The Rumblist

I'm using a modified version of the serial communication tutorial patch to read the serial input from an Arduino - this is sending two streams of numbers from two IR sensors. When i click on the Print Grouped option in the patch (highlighted in red) i get a readout in the max window of each sensor's value in turn, e.g. 50 41 53 on one line then 49 54 on the next line. My question is how can i split the numbers as they appear in the max window, i.e. in turn? I would like one list of numbers to control the pitch and the other stream to control velocity.

how-can-i-split-the-output-of-zl-group-object-creating-a-midi-theremin

Anybody able to help with this at all???


I don't have an Arduino, but if all the data is coming from serial

port, how can you distinguish the data from one sensor versus that of

I don't have an Arduino, but if all the data is coming from serial
port, how can you distinguish the data from one sensor versus that of
the other?


@Anthony: depending on the software running on the arduino, this is not a problem: the short way is to send data1 data2 data1 data2... alternately, and split the data stream after [serial].

But as I never reallly trusted this, I prefer to send a string like data1_data2#data1_data2#... (or 1_data1#2_data2#1_data1#2_data2, or whaterver) so I'm sure to get the right pairs of data.

You should get an arduino, it's fun to program! :-)

@Anthony: depending on the software running on the arduino, this is not a problem: the short way is to send data1 data2 data1 data2... alternately, and split the data stream after [serial].
But as I never reallly trusted this, I prefer to send a string like data1_data2#data1_data2#... (or 1_data1#2_data2#1_data1#2_data2, or whaterver) so I'm sure to get the right pairs of data.

You should get an arduino, it's fun to program! :-)


@Patrick....please would you be able to show me where i would insert the data1_data2#data1_data2#...sorry to sound like a noob, but i have only just started getting into the Arduino language and am finding it a stretch! :-)

Here's the program i have running on the Arduino....(i'm sorry its long and convoluted, but i dont know a more elegant way!!)

(taken from the Analog/Smoothing example)

int readings[numReadings]; // the readings from the analog input

int index = 0; // the index of the current reading

int readings2[numReadings2]; // the readings from the analog input

int index2 = 0; // the index of the current reading

// initialize serial communication with computer:

for (int thisReading = 0; thisReading < numReadings; thisReading++)

for (int thisReading2 = 0; thisReading2 < numReadings2; thisReading2++)

// advance to the next position in the array:

average = constrain(average, 0, 255);//make sure the

// send it to the computer (as ASCII digits)

readings2[index2] = analogRead(inputPin2);

average2 = map(average2, 0, 700, 0, 255);

average2 = constrain(average2, 0, 255);//make sure the

int readings[numReadings];      // the readings from the analog input
int index = 0;                  // the index of the current reading
int total = 0;                  // the running total
int average = 0;                // the average

int readings2[numReadings2];      // the readings from the analog input
int index2 = 0;                  // the index of the current reading
int total2 = 0;                  // the running total
int average2 = 0;                // the average

void setup()
{
  // initialize serial communication with computer:
  Serial.begin(9600);
  // initialize all the readings to 0:
  for (int thisReading = 0; thisReading < numReadings; thisReading++)
    readings[thisReading] = 0;    

  // initialize all the readings to 0:
  for (int thisReading2 = 0; thisReading2 < numReadings2; thisReading2++)
    readings2[thisReading2] = 0;
}

void loop() {
  // subtract the last reading:
  total= total - readings[index];
  // read from the sensor:
  readings[index] = analogRead(inputPin);
  // add the reading to the total:
  total= total + readings[index];
  // advance to the next position in the array:
  index = index + 1;                    

  // if we're at the end of the array...
  if (index >= numReadings)
    // ...wrap around to the beginning:
    index = 0;                           

  // calculate the average:
  average = total / numReadings;      

 average = map(average, 0, 700, 0, 255);
         //adjust the value 0 to 900 to
         //span 0 to 255

 average = constrain(average, 0, 255);//make sure the
                                           //value is betwween
                                           //0 and 255

  // send it to the computer (as ASCII digits)
  Serial.println(average, DEC);     

  // subtract the last reading:
  total2= total2 - readings2[index2];
  // read from the sensor:
  readings2[index2] = analogRead(inputPin2);
  // add the reading to the total:
  total2= total2 + readings2[index2];
  // advance to the next position in the array:
  index2 = index2 + 1;                    

  // if we're at the end of the array...
  if (index2 >= numReadings2)
    // ...wrap around to the beginning:
    index2 = 0;                           

  // calculate the average:
  average2 = total2 / numReadings2;      

 average2 = map(average2, 0, 700, 0, 255);
         //adjust the value 0 to 900 to
         //span 0 to 255

 average2 = constrain(average2, 0, 255);//make sure the
                                           //value is betwween
                                           //0 and 255

  // send it to the computer (as ASCII digits)
  Serial.println(average2, DEC);
}


Sorry, I don't have much time now, so what I write is unverified.

Instead of your 2 Serial.println() lines, you could put, at the end of the loop() something like:

Anyway, there are many ways to do that, that's part of the fun.

Serial.print(average1);
Serial.print("_");
Serial.printl(average2);
Serial.println();

and parse serial's output with something like:

Anyway, there are many ways to do that, that's part of the fun.


Thats wonderful Patrick...many many thanks! With a bit of tinkering i now have the patch working exactly how i wanted it to, with one sensor controlling volume and the other controlling pitch! (see below) :-) Wasnt sure how to split the serial stream, but that addition of the 95 to the Sel object in the patch you wrote makes total sense now!

how can i split the output of zl group object? (creating a MIDI Theremin)