Category: Students

Using the Arduino IDE — a quick skinny overview:

1. I have an Arduino Uno, have attached it to my PC via USB port, and opened that IDE:

2. In the IDE, I navigate to Tools –> Boards –> Select the version of the Arduino being used:

3. The Arduino IDE comes with some very basic code examples (aka, sketches.):

4. The bare minimum of a code example will contain a method for “setup()” and an action method for “loop()”

5. A very basic sketch to test your board is the “Blink” example.  Open this example.

6. In the top left corner of the application, click the checkmark icon to compile the code and if there are no errors you will see similar to the following:   
   

Now you can upload the code to the Arduino by “Arrow” icon.  This is a common problem I run into where my Arduino is not registering on the proper port:
avrdude: ser_open(): can’t open device “\.COM3”: The system cannot find the file specified.
avrdude done.  Thank you.
Problem uploading to board. 

If you click on the “Magnifying glass” icon or navigate to Tools –>  Serial Monitor –> click to open an interface that shows communications to the Arduino.  In my scenario, the IDE is looking to “COM3” to find my Arduino.  If I open Windows Device Manager, I can see that it is registering on port “COM4”:

7. To remedy this, I navigate back to the IDE, click Tools –> Ports –> and select “COM4” as my port.

8. If you don’t have the above, or any other error, when you upload your code, you should see the following result and will notice that the Arduino now has the blinking light that you programmed.

If you’re completely new, a starter kit is a good way to go.  They might seem expensive but actually can cost less than buying all the parts individually.  As a bonus, assure that either the starter kit includes some introductory lessons for you to walk through or that you have located some online.

Amazon usually has good deals on these kits.  Examples:

• https://www.vilros.com/ultimate-starter-kit.html
• https://www.arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoStarterKit

Otherwise, parts of a good kit might include:  an Arduino board, a breadboard, jumper wires, some LED lights, resistors, capacitors, diodes, random sensors, a servos to start.

Your PC (can be Windows, Mac, Linux) with a USB port. Software to run code.  Code?!  Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a programmer here.  Let’s review a process:

1. Pull a plan together.  (even if it’s just going to instructables.com and turning on some LED lights)
2. Gather your equipment.
3. Turn on a computer that has a USB port.
4. Get some software to interact with your Arduino.  Easiest is here. 
5. Attach all wires and components per lesson diagram.
6. Copy paste code from lesson into your software.
7. Build the code and then push it to the Arduino and watch the results.

HEADS-UP!:

1. GOTCHA #1:  The lessons.  Sometimes the lessons will have a big in the code or show a wire hooked up to the breadboard in a way that doesn’t work for you.   Google your project and error.  Someone has probably already been there and fixed that.
2. GOTCHA #2:  Your wiring.  If there are no errors but something doesn’t work, check how you’ve set up your components.
3. GOTCHA #3:  Uploading your code.  It’s probably going to happen:  some type of COM port error that will be called out by a process named “avrdude.”    I’ll try to remember to write  a post for that.
4. GOTCHA #4:  Powering your project.  If you have too much power going to your Arduino, you can fry it.  To start, try to power your project via your USB port.  Most projects are 3.5V or 5V and batteries can work as well.  But, avoid wall power for a while.