Slider build using OpenBuilds V-Rail, Arduino stage...could use help!

Projects General Guidance
1

So I started this build with the intentions of picking up things locally at a radioshack or similar but apparently they carry absolutely nothing around here. No worries reall, I just don't have the opportunity to learn the LED coding and all that up front for basics. I've ordered everything, aside from a serial LCD that I need.

My list looks like:
Slider Components (rails, wheels, carriage plate, bearings, motor/pulley plates)
Nema17 Motor (68oz 1.7amp/phase)
Arduino Uno Basics (kit replica from Ebay)
SparkFun Big Easy Driver

So now I need to figure which LCD to use. I plan on going through Amazon so I don't tack another week onto my shipping bill, so I figured I would go with the SainSmart board( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00813HBEQ/ref=ox_sc_act_title_1?ie=UTF8&psc=1&smid=A10EAPE4CAYC9P ). Outside of this I will need a way to control the options which will show up on the LCD and I've seen everything from control knobs, buttons, and joysticks. What is the easiest overall? My thought was a clickable knob that when clicked will jump to the next setting to change. When finished, have a simple Save/Exit button.

The options I need to control are steps or revolutions, length of pause, and then loop that so it repeats down the slider. I need to also be able to control speed when the motor is seeing constant signal to move like a video slider rather than a timelapse.

I admit, I have no experience coding and that is the main reason I am doing all of this. I want to learn, and I always enjoy a challenge...I simply thought I could do a lot of the tutorials before I got my hardware. That didn't happen. I've looked at a lot of code and some of it makes sense but I am not sure I will be able to begin on my own. I do have a friend willing to help but he is at a distance.

I have found a couple different Libraries, one being StepperControl I believe and the other AccelStepper. Has anyone used these? These are basically just to define the language used, then I need to build a sketch to do exactly what I want. Correct?

2

What is the easiest overall?

Perhaps you could give the technical details of your "slider" and just what you want/expect it to do.

3

No problem, I think I kind of buried it within my mumbling haha.

Basically its a simple timelapse slider using the NEMA17 motor and Uno R3 board. I need it to move in a constant motion beginning to end with a slight ramp at the front and back end of the movement. I also need it to move a programmable distance and stand still for a programmable time. I am not running an intervalometer within the arduino setup as the camera software includes one. That said, I need both of these values to be chosen through the LCD screen on the Arduino set up.

4

Previous discussions that might be of interest.

https://www.google.com/search?as_q=camera+slider&as_epq=&as_oq=&as_eq=&as_nlo=&as_nhi=&lr=&cr=&as_qdr=all&as_sitesearch=http%3A%2F%2Fforum.arduino.cc%2Findex&as_occt=any&safe=images&tbs=&as_filetype=&as_rights=

5

I guess I will just wait and see what happens when I get my board kit. All those links are purple from previous research. I guess I know what I want just not sure how using the parts I have ordered. Thanks.

6

TimeLapsed:
I guess I will just wait and see what happens when I get my board kit. All those links are purple from previous research. I guess I know what I want just not sure how using the parts I have ordered. Thanks.

You don't need to have the arduino or stepper motor in possession to start working on your stepper motor code. Use the arduino IDE and have the moves printed to the serial monitor to see what is happening. There are stepper motor examples in the IDE.