README softboard

   softboard  http://github.com/reppr/softboard

   Arduino hardware/software developing/testing tool.

Description

   Simple hardware menu interface over serial line
   as a kind of arduino software breadboard.

   Send a sequence of one letter commands and numeric chiffres
   followed by a linebreak over a serial line (say from your computer)
   to the arduino to trigger menu actions and get infos.

   The arduino will buffer serial input (without waiting for it) until
   a terminating linefeed is received as an end token.
   Any sequence of one or more '\n'  '\c'  '\0' accepted as end token.


   Commands can read and set I/O pin configuration and states,
   switch pins on/off, read and write digital and analog values,
   switch pullup/high-z, or continuously watch changing inputs over time.

   Use it to test hardware like sensors, motors, things you want
   to run quick tests after setting something up on a (real) breadboard.

   Then you can use it to test software parts of your program while
   you write it and fit parts together. 


   Send 'm' or '?' (and a linefeed) over serial line to see the menu.
   It displays some basic infos and shows some one-letter commands.


'run-through' cpu time friendly implementation:

   Softboard tries not to block the processor longer then needed and
   to let as much cpu time as possible to any other code possibly running.
   serial_menu() will just run through it's code and return immediately.


Integrate your own code:

   It is easy to write a program menu as interface to your own code.

   Grep the source for ´dance´ or ´yodel´ and you might find hints how to
   setup a program menu to tell the arduino sketch to dance on ´d´,
   to yodel on ´y´  and on ´s´ to do something special ;)

   Just do #define PROGRAM_menu by uncommenting the line further down
   and you will get an example program menu to build upon.

   Or look in the hardware menu as example how to use serial menu.


Installation:

   Get it from http://github.com/reppr/softboard
   Move the 'softboard' folder with all files
   to your arduino sketchbook/ folder.
   Load the sketch from arduino menu Files>Sketchbook>softboard.

   Arduino versions older than 1.0 need a fix:
     see this thread:
     http://code.google.com/p/arduino/issues/detail?id=604&start=200

       short version (adapt to your arduino version)
         edit file arduino-0022/hardware/arduino/cores/arduino/wiring.h
         comment out line 79 (round macro)
         #define round(x)     ((x)>=0?(long)((x)+0.5):(long)((x)-0.5))
         tested on arduino-0023

   For older arduino versions you also have to rename the sketch file
   from softboard.ino to softboard.pde


How it works:

   You communicate with the arduino over a serial connection
   that could be a real serial line or an usb cable.

   The minimalistic menu shows you one letter commands and listens to
   your input. Serial inputs are buffered until you send a linefeed.
   Then your inputs (commands and numbers as sequences of chiffres)
   will be read and acted upon.


Configure your terminal program:

   Do configure your terminal emulation program to send some sort of
   line ending code, usual culprits should work.

   Set arduino baud rate by editing the line starting with
   #define USE_SERIAL_BAUD
   and set it to the same value in your terminal software.

   So if for example you use the Arduino 'Serial Monitor' window
   check that it *does* send 'Newline' (in the bottom window frame)
   and set baud rate to the same value as USE_SERIAL_BAUD on the arduino.


   Send 'm' or '?' (and a linefeed) over serial line to see the menu.
   It displays some basic infos and shows some one-letter commands.

   'e' toggle serial echo.
   'x' toggle visibility of analog inputs as extra digital I/O pins.



Some examples:

       Always let your terminal send a linefeed after the example string
       to trigger the menu actions.

       Spaces in the strings can be omitted.



   Example 1:  'D13 OH' switch LED on   (D select pin, O output, H high)
               'L'      off again       (L low)


   Example 2:  writing high to an input activates internal pullup resistor

	       'D13 IH' pullup LED pin  (D select pin, I input, H high)
					
                                        LED glows at low level
               'O'      LED as OUTPUT   now the LED is on


   Example 3:  Watch an analog input like a VU meter, changing over time.
               See electric noise on unconnected floating A0 input
               scrolling over your serial terminal.
               (Touch the input if there is no visible signal.)

               Or connect a sensor to the input and explore its data...

               'A0 v'      A=select pin (both analog or digital)
                           v=display analog read values and bar graphs

			   Stop it by pressing 'v' again.


*A0	77	*****
*A0	63	****
*A0	74	*****
*A0	84	******
*A0	115	********
*A0	165	***********
*A0	237	***************
*A0	289	*******************
*A0	285	******************
*A0	241	****************
*A0	159	**********
*A0	97	*******
*A0	70	*****
*A0	63	****
*A0	76	*****
*A0	86	******
*A0	123	********
*A0	171	***********
*A0	248	****************
*A0	294	*******************
*A0	280	******************
*A0	227	***************
*A0	144	**********
*A0	87	******
*A0	66	*****



   Example 4:  ','  Display snapshot values of all analog inputs.

                        [fixed font only]

pin     value   |                               |                               |
*A0     609     ***************************************
 A1     504     ********************************
 A2     451     *****************************
 A3     398     *************************
 A4     383     ************************
 A5     409     **************************



   Example 5:  '.'  Info on all digital pin's I/O configuration and state.

 pin 0	I  floating
 pin 1	I  floating
 pin 2	O  LOW
 pin 3	O  HIGH
 pin 4	I  floating
*pin 5	I  pullup       // * indicates the selected pin
 pin 6	I  floating
 pin 7	I  floating
 pin 8	I  floating
 pin 9	I  floating
 pin 10	I  floating
 pin 11	I  floating
 pin 12	I  floating
 pin 13	I  floating

   btw: The example output was generated after 'D2OLD3OHD5IH'.
        'D2OL D3OH D5IH' is the same, but easier to read.



   Copyright © Robert Epprecht  www.RobertEpprecht.ch   GPLv2

   http://github.com/reppr/softboard