void loop(){...

Projects Programming
1

So I'm very new to the arduino scene and i've just been perusing all of the software's predone example sketches and have even done just a few very basic little projects (fading an led with a force resistor.)

I have a question concerning the two function nature of the sketches. Is there no way to implement a modular feel to this? I'm very used to creating functions and then calling them whenever i please. would i be able to do this within this environment? or would i have to write my own libraries (i don't even know if i can this is outside my experience). At this point in my career i have only a couple semesters of programming and mostly a whole lot of electrical engineering courses under my belt.

2

The setup() and loop() functions are the two you have to provide. You're at liberty to define and call additional functions in your sketch, without writing a library.

3

So then it is really just like C in that i can define them outside of the loop or setup function and then call them as i please! thank you for the good news thinking about it i'm not sure why i thought that i might not be able to.

4

Arduino sketches are in reality C++ programs. The main differences between writing Arduino sketches and writing regular C/C++ programs are:

  • The Arduino environment generates the .h file for you, which means you don't need to forward-declare functions;
  • The entry points are setup() and loop() instead of main;
  • Some features of C++ are not supported (e.g. exceptions and the STL) because of the limited memory space.
5

dc42:
Arduino sketches are in reality C++ programs. The main differences between writing Arduino sketches and writing regular C/C++ programs are:

  • The Arduino environment generates the .h file for you, which means you don't need to forward-declare functions;
  • The entry points are setup() and loop() instead of main;
  • Some features of C++ are not supported (e.g. exceptions and the STL) because of the limited memory space.

Nominated for a Sticky Topic!

6

i can define [additional functions] outside of the loop or setup function and then call them as i please! thank you for the good news

I knew, somehow, that that just had to be, but I didn't know how at first, either. It'd be tough getting anything done otherwise. PaulS got me dialed in on that. "Blink" should be followed immediately by "Blink with Functions". :slight_smile: