i trying to find out what is the best solution to control two stepper motors with arduino and max msp.
i tried maxuino but i wont work.
i am using an max msp 6, arduino uno, two easy driver boards and two steppers (https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9238).
Servo control is not a problem but in this setup that isnt the solution.
So it would be very nice if someone could share his solution to control steppers with Max.

I tried the Serialfunction with this code below but it was not working.. So if anyone could point me in the right direction
( http://bildr.org/2011/06/easydriver/ )

//////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
//©2011 bildr
//Released under the MIT License – Please reuse change and share
//Using the easy stepper with your arduino
//use rotate and/or rotateDeg to controll stepper motor
//speed is any number from .01 -> 1 with 1 being fastest -
//Slower Speed == Stronger movement
/////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////

#define DIR_PIN 2
#define STEP_PIN 3

void setup() {
pinMode(DIR_PIN, OUTPUT);
pinMode(STEP_PIN, OUTPUT);
}

void loop(){

//rotate a specific number of degrees
rotateDeg(360, 1);
delay(1000);

rotateDeg(-360, .1); //reverse
delay(1000);

//rotate a specific number of microsteps (8 microsteps per step)
//a 200 step stepper would take 1600 micro steps for one full revolution
rotate(1600, .5);
delay(1000);

rotate(-1600, .25); //reverse
delay(1000);
}

void rotate(int steps, float speed){
//rotate a specific number of microsteps (8 microsteps per step) – (negitive for reverse movement)
//speed is any number from .01 -> 1 with 1 being fastest – Slower is stronger
int dir = (steps > 0)? HIGH:LOW;
steps = abs(steps);

digitalWrite(DIR_PIN,dir);

float usDelay = (1/speed) * 70;

for(int i=0; i < steps; i++){
digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(usDelay);

digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(usDelay);
}
}

void rotateDeg(float deg, float speed){
//rotate a specific number of degrees (negitive for reverse movement)
//speed is any number from .01 -> 1 with 1 being fastest – Slower is stronger
int dir = (deg > 0)? HIGH:LOW;
digitalWrite(DIR_PIN,dir);

int steps = abs(deg)*(1/0.225);
float usDelay = (1/speed) * 70;

for(int i=0; i < steps; i++){
digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(usDelay);

digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(usDelay);
}
}

http://cycling74.com/forums/topic.php?id=8503

worked with maxuino in these days…

#define DIR_PIN 2
#define STEP_PIN 3

void setup() {
pinMode(DIR_PIN, OUTPUT);
pinMode(STEP_PIN, OUTPUT);
//being serial communication
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop(){
//create variable to hold the number of steps
int steps =0;
// if there’s serial information in the buffer
// save that in the steps variable
if(Serial.available()>0){
steps = Serial.read();
}
//rotate a specific number of degrees
rotate(steps*8, 1);
//wait for a moment
delay(5);
}

void rotate(int steps, float speed){
//rotate a specific number of microsteps (8 microsteps per step) – (negitive for reverse movement)
//speed is any number from .01 -> 1 with 1 being fastest – Slower is stronger
int dir = (steps > 0)? HIGH:LOW;
steps = abs(steps);

digitalWrite(DIR_PIN,dir);

float usDelay = (1/speed) * 70;

for(int i=0; i < steps; i++){
digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(usDelay);

digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(usDelay);
}
}

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— This version of maxuino has stepper capability, but only if you also use our stepperFirmata variant. If you use the Firmata that is shipped with the Arduino IDE it will work just fine for everything except it will not run stepper motors.

did you upload the stepperFirmata or just Standart Firmata?

i tried both but it wont work. at the moment i am trying to figure out how to change scotts code to make a direction change but later i will give maxuino another try…

- “Dont forget you need to add stepperDriver to your arduino libraries folder and restart Arduino IDE to get this Firmata to work.”

and

- “set the modes for each of the pins you will use. [...] the digital pins are on the right and have 7 modes:

Digital input
Digital output
Analog input (some boards have pins that can do both modes)
PWM output
Servo
Stepper Motor Step
Stepper Motor Direction

[attachment=203189,4388]

i also discovered a strange thing i made a picture to explain it.. perhaps someone can understand it…

edit: i know its not the right PIN configuration but thats the only way to move the stepper. with the right DIR and STEP Pin configuration its not working

[attachment=203200,4391] [attachment=203200,4392]

there is an example code from the maxuino stepper driver which is:

#include

const int stepsPerRevolution = 200; // change this to fit the number of steps per revolution for your motor
StepperDriver myStepper; //initialize for one stepper

void setup() {
myStepper.setStep(stepsPerRevolution, 12,10);
myStepper.setSpeed(8); //with 1/8th stepping turned on, 1 rpm * 8 = 8
myStepper.step(stepsPerRevolution*8); //with 1/8 stepping turned on, one full revolution needs to be multiplied x 8
}

void loop() {
// step one revolution in one direction:

if (myStepper.update() == 1){ //here we check to see if the motor has finished the last step command and at the same time call the update for the motor to keep running
delay(1000); //when a full revolution is complete, wait 1second and do another full rev.
myStepper.step(stepsPerRevolution*8);
}
}

this example code is working. so i think the problem is in the max patch?

#define DIR_PIN 2
#define STEP_PIN 3
int value;

void setup() {
pinMode(DIR_PIN, OUTPUT);
pinMode(STEP_PIN, OUTPUT);
//being serial communication
Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop(){
//create variable to hold the number of steps
int steps =0;
// if there’s serial information in the buffer
// save that in the steps variable
if(Serial.available()>0){
steps = Serial.read();
value = map(steps,127,255,0,255); //donc tt ce qui est en dessous de 127 est négatif!!
//all above 127 is negative
}
//rotate a specific number of degrees
rotate(steps*8, 1);
//wait for a moment
delay(5);
}

void rotate(int steps, float speed){
//rotate a specific number of microsteps (8 microsteps per step) – (negitive for reverse movement)
//speed is any number from .01 -> 1 with 1 being fastest – Slower is stronger
int dir = (value > 0)? HIGH:LOW;
steps = abs(steps);

digitalWrite(DIR_PIN,dir);

float usDelay = (1/speed) * 70;

for(int i=0; i < steps; i++){
digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(usDelay);

digitalWrite(STEP_PIN, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(usDelay);
}
}

do you have a better idea?
thank’s