davidestevens

tl;dr - is there a message I can send via the serial object to a connected Arduino to restart or reconnect? (Or, I suppose, a bit of code I can add to my sketch to monitor the connection and restart it if it drops.)

Detail: I have 3 capacitance keyboards (mpr121) connected via a multiplexer to an Arduino Micro. I’ve created a sketch (not being that much of an Arduino programmer) from various sketches available online. And that seems to be working well.

However, from time to time the Arduino connection drops. Data stops arriving, and the orange led on the Arduino showing I2C data arriving goes off.

I’ve tried open/close/reset messages to [serial] in my Max patch, but although they work during “normal operation”, they won’t restart the connection once it drops. The only way I can currently fix this is to pull the USB lead and plug it back in, then reselect the appropriate modem input to [serial].

It would be useful if there is a way of doing this, as I’ve put together several new sensor systems which all use Arduino Micros (as opposed to the Phidgets and BareConductive boards I currently use). I’m going to try them out in a workshop next week, and it would be great if I can restart things from my main Max patch instead of having to keep dis/re-connecting devices if the connection drops.

Hi all,
tl;dr - is there a message I can send via the serial object to a connected Arduino to restart or reconnect? (Or, I suppose, a bit of code I can add to my sketch to monitor the connection and restart it if it drops.)

Detail: I have 3 capacitance keyboards (mpr121) connected via a multiplexer to an Arduino Micro. I’ve created a sketch (not being that much of an Arduino programmer) from various sketches available online. And that seems to be working well.
However, from time to time the Arduino connection drops. Data stops arriving, and the orange led on the Arduino showing I2C data arriving goes off.
I’ve tried open/close/reset messages to [serial] in my Max patch, but although they work during “normal operation”, they won’t restart the connection once it drops. The only way I can currently fix this is to pull the USB lead and plug it back in, then reselect the appropriate modem input to [serial].
It would be useful if there is a way of doing this, as I’ve put together several new sensor systems which all use Arduino Micros (as opposed to the Phidgets and BareConductive boards I currently use). I’m going to try them out in a workshop next week, and it would be great if I can restart things from my main Max patch instead of having to keep dis/re-connecting devices if the connection drops.
thanks
David

Hi all,
tl;dr - is there a message I can send via the serial object to a connected Arduino to restart or reconnect? (Or, I suppose, a bit ... 

reset-message-to-arduino-from-max

my advice would be to use 32u4 based micros as HID devices instead of serial.

There are several reasons for that, not only becuse serial connection seems to break from time to time, in first place on windows,

but also to be able to distinguish devices

To allways get THAT micro into THAT serial object in Max

no matter in which USB port, slot, HUB, order etc they get connected is not a trivial task.

I have used many 32u4 based boards with modified USB descriptors

as Joystick devices on both Mac and Windows.

joystick mode is better because keyboards and mice are not allowed as HID devices in Windows OS.

Resetting serial on 32u4 boards would be possible if you insert

which causes native USB Arduinos to run setup routine

Same as other USB to serial like CH340 or ftdi devices do.

But the question is why really your micro stops working,

i2c buss not working means complete stall of the main loop

Are you sending too much and too fast data ?

In that case restarting Aurduino would not help much.

anyway, here is link to one of many posts I posted over the years to deal with multiple boards:

https://cycling74.com/forums/rename-serial-ports-using-arduino

I would wote against midi mode due to several restrictions, but use 

P.S. If you decide to go that way, I would post newer instruction for boards which work well at least till last IDE 1.8.19. I don't use Arduino 2 because I don't run any OS that supports that version. In short - there is no need to fiddle with any usb descriptors etc for joystick variants, only to add new definitions in bords.txt file.

my advice would be to use 32u4 based micros as HID devices instead of serial.
There are several reasons for that, not only becuse serial connection seems to break from time to time, in first place on windows,
but also to be able to distinguish devices
if multiple are used at same time.

