Having lots of switches into Pd
I have using four arduino uno in parallel with the Pduino library, using most of the digital and analog pins. As inputs. I have experienced many glitches with this setup and I have been OK with that since I am exploring and experimenting. But now I need to clean it up a bit.
What alternatives may there be instead of using arduino? Are there better solutions?
When using multiple arduinos, how to avoid problems?
Matrix switches... is this a good idea? To keep the arduino count low.
Thanks
You can install it via deken and check its help patches.
@oid said:
...This looks like a pretty good write up on the switch matrix, only skimmed it but all the important bits seem to be there. https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/button-pad-hookup-guide/background
I have completed @alexandros Arduino for Pd'ers now (except servo and multiplexing since I do not have the components needed). I feel it will be easier now when I do not have rely on Pduino. Although there are some parts I do not have full control of (read: hexadecimal handling) I think I can manage with some copy and paste-ing.
So now I need to set up a switch matrix a la midi keyboard. But the tutorial above is hard to adapt to my scenario. I have looked around but I can not find a guide that is more spot on. Any ideas?
I got the diodes but I need to understand how to make and connect the circuit to the arduino, make the arduino code, and then merge this code with the code for communication with Pd (the latter code is ready to go).
Thanks a lot folks 
@cfry What makes it hard to adapt to your scenerio? Just add more rows and/or columns to suit, adding emitter followers or cmos buffers on the ins and outs would not hurt, but you may not need them, I do not know the specs of the arduinos or your number of switches so I can not say for certain.
Perhaps putting everything into pd terms would help? switchmatrix.pd
The one caveat is that I have no idea if the mcu (arduino) can send things as lists or if it is just a serial stream of floats, no difficult to deal with the stream if that is the case anyways. This should show you the logic of the switch matrix and the MCUs code and allow some experimentation, at the very least it should make our communication more efficient?
@alexandros could you give an arduino code example on how to use digital in and out at the same time?
@oid thanks for that pretty example patch. It made me really understand the whole concept and flow.
Since you went through my tutorial and got some code working, can you share what you already have? Then I can suggest changes to make it work with [serial_print].
Here is the working Arduino code, (which is basically a straight copy from "project 8", but I wrote it while reading the tutorial)
// setup for 6 analog in och 12 digital in (pullup to be added).
//intended as experimental template. use pd patch
//made with tutorial Arduino for Pd'ers, project 8
byte myArray[25];
void setup()
{
for(int i = 2; i < 14; i++)
pinMode(i, INPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop()
{
myArray[0] = 0xc0;
int index = 1;
for(int i = 0; i < 6; i++){
unsigned int knob = analogRead (i);
myArray[index++] = knob & 0x007f;
myArray[index++] = knob >> 7;
}
for(int i = 2; i < 14; i++)
myArray[index++] = digitalRead(i);
Serial.write(myArray, 25);
}
Then I tried to incorporate project 1 (blink):
// set a variable to hold the ledddddddz pin number
int led = 13;
void setup()
{
// st pin 13 as output, to light up the LED
// whenever it is told so from Pd
pinMode(led, OUTPUT);
// start the serial communication o the Arduino
// and Pd can communicate with each other
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop()
{
while(Serial.available()){
byte ledState = Serial.read() - '0';
digitalWrite(led, ledState);
}
}
but when I tried to edit "blink" to work with several outputs and merge this in the project 8 code, I decided that I do not have enough understanding of the arduino code to pull it through. What is needed is, I think, another "for()" combined with digitalWrite() inside void loop()
Note: My plan now is to (still) use several Arduinos but with your code and abstractions (instead of the Pdunio). I will wait with the matrix switch setup since I have to take this in steps in order to have control of it.
This means that I am up and running, unless I want to use digital input and output from the same Arduino at the same time. I figure it would be great to have that sorted out beforehand so it works when I need it.
Thanks a lot.
