serial.available() not returning anything

Forum 2005-2010 (read only) Software Troubleshooting
1

hi . i am new to this all i have one question to begin with. I was trying to make this script work but i have one problem

// led wired + to pin 12, resistor to positive +5v

int outPin = 12; // Output connected to digital pin 12
int mail = LOW; // Is there new mail?
int val; // Value read from the serial port
void setup()
{
pinMode(outPin, OUTPUT); // sets the digital pin as output
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.flush();
mail = HIGH; // start off with lights out
}

void loop()
{
// Read from serial port
if (Serial.available())
{
val = Serial.read();
Serial.println(val, BYTE);

if (val == 110) // n = 110 in dec
{
mail = LOW; // HIGH is off because led is connected to +5v on the other side
}

else if (val == 109) //109 = m in dec
{
mail = HIGH; // LOW is on because led is connected to +5v on the other side
}
}

// Set the status of the output pin
digitalWrite(outPin, mail);
}

but the serial.available() does not work not return anything.

2

Are you saying it doesn't return anything (it doesn't return?) or it always returns zero?

How are you sending things?
If you're using the serial monitor, last time I looked, it didn't send anything until you hit "send" - it doesn't send single characters like, say, Hyperterm.

if (val == 'n') :wink:

3

thanks for replying and it helped also .

but i found out that the real problem lies in the python file that it is reciving information from when this is uploaded to the chip ..... that is for another forum . Thanks for the help