To allways get THAT micro into THAT serial object in Max
no matter in which USB port, slot, HUB, order  etc they get connected is not a trivial task.
------

I have used many 32u4 based boards with modified USB descriptors
as Joystick devices on both Mac and Windows.
joystick mode is better because keyboards and mice are not allowed as HID devices in Windows OS.

Back to your request ...
Resetting serial on 32u4 boards would be possible if you insert
while(! Serial);
in void setup()
which causes native USB Arduinos to run setup routine
when one reopens serial port.
Same as other USB to serial like CH340 or ftdi devices do.
---
But the question is why really your micro stops working,
i2c buss not working means complete stall of the main loop
which is reading it.
Are you sending too much and too fast data ?
In that case restarting Aurduino would not help much.
------
anyway, here is link to one of many posts I posted over the years to deal with multiple boards:

https://cycling74.com/forums/rename-serial-ports-using-arduino


I would wote against midi mode due to several restrictions, but use  joystick !!!
------
P.S. If you decide to go that way, I would post newer instruction for boards which work well at least till last IDE 1.8.19. I don't use Arduino 2  because I don't run any OS that supports that  version. In short -  there is no need to fiddle with any usb descriptors etc for joystick variants, only to add new definitions in bords.txt file.


hi Source Audio, and thanks for replying...

>But the question is why really your micro stops working, i2c buss not working means complete stall >of the main loop which is reading it. Are you sending too much and too fast data ?

I did wonder that. My concern is that if the loop runs too slowly, the "touchkeys" will feel unresponsive. (This is perhaps made a little more complicated because I'm using proximity rather than touch - the copper sensors are underneath a sheet of 2mm acrylic and another 1mm foam to reduce impact.)

So I reduced the baud rate to 19200, and increased the loop delay to 100ms (from 50ms), and am letting it run now to see if it still stops working (might take a while).

(By the way, the yellow LED I was referring to is the "data send" LED, but you probably figured that out).

>Resetting serial on 32u4 boards would be possible if you insert 

(I'll post the Arduino code in a separate post, in case you want to look at it)

>To allways get THAT micro into THAT serial object in Max

I haven't had a problem with that (yet! AFAIK!). I have a menu listing all of the available serial ports attached to the serial object in each patch that uses it ( the menu is refreshed when the patch is loaded). So I can either manually select which device is read by each [serial] or, in the case of permanent installations, where I know which USB port each device is connected to, use a text file read on load up which contains a list of port names to distribute to each of the relevant sub patchers.

I've had a poke around the Arduino examples, and loaded the Keyboard and Mouse libraries, but haven't managed to find something that I can add to my sketch which shows me how to send the sensor data via an HID connection.

I have modified the sketch so that the board shows up as a HID device, though haven't tried more than one connected keyboard yet. Also a little concerned by the warnings that I need a physical "connection on/off" switch. I don't really want to add any additional complications for teachers using the permanent installation!

If I select a device in [hi], that is sending either keyboard or mouse data, but I haven't set that up as an input device in the (Mac) system settings, does that mean that any data that comes over that connection _won't_ affect the mouse cursor?

And presumably the data stream (Filt0: 12 values; Filt1: 12 values etc) is just output from the [hi] object as a stream of labelled data?

Sorry if this is a bit confused - I'm somewhat out of my comfort zone here!)

Can you point me to a sketch which shows sending data via HID, that I can copy into my existing sketch?

first - 
>But the question is why really your micro stops working, i2c buss not working means complete stall >of the main loop which is reading it. Are you sending too much and too fast data ?

I did wonder that. My concern is that if the loop runs too slowly, the "touchkeys" will feel unresponsive. (This is perhaps made a little more complicated because I'm using proximity rather than touch - the copper sensors are underneath a sheet of 2mm acrylic and another 1mm foam to reduce impact.)
So I reduced the baud rate to 19200, and increased the loop delay to 100ms (from 50ms), and am letting it run now to see if it still stops working (might take a while).
(By the way, the yellow LED I was referring to is the "data send" LED, but you probably figured that out).

