Hello. I am not a programmer. I need help. I can understand some of the language of arduino code, but it's pretty limited. I can't figure out how to start.
I have my arduino uno hooked to the computer by USB. I can upload a sketch of blink, and motor party with an adafruit motor shield and it all works fine. What I can't figure out is the next step of getting Vixen to use the arduino. I understand that a sketch can be loaded on the arduino uno, and that I need to do that, but what I want to do is run a vixen program that has lights and servos and stepper motors running in sync.
I am building a halloween prop that has a keyboard involved (an old organ) being played by a singing skeleton. My Halloween organ build - YouTube
My hardware: (I may be leaving something out)
old pump organ
skeletons
Renservoxb x 5 (to control the servos). This part is working perfect
xbee explorer board to send the signal This part is working perfect
Laptop running Vixen 2.1 This part is working perfect
Arduino Uno
SparkFun xbee shield This part is working perfect
Adafruit motor shield v2
Multiple servos
2 stepper motors Canakit
LED's
As of now, I have a lot of the hardware build done. I have servos running wirelessly with xbee controlling the skeletons and the keys on the keyboard.
My questions:
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I think I have to add the Arduino to the Vixen as a generic serial device, Not sure abut this. I DID get the xbee communicating with the UNO. I can turn on/off #13 LED with a simple sketch, but what I need to do is run the STEPPER MOTORS. I am having trouble adding this to Vixen. I have COM4 taken up by the explorer xbee TRANSMITTER. The UNO/xbee was programmed using COM17, but works wirelessly now through the COM4 trasmitter.
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Once the Uno is added into the Vixen family, is there a sketch that makes it run that I can download somewhere? I've seen what seems like a thousand sketches, and I am not sure what I need. Here is what I want the motor shields to do:
The keyboard has a mechanism installed under it that involves drawer slides and stepper motors. I want to move 2 different motor steppers (left and right hand) along a keyboard. Each will travel about 16 inches. I want 4 stops for each stepper: left side...left middle....right middle....and right side for each hand. This give each hand 4 spots on the keyboard's upper and lower keys. I understand I will need a multiple motor stepper sketch, and would like to accelerate/decelerate at the start/stop of each movement. My thoughts are that once programmed into the UNO chip sketch, I can control it on Vixen with 2 channels that are basically 0-255, say 20-40-60-80 for one hand, and 30-50-70-90 for the other so when programming the actions in vixen I can just punch in the fade level to move the hand to that site on the keyboard. How is that programmed?
In a nutshell? I need a sketch that will work with xbee and the motorshield that I can control with Vixen.
I have many other questions, but this seems to be a good start of helping me. I know this is an ambitious undertaking, at least for me. I understand this is a giant undertaking for someone to help me. Anyone out there willing? Thanks!