I would suggest to not mix the analog values with the digital ones. The first code could be changed to the following (using Serial.print() with the [serial_print] abstraction):
void setup()
{
for(int i = 2; i < 14; i++)
pinMode(i, INPUT);
Serial.begin(115200); // perhaps use a faster baud rate
}
void loop()
{
Serial.print("knobs"); // use "knobs" as a keyword so you can receive
// the knob values as a list with a [r knobs] in Pd
for(int i = 0; i < 6; i++){
unsigned int knob = analogRead (i);
Serial.print(" "); // first print a white space to separate the "knob" keyword from the values
// and the values from each other
Serial.print(knob); // then print the actual knob value
}
Serial.println(); // finally print a newline character to denote end of data for keyword "knobs"
// the same technique applies to the switches too
// receive the switch values as a list with [r switches]
Serial.print("switches");
for(int i = 2; i < 14; i++) {
int switchVal = digitalRead(i);
Serial.print(" ");
Serial.print(switchVal);
}
Serial.println();
}
As for writing to several outputs you need to set which output you want to write to and then the value you want to write. Here's an example that writes to several different digital outputs:
int pin = 0;
int val = 0;
// some random pins
int pins[4] = {3, 4, 5, 6];
void setup() {
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
pinMode(pins[i], OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(pins[i], LOW);
}
Serial.begin(115200);
}
void loop() {
if (Serial.available()) {
static int temp;
byte in = Serial.read();
if (isDigit(in)) {
temp = temp * 10 + in - '0';
}
else if (in == 'p') {
pin = temp;
temp = 0;
}
else if (in == 'v') {
val = temp;
temp = 0;
digitalWrite(pins[pin], val);
}
}
With the code above you can send messages like this one print $1p$2v in Pd to the [comport] object. $1 is the number of the pin you want to light up starting from 0 and incrementing by 1 (so the first pin used which is pin 3 in the Arduino code would be 0 in the Pd patch), and $2 is the value, 0 or 1.
Note though that in the first code (and the code you posted), you're using all digital pins as inputs so there's no pin left to use as output. If you want to combine these two chunks of code you'll have to use less pins as inputs and leave some to be used as outputs.
@alexandros thanks, it all works!
I merged the codes for in and outs and also changed so you can set up all of the pins with arrays (as you did in the latter code). Then you can set up the pins in any order.
Here is the Arduino code. Do you spot any errors I may have introduced?
//number of elements in array need to match for() cycles
int pinsIn[4] = {2, 7, 10, 11};
int pinsAnalog[3] = {0, 2, 3};
int pin = 0;
int val = 0;
// some random pins
int pinsOut[4] = {3, 4, 5, 6};
void setup()
{
//set up a total of pins for input (has to match number of elements in array)
for(int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
pinMode(pinsIn[i], INPUT);
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
pinMode(pinsOut[i], OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(pinsOut[i], LOW);
}
Serial.begin(115200); // perhaps use a faster baud rate
}
void loop()
{
Serial.print("knobs"); // use "knobs" as a keyword so you can receive
// the knob values as a list with a [r knobs] in Pd
for(int i = 0; i < 3; i++){
unsigned int knob = analogRead (pinsAnalog[i]);
Serial.print(" "); // first print a white space to separate the "knob" keyword from the values
// and the values from each other
Serial.print(knob); // then print the actual knob value
}
Serial.println(); // finally print a newline character to denote end of data for keyword "knobs"
// the same technique applies to the switches too
// receive the switch values as a list with [r switches]
Serial.print("switches");
for(int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
int switchVal = digitalRead(pinsIn[i]);
Serial.print(" ");
Serial.print(switchVal);
}
Serial.println();
//handle digital outputs
if (Serial.available()) {
static int temp;
byte in = Serial.read();
if (isDigit(in)) {
temp = temp * 10 + in - '0';
}
else if (in == 'p') {
pin = temp;
temp = 0;
}
else if (in == 'v') {
val = temp;
temp = 0;
digitalWrite(pinsOut[pin], val);
}
}
}
In Pd I was not able to use [r switches] or [r knobs] but had to use [route]. Is this the correct way to use [serial_print]?