>Resetting serial on 32u4 boards would be possible if you insert while(! Serial);in void setup()

The current sketch has while (!Serial); delay(100);
(I'll post the Arduino code in a separate post, in case you want to look at it)

I haven't had a problem with that (yet! AFAIK!). I have a menu listing all of the available serial ports attached to the serial object in each patch that uses it ( the menu is refreshed when the patch is loaded). So I can either manually  select which device is read by each [serial] or, in the case of permanent installations, where I know which USB port each device is connected to, use a text file read on load up which contains a list of port names to distribute to each of the relevant sub patchers.

Using [hi]...
I've had a poke around the Arduino examples, and loaded the Keyboard and Mouse libraries, but haven't managed to find something that I can add to my sketch which shows me how to send the sensor data via an HID connection.
 I have modified the sketch so that the board shows up as a HID device, though haven't tried more than one connected keyboard yet. Also a little concerned by the warnings that I need a physical "connection on/off" switch. I don't really want to add any additional complications for teachers using the permanent installation!
If I select a device in [hi], that is sending either keyboard or mouse data, but I haven't set that up as an input device in the (Mac) system settings, does that mean that any data that comes over that connection _won't_ affect the mouse cursor?
And presumably the data stream (Filt0: 12 values; Filt1: 12 values etc) is just output from the [hi] object as a stream of labelled data?
Sorry if this is a bit confused - I'm somewhat out of my comfort zone here!)
Can you point me to a sketch which shows sending data via HID, that I can copy into my existing sketch?

It is more important to know if you only use on/off states

If only on/off states, all would be quite easy.

You set threshold, then send only when state of one sensor changes.

Current arduino joystick lib suports 32 buttons,

That can be modified for more buttons - to match your 36 touch senors.

It is more important to know if you only use on/off states
or send raw sensor data.
Which makes HUGE difference.
If only on/off states, all would be quite easy.
You set threshold, then send only when state of one sensor changes.

I would avoid using key or mouse HID.
Current arduino joystick lib suports 32 buttons,
11 analog inputs and hat switches.

P.S.
That can be modified for more buttons - to match your 36 touch senors.



Here's the sketch for the 3 mpr121s (touch sensors) connected via the first three ports on a TCA9548A multiplexer to an Arduino Micro. There may well be unnecessary bits of code in here. Also, I've only just added the Keyboard.h related commands , which has renamed the available device in the [serial] menu, and allowed the micro to show up in the [hi] menu.

) - t<3 is because there will only ever be a max of three attached touch sensitive keyboards. 

Adafruit_MPR121 cap2 = Adafruit_MPR121();

Adafruit_MPR121 cap3 = Adafruit_MPR121();

int sensorsAt[] = {-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1};

// so we know when buttons are 'released'

pinScanArray(); //scan multiplexer for connected sensors, place in array

cap.begin(); // use the default address of 0x77

cap2.begin(); // use the default address of 0x77

cap3.begin(); // use the default address of 0x77

if (x != -1) //check to see that a sensor is connected to the muliplexer port

//following code from Adafruit sketch for the mpr121

Serial.print("Filt");Serial.print( x ); Serial.print(": ");

Serial.print(cap.filteredData(i)); Serial.print("\t"); 

Serial.print("TCA Port #"); Serial.println(t);

for (uint8_t addr = 0; addr<=127; addr++) {

Serial.println(t); Serial.println(addr,HEX);

Here's the sketch for the 3 mpr121s (touch sensors) connected via the first three ports on a TCA9548A multiplexer to an Arduino Micro. There may well be unnecessary bits of code in here. Also,  I've only just added the Keyboard.h related commands , which has renamed the available device in the [serial] menu, and allowed the micro to show up in the [hi] menu.
Note, in void(loop)
for (uint8_t t=0; t<3; t++) - t<3 is because there will only ever be a max of three attached touch sensitive keyboards. 
the definition of pinscanArray is at the bottom of the sketch

#include "Wire.h"
#include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>
#include <Adafruit_MPR121.h>
#include <Keyboard.h>

