial terminal
  Serial.println("SparkFun ADXL345 Accelerometer Hook Up Guide Example");
  Serial.println();
  
  adxl.powerOn();                     // Power on the ADXL345

  adxl.setRangeSetting(16);           // Give the range settings
                                      // Accepted values are 2g, 4g, 8g or 16g
                                      // Higher Values = Wider Measurement Range
                                      // Lower Values = Greater Sensitivity

  adxl.setSpiBit(0);                  // Configure the device to be in 4 wire SPI mode when set to '0' or 3 wire SPI mode when set to 1
                                      // Default: Set to 1
                                      // SPI pins on the ATMega328: 11, 12 and 13 as reference in SPI Library 
   
  adxl.setActivityXYZ(1, 0, 0);       // Set to activate movement detection in the axes "adxl.setActivityXYZ(X, Y, Z);" (1 == ON, 0 == OFF)
  adxl.setActivityThreshold(75);      // 62.5mg per increment   // Set activity   // Inactivity thresholds (0-255)
 
  adxl.setInactivityXYZ(1, 0, 0);     // Set to detect inactivity in all the axes "adxl.setInactivityXYZ(X, Y, Z);" (1 == ON, 0 == OFF)
  adxl.setInactivityThreshold(75);    // 62.5mg per increment   // Set inactivity // Inactivity thresholds (0-255)
  adxl.setTimeInactivity(10);         // How many seconds of no activity is inactive?

  adxl.setTapDetectionOnXYZ(0, 0, 1); // Detect taps in the directions turned ON "adxl.setTapDetectionOnX(X, Y, Z);" (1 == ON, 0 == OFF)
 
  // Set values for what is considered a TAP and what is a DOUBLE TAP (0-255)
  adxl.setTapThreshold(50);           // 62.5 mg per increment
  adxl.setTapDuration(15);            // 625 μs per increment
  adxl.setDoubleTapLatency(80);       // 1.25 ms per increment
  adxl.setDoubleTapWindow(200);       // 1.25 ms per increment
 
  // Set values for what is considered FREE FALL (0-255)
  adxl.setFreeFallThreshold(7);       // (5 - 9) recommended - 62.5mg per increment
  adxl.setFreeFallDuration(30);       // (20 - 70) recommended - 5ms per increment
 
  // Setting all interupts to take place on INT1 pin
  //adxl.setImportantInterruptMapping(1, 1, 1, 1, 1);     // Sets "adxl.setEveryInterruptMapping(single tap, double tap, free fall, activity, inactivity);" 
                                                        // Accepts only 1 or 2 values for pins INT1 and INT2. This chooses the pin on the ADXL345 to use for Interrupts.
                                                        // This library may have a problem using INT2 pin. Default to INT1 pin.
  
  // Turn on Interrupts for each mode (1 == ON, 0 == OFF)
  adxl.InactivityINT(1);
  adxl.ActivityINT(1);
  adxl.FreeFallINT(1);
  adxl.doubleTapINT(1);
  adxl.singleTapINT(1);
  
//attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(interruptPin), ADXL_ISR, RISING);   // Attach Interrupt

}

/****************** MAIN CODE ******************/
/*     Accelerometer Readings and Interrupt    */
void loop(){
  
  // Accelerometer Readings
  int x,y,z;   
  adxl.readAccel(&x, &y, &z);         // Read the accelerometer values and store them in variables declared above x,y,z

  // Output Results to Serial
  /* UNCOMMENT TO VIEW X Y Z ACCELEROMETER VALUES */  
 Serial.print(x);
 Serial.print(", ");
 Serial.print(y);
 Serial.print(", ");
 Serial.println(z); 
  
  ADXL_ISR();
  // You may also choose to avoid using interrupts and simply run the functions within ADXL_ISR(); 
  //  and place it within the loop instead.  
  // This may come in handy when it doesn't matter when the action occurs. 

}

/********************* ISR *********************/
/* Look for Interrupts and Triggered Action    */
void ADXL_ISR() {
  
  // getInterruptSource clears all triggered actions after returning value
  // Do not call again until you need to recheck for triggered actions
  byte interrupts = adxl.getInterruptSource();
  
  // Free Fall Detection
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_FREE_FALL)){
    Serial.println("*** FREE FALL ***");
    //add code here to do when free fall is sensed
  } 
  
  // Inactivity
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_INACTIVITY)){
    Serial.println("*** INACTIVITY ***");
     //add code here to do when inactivity is sensed
  }
  
  // Activity
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_ACTIVITY)){
    Serial.println("*** ACTIVITY ***"); 
     //add code here to do when activity is sensed
  }
  
  // Double Tap Detection
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_DOUBLE_TAP)){
    Serial.println("*** DOUBLE TAP ***");
     //add code here to do when a 2X tap is sensed
  }
  
  // Tap Detection
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_SINGLE_TAP)){
    Serial.println("*** TAP ***");
     //add code here to do when a tap is sensed
  } 
}

By garbage data I get values of just 0s and whenever I move the IMU I get random letters (see arduinodata).