And here it is on the breadboard:
It looks alright. Perhaps you're facing the same issue with me and the Arduino prints 10 when you try to print 13. Read the README file of the GitHub repository where I explain this and how to check it. Maybe you need [serial_print13] instead of [serial_print]. [receive] objects should normally work, that's why I suggest the above.
Analog values tend to change all the time due to noise (unless you use the ResponsiveAnalogRead library which I highly recommend). Digital values though are much cleaner. For these values you can also do a test and see if a value has changed and print it only in that case. You'll need a variable for each button to hold its previous value and test against the new value. If they are different then print and save the new value to the variable for the next test.
This way you should print each button separately and not with a loop. Hope this all makes sense.
Hi, I am trying to add the code for pwm control (from tutorial 5) to the code above but I can not get it to work. Could you help me out plz? I would like to use 6 pwm outputs so I figure it should be set up as the other digital outputs.
@cfry can you share your code and patch and tell us what is not working?
@alexandros
This code sort of works with wip_multiple_PWM.pd
// merging works but pwm leds are choppy.
// number of elements in arrays need to
// match for() cycles in void setup and void loop
int pinsIn[2] = {2, 4};
int pinsAnalog[8] = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7};
int pin = 0;
int val = 0;
int pinsOut[2] = {7, 12};
//TMP setup pwm:
// variables to hold pin numbers
int pwmLED1 = 3;
int pwmLED2 = 5;
int pwmLED3 = 6;
int pwmLED4 = 9;
int pwmLED5 = 10;
int pwmLED6 = 11;
// variables to hold pin states
int pwmLEDvalue1;
int pwmLEDvalue2;
int pwmLEDvalue3;
int pwmLEDvalue4;
int pwmLEDvalue5;
int pwmLEDvalue6;
//should this be omitted and use the a
// variable to hold and assemble incoming data
int temporary;
//END TMP pwm setup
void setup()
{
//set up a total of pins for digital input (has to match number of elements in array)
for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++)
pinMode(pinsIn[i], INPUT);
for (int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
pinMode(pinsOut[i], OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(pinsOut[i], LOW);
}
//DEFAULT works with thermistors,
//INTERNAL with transitor thermostats
analogReference(DEFAULT);
pinMode(A0, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A1, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A2, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A3, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A4, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A5, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A6, INPUT);
pinMode(A7, INPUT);
//TMP test pwm setup:
pinMode(pwmLED1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(pwmLED2, OUTPUT);
pinMode(pwmLED3, OUTPUT);
pinMode(pwmLED4, OUTPUT);
pinMode(pwmLED5, OUTPUT);
pinMode(pwmLED6, OUTPUT);
Serial.begin(115200); // perhaps use a faster baud rate
}
void loop()
{
Serial.print("knobs"); // use "knobs" as a keyword so you can receive
// the knob values as a list with a [r knobs] in Pd
for(int i = 0; i < 8; i++){
unsigned int knob = analogRead (pinsAnalog[i]);
Serial.print(" "); // first print a white space to separate the "knob" keyword from the values
// and the values from each other
Serial.print(knob); // then print the actual knob value
}
Serial.println(); // finally print a newline character to denote end of data for keyword "knobs"
// the same technique applies to the switches too
// receive the switch values as a list with [r switches]
Serial.print("switches");
for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
int switchVal = digitalRead(pinsIn[i]);
Serial.print(" ");
Serial.print(switchVal);
}
Serial.println();
//handle digital outputs
if (Serial.available()) {
static int temp;
byte in = Serial.read();
if (isDigit(in)) {