#define TCAADDR 0x70
#ifndef _BV
#define _BV(bit) (1 << (bit)) 
#endif

Adafruit_MPR121 cap = Adafruit_MPR121();
Adafruit_MPR121 cap2 = Adafruit_MPR121();
Adafruit_MPR121 cap3 = Adafruit_MPR121();

void tcaselect(uint8_t i) {
  if (i > 7) return;
 
  Wire.beginTransmission(TCAADDR);
  Wire.write(1 << i);
  Wire.endTransmission();  
}

// Keeps track of the last pins touched
// so we know when buttons are 'released'
uint16_t lasttouched = 0;
uint16_t currtouched = 0;

void setup()
{
while (!Serial); delay(100);

Serial.begin(19200);
while (!Serial) ;
  Keyboard.begin();

tcaselect(0);      // TCA channel for sensor1
  cap.begin();      // use the default address of 0x77

tcaselect(1);      // TCA channel for sensor2
  cap2.begin();      // use the default address of 0x77

tcaselect(2);      // TCA channel for sensor3
  cap3.begin();      // use the default address of 0x77

}
 
void loop() 
{
for (uint8_t t=0; t<3; t++) {

int x = sensorsAt[t];
if (x != -1) //check to see that a sensor is connected to the muliplexer port
 {

tcaselect(x); 
//following code from Adafruit sketch for the mpr121
  {currtouched = cap.touched();
 
  for (uint8_t i=0; i<12; i++)

// reset our state
  lasttouched = currtouched;

Serial.print("Filt");Serial.print( x ); Serial.print(":  ");
  for (uint8_t i=0; i<12; i++) {
    Serial.print(cap.filteredData(i)); Serial.print("\t"); 
  }
  Serial.println();
  if (Serial.available())
    Keyboard.write(Serial.read());
  // put a delay so it isn't overwhelming
  delay(100);
  }
        }
    } 
  }

void pinScanArray() {
     for (uint8_t t=0; t<8; t++) {
      tcaselect(t);
      Serial.print("TCA Port #"); Serial.println(t);

for (uint8_t addr = 0; addr<=127; addr++) {
        if (addr == TCAADDR) continue;

Wire.beginTransmission(addr);
        if (!Wire.endTransmission()) {
          Serial.println(t);  Serial.println(addr,HEX);
          sensorsAt[t] = t;
        }
      }
    }
    for (int i = 0; i<7; i = i + 1) {
    Serial.println(sensorsAt[i]);
    }
}

I’m sending raw data, as it’s _much_ easier for me to handle/parse the data in Max (where I mostly know what I’m doing) than in the arduino (where I don’t have an embedded feel for how the code works).

also, because it’s useful to be able to change the threshold on the fly, depending on whether kids are playing the boards with a finger tip or their whole hand.

I’m sending raw data, as it’s _much_ easier for me to handle/parse the data in Max (where I mostly know what I’m doing) than in the arduino (where I don’t have an embedded feel for how the code works).
also, because it’s useful to be able to change the threshold on the fly, depending on whether kids are playing the boards  with a finger tip or their whole hand. 

Joystick_ Joystick(JOYSTICK_DEFAULT_REPORT_ID,JOYSTICK_TYPE_GAMEPAD,

36, 0, false, false, false, false, false, false, // 36 buttons activated , hatswitch & 6 axis set to 0 / false = deactivated(true = activated)

false, false,false, false, false); // Rudder, Throttle, Accelerator, Brake, Steering, set to false = deactivated

void setup() {for (int pin = 2; pin < 8; pin++){pinMode(pin, INPUT_PULLUP);}

int SW1 = digitalRead(2); if (SW1 != exSW1) {Joystick.setButton(0, 1-SW1); exSW1 = SW1;}

int SW2 = digitalRead(3); if (SW2 != exSW2) {Joystick.setButton(35, 1-SW2); exSW2 = SW2;}

delay(10); // slow down if not needed this fast

it uses 36 button addresses, only 1st and last are added to

main loop, just to show how to address them. (0 - 35)

all you need to do is to assign each of your 36 readings to button number.

