clensing

Hey guys, I had a question regarding getting my arduino and max communicating. I have an AC Dimmer code loaded onto my arduino uno. When I open up my serial monitor and type in any number from 0 to 120 it changes the brightness of my lightbulb. I would like to hook up a slider in max because I have a kinect patch that will interact with it. I was wondering on how to get that slider to be the serial write. Doing a lot of research I think ive stumbled upon the serial.write( ) function. Im having troubles with the coding and would love some support! Is this also the best way to approach the communication? Maxuino is useless to me it seems since I have no access to inputing direct values. Feedback? THANKS!

serial-write-help

In general, keep in mind that Arduino's serial monitor sends data as ASCII code, not binary data. In Max you need to convert your binary data to ASCII before sending it to the serial object if you want it to mimic this behavior. Also, depending on your sketch, you might need to send a linefeed and/or carriage return following the data.

ok awesome, ill post the code tomorrow when i get back into my studio tomorrow! meanwhile ill do some converting research. thanks for the quick reply and ill follow up tomorrow!

Have a look at the following: [atoi] [itoa] [tosymbol] [fromsymbol] etc.

here is my dimmer control. I just dont know where i should be putting the serial write command within the code, i am frankly very new to the actual coding side of the arduino. Any help or adjustments would be great. thanks!

Changed zero-crossing detection to look for RISING edge rather

than falling. (originally it was only chopping the negative half

Also changed the dim_check() to turn on the Triac, leaving it on

until the zero_cross_detect() turns it off.

Attach AC_PIN output to optotriac input on circuit board.

Attach Zero Cross Detector output (on circuit board) to Pin 2 (interrupt 0)

Attach AC Hot (120v) to AC Hot wire on circuit board.

Attach AC Neutral to AC Neutral wire on circuit board.

Attach one wire from bulb to Bulb 1 on circuit board.

Attach other wire from bulb to Bulb 2 on circuit board (also AC neutral)

http://wiki.dxarts.washington.edu/groups/general/wiki/4dd69/AC_Dimmer_Circuit.html

http://www.andrewkilpatrick.org/blog/?page_id=445

http://www.hoelscher-hi.de/hendrik/english/dimmer.htm

http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Code/Timer1

volatile int i=0; // Variable to use as a counter

volatile boolean zero_cross=0; // Boolean to store a "switch" to tell us if we have crossed zero

int POT_pin = 0; // Pot for testing the dimming

int dim = 0; // Dimming level (0-128) 0 = on, 128 = 0ff

int freqStep = 65; // Set the delay for the frequency of power (65 for 60Hz, 78 for 50Hz) per step (using 128 steps)

// freqStep may need some adjustment depending on your power the formula

// you need to us is (500000/AC_freq)/NumSteps = freqStep

// You could also write a seperate function to determine the freq

pinMode(AC_pin, OUTPUT); // Set the Triac pin as output

pinMode(LED, OUTPUT); // Set the LED pin as output

attachInterrupt(0, zero_cross_detect, RISING); // Attach an Interupt to Pin 2 (interupt 0) for Zero Cross Detection

Timer1.initialize(freqStep); // Initialize TimerOne library for the freq we need

Timer1.attachInterrupt(dim_check, freqStep);

// Use the TimerOne Library to attach an interrupt

// to the function we use to check to see if it is

// the right time to fire the triac. This function

// will now run every freqStep in microseconds.

zero_cross = true; // set the boolean to true to tell our dimming function that a zero cross has occured

// Function will fire the triac at the proper time

int i, serAva; // i is a counter, serAva hold number of serial available

char inputBytes [7]; // Array hold input bytes

char * inputBytesPtr = &inputBytes[0]; // Pointer to the first element of the array

if (Serial.available()>0) // Check to see if there are any serial input

delay(3); // Delay for terminal to finish transmitted

// 5mS work great for 9600 baud (increase this number for slower baud)

serAva = Serial.available(); // Read number of input bytes

inputBytes[i] = ''; // Put NULL character at the end

dim2 = atoi(inputBytesPtr); // Call atoi function and return result

return -1; // Return -1 if there is no input

 Changed zero-crossing detection to look for RISING edge rather
 than falling.  (originally it was only chopping the negative half
 of the AC wave form).   

 Also changed the dim_check() to turn on the Triac, leaving it on
 until the zero_cross_detect() turns it off.

 Attach AC_PIN output to optotriac input on circuit board.
 Attach Zero Cross Detector output (on circuit board) to Pin 2 (interrupt 0)
 optional LED to pin 3
 Attach arduino GND to GND.
 Attach arduino +5 to +5V.