temp = temp * 10 + in - '0';
}
else if (in == 'p') {
pin = temp;
temp = 0;
}
else if (in == 'v') {
val = temp;
temp = 0;
digitalWrite(pinsOut[pin], val);
}
}
//TMP merge test PWMs:
while(Serial.available()){
byte inByte = Serial.read();
if((inByte >= '0') && (inByte <= '9'))
temporary = 10 * temporary + inByte - '0';
else{
if(inByte == 'p'){
pwmLEDvalue1 = temporary;
temporary = 0;
}
else if(inByte == 'q'){
pwmLEDvalue2 = temporary;
temporary = 0;
}
else if(inByte == 'r'){
pwmLEDvalue3 = temporary;
temporary = 0;
}
else if(inByte == 's'){
pwmLEDvalue4 = temporary;
temporary = 0;
}
else if(inByte == 't'){
pwmLEDvalue5 = temporary;
temporary = 0;
}
else if(inByte == 'u'){
pwmLEDvalue6 = temporary;
temporary = 0;
}
}
analogWrite(pwmLED1, pwmLEDvalue1);
analogWrite(pwmLED2, pwmLEDvalue2);
analogWrite(pwmLED3, pwmLEDvalue3);
analogWrite(pwmLED4, pwmLEDvalue4);
analogWrite(pwmLED5, pwmLEDvalue5);
analogWrite(pwmLED6, pwmLEDvalue6);
//digitalWrite(dspLED, dspLEDstate);
}
}
This is the code without PWM control. It works fine.
//number of elements in arrays need to match for() cycles in void setup
int pinsIn[4] = {6, 7, 8, 9};
int pinsAnalog[8] = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7};
int pin = 0;
int val = 0;
int pinsOut[4] = {2, 3, 4, 5};
void setup()
{
//set up a total of pins for digital input (has to match number of elements in array)
for(int i = 0; i < 4; i++)
pinMode(pinsIn[i], INPUT);
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
pinMode(pinsOut[i], OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(pinsOut[i], LOW);
}
//DEFAULT works with thermistors,
//INTERNAL with transitor thermostats
// ELLER var det tvartom???
analogReference(DEFAULT);
pinMode(A0, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A1, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A2, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A3, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A4, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A5, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A6, INPUT);
pinMode(A7, INPUT);
Serial.begin(115200); // perhaps use a faster baud rate
}
void loop()
{
Serial.print("knobs"); // use "knobs" as a keyword so you can receive
// the knob values as a list with a [r knobs] in Pd
for(int i = 0; i < 8; i++){
unsigned int knob = analogRead (pinsAnalog[i]);
Serial.print(" "); // first print a white space to separate the "knob" keyword from the values
// and the values from each other
Serial.print(knob); // then print the actual knob value
}
Serial.println(); // finally print a newline character to denote end of data for keyword "knobs"
// the same technique applies to the switches too
// receive the switch values as a list with [r switches]
Serial.print("switches");
for(int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
int switchVal = digitalRead(pinsIn[i]);
Serial.print(" ");
Serial.print(switchVal);
}
Serial.println();
//handle digital outputs
if (Serial.available()) {
static int temp;
byte in = Serial.read();
if (isDigit(in)) {
temp = temp * 10 + in - '0';
}
else if (in == 'p') {
pin = temp;
temp = 0;
}
else if (in == 'v') {
val = temp;
temp = 0;
digitalWrite(pinsOut[pin], val);
}
}
}
and here is the code from tutorial5 from Arduino for Pd'ers. It goes with arduinoforpdrs_tut5.pd
// variables to hold pin numbers
int pwmLED = 9;
int dspLED = 2;
// variables to hold pin states
int pwmLEDvalue;
int dspLEDstate;
//variable to hold and assemble incoming data
int temporary;
void setup()
{
pinMode(pwmLED, OUTPUT);
pinMode(dspLED, OUTPUT);
Serial.begin(9600);
}
void loop()
{
while(Serial.available()){
byte inByte = Serial.read();
if((inByte >= '0') && (inByte <= '9'))
temporary = 10 * temporary + inByte - '0';
else{
if(inByte == 'p'){
pwmLEDvalue = temporary;
temporary = 0;
}
else if(inByte == 'd'){
dspLEDstate = temporary;
temporary = 0;
}
}
analogWrite(pwmLED, pwmLEDvalue);
digitalWrite(dspLED, dspLEDstate);
}
}
I am aiming at using same type of array handling as for the digital outs.