Joystick_ Joystick(JOYSTICK_DEFAULT_REPORT_ID,JOYSTICK_TYPE_GAMEPAD,
36, 0, false, false, false, false, false, false, // 36 buttons activated , hatswitch & 6 axis set to 0 / false = deactivated(true = activated)
false, false,false, false, false); // Rudder, Throttle, Accelerator, Brake, Steering, set to false = deactivated

int SW1; int exSW1; int SW2; int exSW2;
void setup() {for (int pin = 2; pin < 8; pin++){pinMode(pin, INPUT_PULLUP);}
Joystick.begin();}

void loop() {
int SW1 = digitalRead(2); if (SW1 != exSW1) {Joystick.setButton(0, 1-SW1); exSW1 = SW1;}
int SW2 = digitalRead(3); if (SW2 != exSW2) {Joystick.setButton(35, 1-SW2); exSW2 = SW2;}
delay(10); // slow down if not needed this fast
}

-------
it uses 36 button addresses, only 1st and last are added to
main loop, just to show how to address them. (0 - 35)
all you need to do is to assign each of your 36 readings to button number.

Can you tell me the name of the joystick library you use? I can't see anything called Arduino Joystick or plain Joystick in my Library Manager.

https://github.com/MHeironimus/ArduinoJoystickLibrary

Can you tell me the name of the joystick library you use? I can't see anything called Arduino Joystick or plain Joystick in my Library Manager.
...
Found it- - this one, presumably
https://github.com/MHeironimus/ArduinoJoystickLibrary

https://github.com/MHeironimus/ArduinoJoystickLibrary/

Thanks for that. I'm going to have to think about it for a while to figure the rest out and how it might fit together.

Does the Joystick library just send the captured values over USB as is? There's no equivalent of Serial.print needed?

you could bundle multiplexer instances to form button numbers

for channel 1: for (i = 0, i < 12, i++) button = i; 

for channel 2: for (i = 0, i < 12, i++) button = i+ 12;

for channel 3: for (i = 0, i < 12, i++) button = i+ 24;

while iterating though 0 - 11 you check if state changed

No, there is no need to print anything.
I looked a bit at your code.
you could bundle multiplexer instances to form button numbers
for channel 1: for (i = 0, i < 12, i++) button = i; 
for channel 2: for (i = 0, i < 12, i++) button = i+ 12;
for channel 3: for (i = 0, i < 12, i++) button = i+ 24;

while iterating though 0 - 11 you check if state changed
and send only if it does.



> while iterating though 0 - 11 you check if state changed and send only if it does.

So I would need to set a threshold value for each key in the sketch, and the state change would be whether the value from the key was above or below that threshold? 

The raw values from each key are quite "nervous" and vary around a different average. eg at the start of a particular day, key 1 value might be 53+/- 1, key 2 might be 58+/- 2, and so on. And based on my experience using the BareConductive board (basically an mpr121 with some extra circuitry), these threshold values will change during the day as the touchboard is used - it's affected by room humidity and how much moisture is transferred from the users' hands onto the top surface.

Which is why I also abandoned setting threshold values in the BareConductive sketch; it made more sense to send raw data and deal with it in Max.

[My main reason for trying to use Arduino is that it will allow me to have several (in this case 3) touch sensitive boards on one USB port - at the moment, using BareConductive and Phidget boards, I can only have one board per port (max of 4 usb connections, as that's what's available on the usb/ethernet link I'm using), and I want to add some short and long range ToF laser sensors to the mix, so that I can have more input devices running at the same time. 

So far, I don't seem to be having the dropping connection problem with the distance sensors (2 sensors per mpx/micro system). I've got a workshop next week, so I'll get the chance to try those out running all day, even if I can't get the touch board system bit working reliably by then.]

[I've got 2 of these boards running on a single Micro into Max using serial, with the slowed down baud rate and loop speed in the sketch, and am waiting to see if the loop stops/connection drops (whichever it is). The response time is not great, so if it doesn't hang I'll try shortening the loop delay or increasing the baud rate to see what happens.]