 Attach AC Hot (120v) to AC Hot wire on circuit board.
 Attach AC Neutral to AC Neutral wire on circuit board.

 Attach one wire from  bulb to Bulb 1 on circuit board.
 Attach other wire from bulb to Bulb 2 on circuit board (also AC neutral)

 details here: http://wiki.dxarts.washington.edu/groups/general/wiki/4dd69/AC_Dimmer_Circuit.html

 Thanks to http://www.andrewkilpatrick.org/blog/?page_id=445
 and http://www.hoelscher-hi.de/hendrik/english/dimmer.htm

#include            // Avaiable from http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Code/Timer1

volatile int i=0;               // Variable to use as a counter
volatile boolean zero_cross=0;  // Boolean to store a "switch" to tell us if we have crossed zero
int AC_pin = 10;                // Output to Opto Triac
int POT_pin = 0;             // Pot for testing the dimming
int LED = 3;                    // LED for testing
int dim = 0;                    // Dimming level (0-128)  0 = on, 128 = 0ff
int freqStep = 65;    // Set the delay for the frequency of power (65 for 60Hz, 78 for 50Hz) per step (using 128 steps)
// freqStep may need some adjustment depending on your power the formula
// you need to us is (500000/AC_freq)/NumSteps = freqStep
// You could also write a seperate function to determine the freq

void setup() {                                      // Begin setup
  pinMode(AC_pin, OUTPUT);                          // Set the Triac pin as output
  pinMode(LED, OUTPUT);                             // Set the LED pin as output
  attachInterrupt(0, zero_cross_detect, RISING);   // Attach an Interupt to Pin 2 (interupt 0) for Zero Cross Detection
  Timer1.initialize(freqStep);                      // Initialize TimerOne library for the freq we need
  Timer1.attachInterrupt(dim_check, freqStep);
  Serial.begin(19200);
  // Use the TimerOne Library to attach an interrupt
  // to the function we use to check to see if it is
  // the right time to fire the triac.  This function
  // will now run every freqStep in microseconds.
}

void zero_cross_detect() {
  zero_cross = true;               // set the boolean to true to tell our dimming function that a zero cross has occured
  i=0;
  digitalWrite(AC_pin, LOW);
}                                 

// Function will fire the triac at the proper time
void dim_check() {
  if(zero_cross == true) {
    if(i>=dim) {
      digitalWrite(AC_pin, HIGH);
      i=0;
      zero_cross = false;
    }
    else {
      i++;
    }
  }
}                                   

void loop() {
  serReadInt();
  dim = constrain(dim2, 0, 120);
  analogWrite(LED, dim);
  Serial.println(dim2);

int serReadInt()
{
 int i, serAva;                           // i is a counter, serAva hold number of serial available
 char inputBytes [7];                 // Array hold input bytes
 char * inputBytesPtr = &inputBytes[0];  // Pointer to the first element of the array

 if (Serial.available()>0)            // Check to see if there are any serial input
 {
   delay(3);                              // Delay for terminal to finish transmitted
                                              // 5mS work great for 9600 baud (increase this number for slower baud)
   serAva = Serial.available();  // Read number of input bytes
   for (i=0; i
     inputBytes[i] = Serial.read();
   inputBytes[i] =  '';             // Put NULL character at the end
   dim2 = atoi(inputBytesPtr);    // Call atoi function and return result
   Serial.println(dim2);
 }
 else
   return -1;                           // Return -1 if there is no input
}


so i was able to get it to work going through ascii in max and going out of serial c 9600. but the problem now is max is just freezing up a ton. Im not sure if im sending it way to many things over the serial port. Is there any cleanup in my code that would help that issue?

Now we'd have to see your Max patch to really answer this new question.

When I try to complie that Arduino code, after downloading & installing the library TimerOne, I get the following error:

test_sketch.ino:101:17: error: empty character constant

So, I can't compile the code and check it out.

At this point, in re-reading your posts, I guess I'm a bit confused as to what you're actually trying to accomplish. If you want to read serial data in Arduino from Max, you don't need the 'Serial.write()' command at all - you'd be reading from the serial port, not writing to it, unless you are doing some sort of hand-shaking between Arduino & Max. Also, there's already 'Serial.println()' sending data out the serial port, so are you trying to replace that with the write command, or what?

I think, in order to help out, I'll need you to state a little more clearly at this point what it is you're trying to do.

And there's a baud rate mismatch. Your code has Serial.begin 19200 and you say your serial object is 9600.

Serial.Write Help!