I am expecting to see non-zero values or any type of fluctuation within the data when I move the IMU.

THAP:
INT1 0
INT0 1

That's the cause of the garbage data. Pins 0 and 1 on the Uno are used for Serial communication with your PC over USB so you should avoid connecting anything to them. If you do connect things to them you can expect them to interfere with serial communication including uploading code to the Arduino.

If you look at the sketch:

/*      Uncomment If Attaching Interrupt       */
//int interruptPin = 2;                 // Setup pin 2 to be the interrupt pin (for most Arduino Boards)

it expects you to connect the interrupt pin to pin 2 on your Uno and then uncomment the line.

That's the cause of the garbage data. Pins 0 and 1 on the Uno are used for Serial communication with your PC over USB so you should avoid connecting anything to them. If you do connect things to them you can expect them to interfere with serial communication including uploading code to the Arduino.

Okay, thank you.

it expects you to connect the interrupt pin to pin 2 on your Uno and then uncomment the line.

So, do I choose one of the interrupts on the IMU and connect it to pin 2? Or does it have be int0 or int1?

There is no int0 on the Sparkfun board. It's INT1 and INT2.

Using the interrupt feature of the IMU is optional. If you do want to use it then you need to uncomment line 31:

//int interruptPin = 2;                 // Setup pin 2 to be the interrupt pin (for most Arduino Boards)

and also line 73:

  //adxl.setImportantInterruptMapping(1, 1, 1, 1, 1);     // Sets "adxl.setEveryInterruptMapping(single tap, double tap, free fall, activity, inactivity);"
                                                        // Accepts only 1 or 2 values for pins INT1 and INT2. This chooses the pin on the ADXL345 to use for Interrupts.
                                                        // This library may have a problem using INT2 pin. Default to INT1 pin.

That line is currently set to configure INT1 on the IMU board to be used for single tap, double tap, free fall, activity, and inactivity events. So the short answer is that you should connect INT1 to pin 2 on your Uno. If you want to use INT2 for any of those events then you can just change the relevant arguments from 1 to 2.

You also need to uncomment line 84:

//attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(interruptPin), ADXL_ISR, RISING);   // Attach Interrupt

that will cause the ADXL_ISR function in your sketch to be called whenever the interrupt is triggered. If you wanted to use INT1 and INT2 then you would need to add another similar line but configured to call another function, which you would need to write, using ADXL_ISR() as a reference. Note that you can only use pins 2 and 3 on the Uno with attachInterrupt(). For more information see:
https://www.arduino.cc/en/Reference/AttachInterrupt

I tried to run my code with and without those edits commented. When I had everything uncommented, I would not get a reading from my IMU.

When I commented everything, I got 0's again.

/*  ********************************************* 
 *  SparkFun_ADXL345_Example
 *  Triple Axis Accelerometer Breakout - ADXL345 
 *  Hook Up Guide Example 
 *  
 *  Utilizing Sparkfun's ADXL345 Library
 *  Bildr ADXL345 source file modified to support 
 *  both I2C and SPI Communication
 *  
 *  E.Robert @ SparkFun Electronics
 *  Created: Jul 13, 2016
 *  Updated: Sep 06, 2016
 *  
 *  Development Environment Specifics:
 *  Arduino 1.6.11
 *  
 *  Hardware Specifications:
 *  SparkFun ADXL345
 *  Arduino Uno
 *  *********************************************/

#include <SparkFun_ADXL345.h>         // SparkFun ADXL345 Library

/*********** COMMUNICATION SELECTION ***********/
/*    Comment Out The One You Are Not Using    */
//ADXL345 adxl = ADXL345(10);           // USE FOR SPI COMMUNICATION, ADXL345(CS_PIN);
ADXL345 adxl = ADXL345();             // USE FOR I2C COMMUNICATION

/****************** INTERRUPT ******************/
/*      Uncomment If Attaching Interrupt       */
//int interruptPin = 2;                 // Setup pin 2 to be the interrupt pin (for most Arduino Boards)


/******************** SETUP ********************/
/*          Configure ADXL345 Settings         */
void setup(){
  
  Serial.begin(9600);                 // Start the serial terminal
  Serial.println("SparkFun ADXL345 Accelerometer Hook Up Guide Example");
  Serial.println();
  
  adxl.powerOn();                     // Power on the ADXL345

  adxl.setRangeSetting(16);           // Give the range settings
                                      // Accepted values are 2g, 4g, 8g or 16g
                                      // Higher Values = Wider Measurement Range
                                      // Lower Values = Greater Sensitivity

  adxl.setSpiBit(0);                  // Configure the device to be in 4 wire SPI mode when set to '0' or 3 wire SPI mode when set to 1
                                      // Default: Set to 1
                                      // SPI pins on the ATMega328: 11, 12 and 13 as reference in SPI Library 
   
  adxl.setActivityXYZ(1, 0, 0);       // Set to activate movement detection in the axes "adxl.setActivityXYZ(X, Y, Z);" (1 == ON, 0 == OFF)
  adxl.setActivityThreshold(75);      // 62.5mg per increment   // Set activity   // Inactivity thresholds (0-255)
 
  adxl.setInactivityXYZ(1, 0, 0);     // Set to detect inactivity in all the axes "adxl.setInactivityXYZ(X, Y, Z);" (1 == ON, 0 == OFF)
  adxl.setInactivityThreshold(75);    // 62.5mg per increment   // Set inactivity // Inactivity thresholds (0-255)
  adxl.setTimeInactivity(10);         // How many seconds of no activity is inactive?

