Book Image

C Programming for Arduino

By : Julien Bayle
Book Image

C Programming for Arduino

By: Julien Bayle

Overview of this book

Physical computing allows us to build interactive physical systems by using software & hardware in order to sense and respond to the real world. C Programming for Arduino will show you how to harness powerful capabilities like sensing, feedbacks, programming and even wiring and developing your own autonomous systems. C Programming for Arduino contains everything you need to directly start wiring and coding your own electronic project. You'll learn C and how to code several types of firmware for your Arduino, and then move on to design small typical systems to understand how handling buttons, leds, LCD, network modules and much more. After running through C/C++ for the Arduino, you'll learn how to control your software by using real buttons and distance sensors and even discover how you can use your Arduino with the Processing framework so that they work in unison. Advanced coverage includes using Wi-Fi networks and batteries to make your Arduino-based hardware more mobile and flexible without wires. If you want to learn how to build your own electronic devices with powerful open-source technology, then this book is for you.

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C Programming for Arduino
Julien Bayle
May, 2013 | 512 pages
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Table of Contents (21 chapters)
C Programming for Arduino
C Programming for Arduino
Credits
Credits
About the Author
About the Author
Acknowledgement
Acknowledgement
About the Reviewers
About the Reviewers
www.PacktPub.com
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Preface
Free Chapter
1
Let's Plug Things
Let's Plug Things
What is a microcontroller?
Presenting the big Arduino family
About hardware prototyping
Understanding Arduino software architecture
Installing Arduino development environment (IDE)
Installing Arduino drivers
What is electricity?
Summary
2
First Contact with C
First Contact with C
An introduction to programming
C and C++?
The Arduino native library and other libraries
Checking all basic development steps
Using the serial monitor
Making the Arduino talk to us
Summary
3
C Basics – Making You Stronger
C Basics – Making You Stronger
Approaching variables and types of data
String
The scope concept
static, volatile, and const qualifiers
Operators, operator structures, and precedence
Types manipulations
Comparing values and Boolean operators
Adding conditions in the code
Making smart loops for repetitive tasks
Summary
4
Improve Programming with Functions, Math, and Timing
Improve Programming with Functions, Math, and Timing
Introducing functions
C standard mathematical functions and Arduino
Approaching calculation optimization
Time measure
Summary
5
Sensing with Digital Inputs
Sensing with Digital Inputs
Sensing the world
What does digital mean?
Introducing a new friend – Processing
Pushing the button
Playing with multiple buttons
Understanding the debounce concept
Summary
6
Sensing the World – Feeling with Analog Inputs
Sensing the World – Feeling with Analog Inputs
Sensing analog inputs and continuous values
Introducing Max 6, the graphical programming framework
Controlling software using hardware
Multiplexing with a CD4051 multiplexer/demultiplexer
Summary
7
Talking over Serial
Talking over Serial
Serial communication
Multiple serial interfaces
Summary
8
Designing Visual Output Feedback
Designing Visual Output Feedback
Using LEDs
Multiplexing LEDs
Using RGB LEDs
Building LED arrays
Simulating analog outputs with PWM
Quick introduction to LCD
Summary
9
Making Things Move and Creating Sounds
Making Things Move and Creating Sounds
Making things vibrate
Higher current driving and transistors
Controlling a servo
Multiple servos with external power supply
Controlling stepper motors
Air movement and sounds
Playing basic sound bits
Improving the sound engine with Mozzi
Controlling the sound using envelopes and MIDI
Playing audio files with the PCM library
Summary
10
Some Advanced Techniques
Some Advanced Techniques
Data storage with EEPROMs
Using GPS modules
Arduino, battery, and autonomy
Drawing on gLCDs
Using VGA with the Gameduino Shield
Summary
11
Networking
Networking
An overview of networks
Wiring Arduino to wired Ethernet
Bluetooth communications
Playing with Wi-Fi
Tweeting by pushing a switch
Summary
12
Playing with Max 6 Framework
Playing with Max 6 Framework
Communicating easily with Max 6 – the [serial] object
Parsing and selecting data coming from Arduino
Creating a sound-level meter with LEDs
Pitch shift effect controlled by hand
Summary
13
Improving your C Programming and Creating Libraries
Improving your C Programming and Creating Libraries
Programming libraries
Creating your own LED-array library
Memory management
Mastering bit shifting
Reprogramming the Arduino board
Summary
Conclusion
Index
Index

Approaching variables and types of data

We already used variables in the previous chapters' examples. Now, let's understand this concept better.

What is a variable?

A variable is a memory storage location bounded to a symbolic name. This reserved memory area can be filled or left empty. Basically, it is used to store different types of values. We used the variable ledPin in our previous examples, with the keyword int.

Something very useful with variables is the fact that we can change their content (the value) at runtime; this is also why they are called variables, compared to constants that also store values, but that cannot be changed while the program is running.

What is a type?

Variables (and constants) are associated with a type. A type, also called data type, defines the possible nature of data. It also offers a nice way to directly reserve a space with a defined size in memory. C has around 10 main types of data that can be extended as we are going to see here.

I'm deliberately only explaining...

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