So I would need to set a threshold value for each key in the sketch, and the state change would be whether the value from the key was above or below that threshold? 
The raw values from each key are quite "nervous" and vary around a different average. eg at the start of a particular day, key 1 value might be 53+/- 1, key 2 might be 58+/- 2, and so on. And based on my experience using the BareConductive board (basically an mpr121 with some extra circuitry), these threshold values will change during the day as the touchboard is used - it's affected by room humidity and how much moisture is transferred from the users' hands onto the top surface.
Which is why I also abandoned setting threshold values in the BareConductive sketch; it made more sense to send raw data and deal with it in Max. 

[My main reason for trying to use Arduino is that it will allow me to have several (in this case 3) touch sensitive boards on one USB port - at the moment, using BareConductive and Phidget boards, I can only have one board per port (max of 4 usb connections, as that's what's available on the usb/ethernet link I'm using), and I want to add some short and long range ToF laser sensors to the mix, so that I can have more input devices running at the same time. 
So far, I don't seem to be having the dropping connection problem with the distance sensors (2 sensors per mpx/micro system). I've got a workshop next week, so I'll get the chance to try those out running all day, even if I can't get the touch board system bit working reliably by then.]

[I've got 2 of these boards running on a single Micro into Max using serial, with the slowed down baud rate and loop speed in the sketch, and am waiting to see if the loop stops/connection drops (whichever it is).  The response time is not great, so if it doesn't hang I'll try shortening the loop delay or increasing the baud rate to see what happens.]

I am on the run, try this code, mybe it has mistakes

Wire.beginTransmission(TCAADDR); Wire.write(1 << i);Wire.endTransmission(); }

uint16_t EXtouch1 = 0; uint16_t touch1 = 0; uint16_t EXtouch2 = 0; uint16_t touch2 = 0; uint16_t EXtouch3 = 0; uint16_t touch3 = 0;

tcaselect(0); cap.begin(); // TCA channel for sensor1 // use the default address of 0x77

tcaselect(1); cap2.begin(); // TCA channel for sensor2

tcaselect(2); cap3.begin(); // TCA channel for sensor3

void loop() {tcaselect(0); touch1 = cap.touched();

for (uint8_t i=0; i<12; i++) {if ((touch1 & _BV(i)) && !(EXtouch1 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i, 1);}

if (!(touch1 & _BV(i)) && (EXtouch1 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i, 0);}} EXtouch1 = touch1;

for (uint8_t i=0; i<12; i++) {if ((touch2 & _BV(i)) && !(EXtouch2 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i+12, 1);}

if (!(touch2 & _BV(i)) && (EXtouch2 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i+12, 0);}} EXtouch2 = touch2;

for (uint8_t i=0; i<12; i++) {if ((touch3 & _BV(i)) && !(EXtouch3 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i+24, 1);}

if (!(touch3 & _BV(i)) && (EXtouch3 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i+24, 0);}} EXtouch3 = touch3;

void pinScanArray() {for (uint8_t t=0; t<8; t++) {tcaselect(t);

for (uint8_t addr = 0; addr<=127; addr++) {if (addr == TCAADDR) continue;

Wire.beginTransmission(addr);if (!Wire.endTransmission()) {sensorsAt[t] = t;

#include "Wire.h"
#include <Adafruit_Sensor.h>
#include <Adafruit_MPR121.h>
#define TCAADDR 0x70
#ifndef _BV
#define _BV(bit) (1 << (bit)) 
#endif
#include "Joystick.h"
Joystick_ Joystick(JOYSTICK_DEFAULT_REPORT_ID,JOYSTICK_TYPE_GAMEPAD,
36, 0, false, false, false, false, false, false, // 36 buttons activated , hatswitch & 6 axis set to 0 / false = deactivated(true = activated)
false, false,false, false, false); // Rudder, Throttle, Accelerator, Brake, Steering, set to false = deactivated