  adxl.setTapDetectionOnXYZ(0, 0, 1); // Detect taps in the directions turned ON "adxl.setTapDetectionOnX(X, Y, Z);" (1 == ON, 0 == OFF)
 
  // Set values for what is considered a TAP and what is a DOUBLE TAP (0-255)
  adxl.setTapThreshold(50);           // 62.5 mg per increment
  adxl.setTapDuration(15);            // 625 μs per increment
  adxl.setDoubleTapLatency(80);       // 1.25 ms per increment
  adxl.setDoubleTapWindow(200);       // 1.25 ms per increment
 
  // Set values for what is considered FREE FALL (0-255)
  adxl.setFreeFallThreshold(7);       // (5 - 9) recommended - 62.5mg per increment
  adxl.setFreeFallDuration(30);       // (20 - 70) recommended - 5ms per increment
 
  // Setting all interupts to take place on INT1 pin
//adxl.setImportantInterruptMapping(1, 1, 1, 1, 1);     // Sets "adxl.setEveryInterruptMapping(single tap, double tap, free fall, activity, inactivity);" 
                                                        // Accepts only 1 or 2 values for pins INT1 and INT2. This chooses the pin on the ADXL345 to use for Interrupts.
                                                        // This library may have a problem using INT2 pin. Default to INT1 pin.
  
  // Turn on Interrupts for each mode (1 == ON, 0 == OFF)
  adxl.InactivityINT(1);
  adxl.ActivityINT(1);
  adxl.FreeFallINT(1);
  adxl.doubleTapINT(1);
  adxl.singleTapINT(1);
  
//attachInterrupt(digitalPinToInterrupt(interruptPin), ADXL_ISR, RISING);   // Attach Interrupt

}

/****************** MAIN CODE ******************/
/*     Accelerometer Readings and Interrupt    */
void loop(){
  
  // Accelerometer Readings
  int x,y,z;   
  adxl.readAccel(&x, &y, &z);         // Read the accelerometer values and store them in variables declared above x,y,z

  // Output Results to Serial
  /* UNCOMMENT TO VIEW X Y Z ACCELEROMETER VALUES */  
 Serial.print(x);
 Serial.print(", ");
 Serial.print(y);
 Serial.print(", ");
 Serial.println(z); 
  
  ADXL_ISR();
  // You may also choose to avoid using interrupts and simply run the functions within ADXL_ISR(); 
  //  and place it within the loop instead.  
  // This may come in handy when it doesn't matter when the action occurs. 

}

/********************* ISR *********************/
/* Look for Interrupts and Triggered Action    */
void ADXL_ISR() {
  
  // getInterruptSource clears all triggered actions after returning value
  // Do not call again until you need to recheck for triggered actions
  byte interrupts = adxl.getInterruptSource();
  
  // Free Fall Detection
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_FREE_FALL)){
    Serial.println("*** FREE FALL ***");
    //add code here to do when free fall is sensed
  } 
  
  // Inactivity
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_INACTIVITY)){
    Serial.println("*** INACTIVITY ***");
     //add code here to do when inactivity is sensed
  }
  
  // Activity
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_ACTIVITY)){
    Serial.println("*** ACTIVITY ***"); 
     //add code here to do when activity is sensed
  }
  
  // Double Tap Detection
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_DOUBLE_TAP)){
    Serial.println("*** DOUBLE TAP ***");
     //add code here to do when a 2X tap is sensed
  }
  
  // Tap Detection
  if(adxl.triggered(interrupts, ADXL345_SINGLE_TAP)){
    Serial.println("*** TAP ***");
     //add code here to do when a tap is sensed
  } 
}

This is the code that gave me zeros.

I have attached a picture of my setup as well.

I think it's better to not use the interrupt features until you get the basic functionality working. Do you only get 0s even when you move the board around?

I didn't realize that the board you're using is not the same one as that SparkFun tutorial. I see now that it does have the pins labeled INT0 and INT1, unlike the ADXL345 breakout board. If you are still having problems I'd try to use the tutorial linked from your board's product page:
http://bildr.org/2012/03/stable-orientation-digital-imu-6dof-arduino/

Thank you for the help.

I had only gotten 0's when I moved my board around without the interrupt.

I'll look into the bildr site, hopefully I won't be back with problems.