Sequencial control

Using Arduino Programming Questions
#1

Hi

I'm trying to create a sequencial control in IDE.

When step 0 is active and the conditions for step 1 are met, step 1 goes true and step 0 goes false. When the conditions for step 2 are met, step 2 goes true and step 1 goes false, and so on.

STEP0, STEP1 and CONDITION FOR STEP1 are alle defined as boolean values.

  1. am i missing some semicolons somewhere in the loop?
  2. is it possible to set two boolean values true/false in this way?
  3. any other obvious syntax errors?
void loop() {


if (STEP0 == true && CONDITION FOR STEP1 == false){
STEP1 = true
STEP0 = false}
#2

am i missing some semicolons somewhere in the loop?

As you did not post your code, who knows ?

This sounds like a job for switch/case and a state machine.

#3

UKHeliBob:
As you did not post your code, who knows ?

I have pasted the part of the coding i am asking about?

But because you are asking for it once Again, you hereby have the complete program so far:

// Hjælpemærker:
boolean STEP0 = true;
boolean STEP1 = false;
boolean STEP2 = false;
boolean STEP3 = false;
boolean STEP4 = false;

boolean BETINGELSE FOR STEP0 = false;
boolean BETINGELSE FOR STEP1 = false;
boolean BETINGELSE FOR STEP2 = false;
boolean BETINGELSE FOR STEP3 = false;
boolean BETINGELSE FOR STEP4 = false;


void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:

}

void loop() {

// Sekvenskæde

//STEP 0

if (STEP0 == true && CONDITION FOR STEP1 == false){
STEP1 = true
STEP0 = false}


// STEP 1 

if (STEP1 == true && BETINGELSE FOR STEP2 == false){
STEP2 = true
STEP1 = false}


// STEP 2 

if (STEP2 == true && BETINGELSE FOR STEP3 == false){
STEP3 = true 
STEP2 = false}


// STEP 3 

if (STEP3 == true && BETINGELSE FOR STEP4 == false){
STEP4 = true
STEP3 = false}


// STEP 4 

if (STEP4 == true && BETINGELSE FOR STEP0 == false){
STEP0 = true
STEP4 = false}



}
#4

It doesn't compile. The compiler doesn't like constructs like this:

boolean BETINGELSE FOR STEP0 = false;

A variable cannot contain spaces in its name. That's why you were asked to post your code - it was assumed that what you were posting was pseudocode.

You can solve this first issue like this:

boolean BETINGELSE_FOR_STEP0 = false;
#5

I guess i answered my own question no. 1

void loop() {


if (STEP0 == true && ConditionForTep1 == false){
STEP1 = true;
STEP0 = false;}

Correct?

#6

Maybe, although it looks odd - I'd expect to be testing that the condition for step one is true in that if. But it's very hard to tell from a fragment - post the whole thing. I assume it still doesn't compile?

#7

It's probably a good idea to at least try to compile your sketch before asking about it. The IDE is pretty good at picking up "obvious syntax errors".

Steve

#8

I still think that switch/case would be easier

An example for you to build on

enum states
{
  state1 = 1,
  state2 = 2,
  state3 = 3
};

boolean state1ExitCondition = false;
boolean state2ExitCondition = false;
boolean state3ExitCondition = false;
byte state = state1;

void setup()
{
}

void loop()
{
  switch(state)
  {
    case state1:
      //code here executed when in state 1
      if (state1ExitCondition == true)
      {
        state = state2;
        state2ExitCondition = false;
      }
      break;
      
    case state2:
      //code here executed when in state 2
      if (state2ExitCondition == true)
      {
        state = state3;
        state3ExitCondition = false;
      }
      break;
      
    case state3:
      //code here executed when in state 3
      if (state3ExitCondition == true)
      {
        state = state1;
        state1ExitCondition = false;
      }
      break;
  }
  //any other code that you want to execute in loop()
}
#9

Thanks a lot for the feedback.

The code is compiling now. The problem was the spaces in the variable names and some missing semicolons.

#10

The way I usually do this is with an enum and a case statement:

enum Step { IDLE, ACTIVATING, DOING_THING, DEACTIVATING } step = IDLE;

void loop() {
  switch(step) {
  case IDLE:
    if(need_to_activate()) {
      start_activation();
      turn_on_activation_lights();
      step = ACTIVATING;
    }
    break;
  case ACTIVATING:
    if(activation_complete()) {
      turn_off_activation_lights();
      step = DOING_THING;
    }
    else if(activation_cancelled()) {
      turn_off_activation_lights();
      step = IDLE;
    }
    break;
  case DOING_THING:
    if(thing_is_complete()) {
      commence_deactivation();
      turn_on_deactivation_lights();
      step = DEACTIVATING;
    }
    break;
  case DEACTIVATING:
    if(deactivation_complete()) {
      turn_off_deactivation_lights();
      step = IDLE;
    }
    break;
  }
}
#11