Adafruit_MPR121 cap = Adafruit_MPR121();
Adafruit_MPR121 cap2 = Adafruit_MPR121();
Adafruit_MPR121 cap3 = Adafruit_MPR121();
int sensorsAt[] = {-1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1, -1};

void tcaselect(uint8_t i) {
if (i > 7) return;
Wire.beginTransmission(TCAADDR); Wire.write(1 << i);Wire.endTransmission();  }

void setup(){Wire.begin();
pinScanArray(); //scan multiplexer for connected sensors, place in array
tcaselect(0); cap.begin();  // TCA channel for sensor1  // use the default address of 0x77
tcaselect(1); cap2.begin();    // TCA channel for sensor2
tcaselect(2); cap3.begin();     // TCA channel for sensor3
}
 
void loop() {tcaselect(0); touch1 = cap.touched();
for (uint8_t i=0; i<12; i++) {if ((touch1 & _BV(i)) && !(EXtouch1 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i, 1);}
if (!(touch1 & _BV(i)) && (EXtouch1 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i, 0);}} EXtouch1 = touch1;
tcaselect(1); touch2 = cap.touched();
for (uint8_t i=0; i<12; i++) {if ((touch2 & _BV(i)) && !(EXtouch2 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i+12, 1);}
if (!(touch2 & _BV(i)) && (EXtouch2 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i+12, 0);}} EXtouch2 = touch2;
 tcaselect(2); touch3 = cap.touched();
for (uint8_t i=0; i<12; i++) {if ((touch3 & _BV(i)) && !(EXtouch3 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i+24, 1);}
if (!(touch3 & _BV(i)) && (EXtouch3 & _BV(i)) ) {Joystick.setButton(i+24, 0);}} EXtouch3 = touch3;
}
void pinScanArray() {for (uint8_t t=0; t<8; t++) {tcaselect(t);
for (uint8_t addr = 0; addr<=127; addr++) {if (addr == TCAADDR) continue;
Wire.beginTransmission(addr);if (!Wire.endTransmission()) {sensorsAt[t] = t;
}}}}

It's compiling ok, but nothing happens when I upload it (I tried dis/reconnecting the usb plug to make the board restart after uploading. Is that ok, or do I need to actually press the reset button on the board?)

[hi] can see the Arduino ok, but no messages received.

Is the orange LED meant to flash (it isn't) or is that just when sending serial data?

I disconnected the copper sensors from one of the boards, so that I can touch the mpr121 pins directly, as the sketch looks to me like it's watching for touch specifically.

I also removed the 3rd input from the sketch, in case loop failed because there isn't currently anything connected to that third pin on the multiplexer.

I've got to go and cook supper now, so I'll probably get back to this in the morning.

Thanks again for your help so far. Much appreciated.

Thanks for that.
It's compiling ok, but nothing happens when I upload it (I tried dis/reconnecting the usb plug to make the board restart after uploading. Is that ok, or do I need to actually press the reset button on the board?)
[hi] can see the Arduino ok, but no messages received.
Is the orange LED meant to flash (it isn't) or is that just when sending serial data?

I disconnected the copper sensors from one of the boards, so that I can touch the mpr121 pins directly, as the sketch looks to me like it's watching for touch specifically. 

I've got to go and cook supper now, so I'll probably get back to this in the morning.
Thanks again for your help so far. Much appreciated.

I tried to merge your code with simple joystick while sitting in the train without arduino IDE at hand.

I expected it would have some mistakes - but not such a trivial one :

I forgot to activate joystick in void setup()

void setup() {Joystick.begin(); wire.begin()

image.png

I have no touch sensor and multiplexer a hand to test that,

the code should serve as idea how to deal with the measured

You can also use serial version of it to verify correct capturing.

