Programming robot arm to be controlled with N64 Controller

[pnolan525]

Hello, I am fairly new to programming Arduino, and this project I have been working on controls six servo and 1 stepper with Arduino Uno. I am looking for some "best practice" guidance, so as I choose to expand or change Controller (possibly to ESP32) I can do so easily.
Should I call all variables Globally or is it best co declare them in the loop also pins I don't understand why the N64 Controller Pin is called before setup and all the servos are called in void setup.

[pnolan525]

Here is the code I am working on, I have also played with arrays for all the buttons and position and pin variables.

#include <Stepper.h>
#include <Servo.h>
#include <N64Controller.h>

//Name servo motors
Servo s1; 
Servo s2;
Servo s3;
Servo s4;
Servo s5;
Servo s6;

//Variables
int pos1 = 90;      // Servo1 position variable
int pos2 = 90;      // Servo2 position variable
int pos3 = 90;      // Servo3 position variable
int pos4 = 90;      // Servo4 position variable
int pos5 = 90;      // Servo5 position variable
const int RPM = 15; // Stepper RPM
const int stepsPerRevolution = 2048;  // change this to fit the number of steps per revolution

//Arduino Pins
N64Controller Ncontrol(12); // N64 Controller pin
const int s1_pin = 7;       // Servo 1 Pin
const int s2_pin = 5;       // Servo 2 Pin
const int s3_pin = 6;       // Servo 1 Pin
const int s4_pin = 9;       // Servo 2 Pin
const int s5_pin = 10;      // Servo 1 Pin
const int s6_pin = 11;      // Servo 2 Pin
Stepper myStepper(stepsPerRevolution, 1, 3, 2, 4); // Stepper motor pins

void setup() {
  Ncontrol.begin();         // Initialisation
  Serial.begin(9600);       // Start Serial communication
  myStepper.setSpeed(RPM);  // Set stepper speed
  s1.attach(s1_pin);
  s2.attach(s2_pin);
  s3.attach(s3_pin);
  s4.attach(s4_pin);
  s5.attach(s5_pin);
  s6.attach(s6_pin);
 // s1.write(pos);
 // s2.write(pos);
}

void loop() {
  delay(5);
  
  //Get a reading from the controller and place it into variables
  Ncontrol.update();
  int rotate = int(Ncontrol.axis_x());
  int rotatecw = int(Ncontrol.D_right());
  int rotateccw = int(Ncontrol.D_left());
  int shoulder = int(Ncontrol.axis_y());
  int shoulderup = int(Ncontrol.D_up());
  int shoulderdown = int(Ncontrol.D_down());
  int elbowdown = int(Ncontrol.C_down());
  int elbowup = int(Ncontrol.C_up());
  int x2right = int(Ncontrol.C_right());
  int x2left = int(Ncontrol.C_left());
  int clawclose = int(Ncontrol.Z());
  
  //Button Commands
  if (rotate > 30){
    myStepper.setSpeed(RPM);
    myStepper.step(30);    
  }
  else if (rotate < -30){
    myStepper.setSpeed(RPM);
    myStepper.step(-30);
  }
  else{ //rotate > -30 && rotate < 30
   for (int i = 1; i < 5; i++){
     digitalWrite(i, LOW);
   }
  }

  if (clawclose == 1){
    pos5 = pos5 +2;
  }

  if (shoulder < -30 | shoulderdown == 1 && pos1 > 0){
    pos1 = pos1 - 2;
  }

  else if (shoulder > 30 | shoulderup == 1 && pos1 < 180){
    pos1 = pos1 + 2;
  }

  //Serial print data
  Serial.print("Z: ");
  Serial.print(clawclose);
  Serial.print("\t");
  Serial.print("X-axis: ");
  Serial.print(rotate);
  Serial.print("\t");
  Serial.print("pos: ");
  Serial.print(pos1);
  Serial.print("\t");
  Serial.print("D_up: ");
  Serial.print(shoulder);
  Serial.print("\t");
  Serial.print("C up: ");
 // Serial.print(y2up);
  Serial.print("\t");
  Serial.print("D down: ");
  Serial.print(shoulderdown);
  Serial.print("\t");
  Serial.println("D_right: ");
  //Ncontrol.print_N64_status();



}