The Arduino microcontroller is popular among non-engineers. The official website has beginner tutorials, function explanations, and community-generated code. Organizing code is important for functionality and avoiding damage. Large programs should be planned on paper with flowcharts. Test all code before uploading to the microcontroller.
The Arduino® microcontroller is a favorite among hobbyists, artists, and robot builders who aren’t necessarily electrical engineers. The Arduino® programming environment is based on Processing, a high-level language that is generally easier to learn than C++ and Java. People who are learning Arduino® programming or have been programming for a while will generally find it much easier to create functional code by following the free Arduino® tutorials, referencing the target language, staying organized, and writing the functions of a program on paper first write any code. Each program should also be tested before being uploaded to the Arduino® microcontroller.
The Arduino® official website contains a large library of programming tutorials for beginners and intermediate level programmers. These tutorials teach you things like turning on a light emitting diode (LED) or running a motor. Beginners should plan to follow each tutorial in the order they are presented. Compiling the code and adding comments to describe the meaning of each line will greatly increase a beginner’s understanding of Arduino® programming and improve their retention of important programming concepts.
On the Arduino® official website there are links to explanations of the various functions used by the Arduino® programming language. It also provides links to community-generated code and additional libraries that can expand the functionality of your Arduino® code and microcontroller. When a programmer runs into confusing code, forgets Arduino® programming syntax, or needs to find the name of a function, the website usually has the answers.
Organization can make the difference between functional, clear code and broken or unintelligible code. For an Arduino® project to work, the hardware and software must complement each other. If a pin is mistakenly set as an output instead of an input in your code, the connected device could be damaged. To avoid these errors, make a list of all connected inputs and outputs on the Arduino® microcontroller. Write down the names of the connected devices, their pin numbers, whether they are input or output devices, and their operating voltages. It’s much easier to refer to a list than to repeatedly look at the connections on the Arduino®.
Staying organized also means that the code should read well. Define global variables, which are used throughout the program, before setup and give all variables recognizable names. The variable that stores the input values from an ultrasonic sensor, for example, could be named “UltrasonicReading”.
Variables used by only one function must be defined within that function. This makes it easier to debug your code if a variable stores an unexpected value. Good code is also well commented. Use comments to describe what the code is doing. This makes it much easier to spot problems, modify code for future applications, and share code with other programmers.
Small programs can be coded in place in the Arduino® programming application, but large programs generally cannot. Large programs might contain many lines of code, contain multiple functions, or interact with multiple devices. It is generally easier to write a large or complex program by writing its functions in the order they occur on paper. Flowcharts are useful tools for illustrating the functionality of large programs and the planning of their functions.
To avoid loading incorrect code onto the microcontroller chip, first test all code in the Arduino® programming environment. The programming application contains a “Verify/File” button that looks like a typical play button. After pressing the button, every line of code is checked for errors, including syntax errors. If an error is found, the result is displayed at the bottom of the programming window.
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