In Max hi object shoud output buttons with IDs 2 - 37

to have board get that unique indentifier, paste this at the and in boards.txt

##############################################################

TouchSens1.upload.wait_for_upload_port=true

TouchSens1.bootloader.tool=arduino:avrdude

TouchSens1.bootloader.extended_fuses=0xcb

TouchSens1.bootloader.file=caterina/Caterina-Leonardo.hex

TouchSens1.build.usb_product="TouchSens1"

TouchSens1.build.usb_manufacturer="AS-2023"

TouchSens1.build.variant=arduino:leonardo

TouchSens1.build.extra_flags={build.usb_flags}

each unique board must get unique name and pid

I tried to merge your code with simple joystick while sitting in the train without arduino IDE at hand.
I expected it would have some mistakes - but not such a trivial one :
I forgot to activate joystick in void setup()
add this:
void setup() {Joystick.begin(); wire.begin()

otherwise nothing gets sent out.
Sorry to have wasted your time.
I have no touch sensor and multiplexer a hand to test that,
the code should serve as idea how to deal with the measured
values.
You can also use serial version of it to verify correct capturing.

instead of Joystick.setButton(i, 1);

Serial.print(i); Serial.println(" 1");

In Max hi object shoud output buttons with IDs 2 - 37
on Mac.


to have board get that unique indentifier, paste this at the and in boards.txt

##############################################################
TouchSens1.name=TouchSens1
TouchSens1.upload.tool=arduino:avrdude
TouchSens1.upload.protocol=avr109
TouchSens1.upload.maximum_size=28672
TouchSens1.upload.maximum_data_size=2560
TouchSens1.upload.speed=57600
TouchSens1.upload.disable_flushing=true
TouchSens1.upload.use_1200bps_touch=true
TouchSens1.upload.wait_for_upload_port=true
TouchSens1.bootloader.tool=arduino:avrdude
TouchSens1.bootloader.low_fuses=0xff
TouchSens1.bootloader.high_fuses=0xd8
TouchSens1.bootloader.extended_fuses=0xcb
TouchSens1.bootloader.file=caterina/Caterina-Leonardo.hex
TouchSens1.bootloader.unlock_bits=0x3F
TouchSens1.bootloader.lock_bits=0x2F     
TouchSens1.build.mcu=atmega32u4
TouchSens1.build.f_cpu=16000000L
TouchSens1.build.vid=0x2342
TouchSens1.build.pid=0x1138
TouchSens1.build.usb_product="TouchSens1"
TouchSens1.build.usb_manufacturer="AS-2023"
TouchSens1.build.board=AVR_LEONARDO
TouchSens1.build.core=arduino:arduino
TouchSens1.build.variant=arduino:leonardo
TouchSens1.build.extra_flags={build.usb_flags}
##############################################################

After a bit of fiddling around, that code is working. Cool!

> while sitting in the train without arduino IDE at hand.

I'm impressed. You clearly know this stuff really well.

I copied the naming script into boards.txt, but the board is still showing up in [hi] as "Arduino Micro". Is there something else I need to do to activate the naming? (I restarted the Arduino IDE and reloaded the sketch before re uploading it to the board).

(This is the version of boards.txt I added it to - 

/Users/davidstevens/Library/Arduino15/packages/arduino/hardware/avr/1.8.6

the only other boards.txt in the Arduino15 folder was one that belongs to the ArduinoBLE, and I'm not using that board at the moment

But basically, yes, working. The other Micros are sending data via serial (continuous distance data), so maybe the naming doesn't matter as long as I only use [hi] with the one board?

this way of sending data from the touch keyboards to Max only works if I touch the (copper) sensors directly (actually, it still works with a layer of baking paper on top of the keys). With the painted acrylic sheet on top of the keys, touch isn't detected by the mpr121. So either I use the serial method, or I figure out a way to make the sensors actually touchable. My constraint here is that these keyboards are for use with SEN kids, and I don't want them to be able to touch the keys directly for practical reasons (some of them will almost certainly pick at the copper until it pulls up) and for aesthetic reasons (the painted surface interacts with the changing colours from the large LED lights in the room that are controlled by the keys touched and the other sensors). I 

paint directly over the copper, and touch might still work, but that looks ugly (I've done something similar before with conductive paint) and also requires me to expose the tops of the small bolts connecting the copper to the cables to the electronics.

Though I see I can change the threshold values, so I'll have a play with that and see if I can make the sensors more responsive.

So not entirely sure which way I'll go with this yet, but thanks very much for the help with the joystick connection - that adds a chunk more to my ability to use arduinos with my system.

Reset message to Arduino from Max?