Uni polar stepper control

Projects Programming
1

Hello, I am very new to programming and would like to learn more. I have a sketch here to move a stepper on way slowly and then back the other way slowly.
Code: [Select]
int Pin0 = 8;//definition digital 8 pins as pin to control the IN1 (ULN24L01)
int Pin1 = 9;//definition digital 9 pins as pin to control the IN2 (ULN24L01)
int Pin2 = 10;//definition digital 10 pins as pin to control the IN3 (ULN24L01)
int Pin3 = 11;//definition digital 11 pins as pin to control the IN4 (ULN24L01)

int _step = 512;
int _speed = 1;
void setup()
{
pinMode(Pin0, OUTPUT);//Set digital 8 port mode, the OUTPUT for the output
pinMode(Pin1, OUTPUT);//Set digital 9 port mode, the OUTPUT for the output
pinMode(Pin2, OUTPUT);//Set digital 10 port mode, the OUTPUT for the output
pinMode(Pin3, OUTPUT);//Set digital 11 port mode, the OUTPUT for the output
}

void loop()
{
Speed(15);//Stepper motor speed = 15 fast (note:speed from 1 to 15)
Step(512);//Stepper motor forward 512 steps ---- 360 angle
delay(2000);// delay 2S
Speed(1); //Stepper motor speed = 1 slow (note:speed from 1 to 15)
Step(-512);//Stepper motor backward 512 steps ---- 360 angle
delay(2000);//delay 2S
}
void Speed(int stepperspeed)//set Stepper speed
{
_speed = 15 - stepperspeed;
if( _speed<1){
_speed = 1;
}
if( _speed>15){
_speed = 15;
}
}
void Step(int _step)//Stepper motor rotation
{
if(_step>=0){ // Stepper motor forward
for(int i=0;i<_step;i++){
setStep(1, 0, 0, 1);
delay(_speed);
setStep(1, 0, 0, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(1, 1, 0, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 1, 0, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 1, 1, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 0, 1, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 0, 1, 1);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 0, 0, 1);
delay(_speed);
}
}else{ // Stepper motor backward
for(int i=_step;i<0;i++){
setStep(0, 0, 0, 1);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 0, 1, 1);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 0, 1, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 1, 1, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(0, 1, 0, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(1, 1, 0, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(1, 0, 0, 0);
delay(_speed);
setStep(1, 0, 0, 1);
delay(_speed);
}
}
}
void setStep(int a, int b, int c, int d)
{
digitalWrite(Pin0, a);
digitalWrite(Pin1, b);
digitalWrite(Pin2, c);
digitalWrite(Pin3, d);
}

This code does work, but i want it to spin at full speed(15) in just one direction continuously . I have tried taking different parts of the code out but cannot get it to compile. Some help would be greatly appreciated.

2

do you understand what the loop() function does:

  Speed(15);//Stepper motor speed = 15 fast (note:speed from 1 to 15)
  Step(512);//Stepper motor forward 512 steps ---- 360 angle    
  delay(2000);// delay 2S
  Speed(1); //Stepper motor speed = 1 slow  (note:speed from 1 to 15)
  Step(-512);//Stepper motor backward 512 steps ---- 360 angle    
  delay(2000);//delay 2S

(the comments should help)

if you only want to spin one way and make your life easy, you could have a look at the AccelStepper library
the code would be for example

#include <AccelStepper.h>
AccelStepper stepper; // Defaults to AccelStepper::FULL4WIRE (4 pins) on 2, 3, 4, 5

void setup()
{  
   stepper.setMaxSpeed(1000);
   stepper.setSpeed(50);	
}

void loop()
{  
   stepper.runSpeed();
}
3

If you want a motor to run at a fixed speed, in one direction only, a stepper motor is NOT the right choice.