Read variable name from Array

Projects Programming
1

Okay, so I'm stuck at a quite small basic programming thingy.

So the situation:
I have 20 motion sensors connected to a (Controllino) mega board.
The 20 motion sensors are divided in 5 zones (arrays).
Example, zone 1:

int pir1 = CONTROLLINO_A0;                                //PIR 1
int pir2 = CONTROLLINO_A1;                                //PIR 2
int pir3 = CONTROLLINO_A2;                                //PIR 3
int pir4 = CONTROLLINO_A3;                                //PIR 4
int pir5 = CONTROLLINO_A4;                                //PIR 5
int pir6 = CONTROLLINO_A5;                                //PIR 6

int zone1[6] = {pir1, pir2, pir3, pir4, pir5, pir6};

The program have to be flexible to set up basic settings once on site. However this can also means the amount of sensors within a zone can change. or which pir# is in which zone.
Once a motion sensor is triggered, a function is called. I do this by checking each input every loop; if an input is HIGH, the function is called.
This all works fine and I'm really happy with it so far, but....

My issue:
Whenever I want to read which pir was responsible for activation, I have to manipulate what I pirNumber. In case of zone 1; + 1, in case of zone 2(which starts with pir7) I have to increment with 7.

      for (int i = 0  ; i < amountZone1; i++) {
        bool state = digitalRead(zone1[i]) ;
        int pirNumber = i + 1;     //here is my issue
      }

I use the pirNumber to log as well as sending it further in the program.

This does make complete sense, since I read the index value.
So if I read zone1[0], I'll read the input number of the pir# which is at the first position of zone1[] array.
and I should read this as boolean to read if the input is HIGH or LOW.

So yes, I need that, I can not change the int-array to string array.

In the end, my question:
can I 'capture' the variable name from the array, without changing it to a String array or anything like that.

The main thing is that I have to be able to read whether the input is high or low, but it would be way nicer if I also can read which sensor was responsible for that.

Many thanks (again!)

2

Your topic was MOVED to its current forum category which is more appropriate than the original as it has nothing to do with Installation and Troubleshooting of the IDE

3

Simple advanced technique…

...stand up a parallel array of nice names

char *niceName[] = {"Billiard Room", "Library", "Dining Room", "Pantry".…

When you know the index xx of a PIR, use that index to get its name.

   Serial.print("detected IR: ");
   Serial.println(niceName[xx]);

This is also where you could stretch and learn about struct variables, if you're all up to speed with arrays.

HTH

a7

1 Like
4

I guess you will have to put the variable name in your array in order to "capture" it.

1 Like
5 
struct sensor
{
  uint8_t zone;
  uint8_t name[5];
  uint8_t pin[5];
};


sensor sensors [5]
{ 
  1, { 1,  2,  3,  4,  5}, {A0, A1, A2, A3, A4},
  2, { 6,  7,  8,  9,  0}, { 2,  3,  4,  5,  0},
  3, {10, 11, 12, 13, 14}, { 6,  7,  8,  9, 10},
  4, {15, 16,  0,  0,  0}, {21, 22,  0,  0,  0},
  5, {17, 18, 19, 20,  0}, {23, 24, 25, 26,  0}
};


void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(115200);

  for (uint8_t x = 0; x < sizeof(sensors) / sizeof(sensor); x++)
  {
    Serial.print("Zone : ");
    Serial.println(sensors[x].zone);

    for (uint8_t y = 0; y < 5; y++)
    {
      if (sensors[x].name[y] > 0)
      {
        Serial.print(" Sensor : ");
        Serial.print(sensors[x].name[y]);
        Serial.print(" Pin : ");
        Serial.println(sensors[x].pin[y]);
      }
    }
  }

}

void loop()
{}

11:26:44.092 -> Zone : 1
11:26:44.092 ->  Sensor : 1 Pin : 14
11:26:44.092 ->  Sensor : 2 Pin : 15
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 3 Pin : 16
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 4 Pin : 17
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 5 Pin : 18
11:26:44.128 -> Zone : 2
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 6 Pin : 2
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 7 Pin : 3
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 8 Pin : 4
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 9 Pin : 5
11:26:44.128 -> Zone : 3
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 10 Pin : 6
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 11 Pin : 7
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 12 Pin : 8
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 13 Pin : 9
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 14 Pin : 10
11:26:44.128 -> Zone : 4
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 15 Pin : 21
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 16 Pin : 22
11:26:44.128 -> Zone : 5
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 17 Pin : 23
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 18 Pin : 24
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 19 Pin : 25
11:26:44.128 ->  Sensor : 20 Pin : 26
1 Like
6

No, not really. Using the parallel string array isn't that complicated.

1 Like
7

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