Thanks a lot
First of all, don't separate functions for reading the serial data, even if you want to read data for different kinds of stuff.
Combining digital with PWM pins should be sort of straight forward. Here's some example code:
int digitalPins[4] = {2, 4, 7, 10};
// use an array for all the pins of similar type, e.g. PWM pins, like below
int pwmPins[6] = {3, 5, 6, 9, 11, 12}; // can't remember the exact pin numbers with PWM, change accordingly
// a global variable to hold which LED we want to control (either digital or PWM)
int channel = 0;
void setup() {
for (int i = 0; i < 4; i++) {
pinMode(digitalPins[i], OUTPUT);
pinMode(pwmPins[i], OUTPUT);
Serial.begin(115200);
}
void loop() {
if (Serial.available()) {
static int temp;
byte in = Serial.read();
if (isDigit(in)) temp = temp * 10 + in - '0';
else if (in == 'c') {
channel = temp;
temp = 0;
}
else if (in == 'd') {
digitalWrite(digitalPins[channel], temp);
temp = 0;
}
else if (in == 'a') {
analogWrite(pwmPins[channel], temp);
temp = 0;
}
}
Check this code with Pd by sending messages of the type print $1c$2d for digital values and print $1c$2a for analog values. $1 is the led number (incrementing, starting from 0), and $2 is the value you want to write, 0-1 for digital and 0-255 for PWM.
@alexandros now pwm and digital output work fine, but when I try to merge with digital and analog inputs it goes wrong. the leds flicker randomly. If you remove the code below
// do input pins: flicker stops. :/
int outPins[3] = {2, 4, 7};
int pwmPins[6] = {3, 5, 6, 9, 10, 11};
// a global variable to hold which LED we want to control (either digital or PWM)
int channel = 0;
int inPins[2] = {12, 13};
int analogPins[8] = {0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7};
void setup() {
for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++) {
pinMode(outPins[i], OUTPUT);
}
for (int i = 0; i < 6; i++) {
pinMode(pwmPins[i], OUTPUT);
}
for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
pinMode(inPins[i], INPUT);
}
pinMode(A0, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A1, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A2, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A3, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A4, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A5, INPUT_PULLUP);
pinMode(A6, INPUT);
pinMode(A7, INPUT);
//DEFAULT works with thermistors,
//INTERNAL with transitor thermostats
analogReference(DEFAULT);
Serial.begin(115200);
}
void loop() {
//do output pins:
if (Serial.available()) {
static int temp;
byte in = Serial.read();
if (isDigit(in)) temp = temp * 10 + in - '0';
else if (in == 'c') {
channel = temp;
temp = 0;
}
else if (in == 'd') {
digitalWrite(outPins[channel], temp);
temp = 0;
}
else if (in == 'p') {
analogWrite(pwmPins[channel], temp);
temp = 0;
}
}
// do input pins:
Serial.print("analog"); // use "knobs" as a keyword so you can receive
// the knob values as a list with a [r analog] in Pd
for(int i = 0; i < 8; i++){
unsigned int analogVal = analogRead (analogPins[i]);
Serial.print(" "); // first print a white space to separate the "knob" keyword from the values
// and the values from each other
Serial.print(analogVal); // then print the actual knob value
}
Serial.println(); // finally print a newline character to denote end of data for keyword "knobs"
Serial.print("digital");
for(int i = 0; i < 2; i++) {
unsigned int digitalVal = digitalRead(inPins[i]);
Serial.print(" ");
Serial.print(digitalVal);
}
Serial.println();
}
@cfry why do you call pinMode on pins A0 through A7? You don't need to declare the analog pins. Is this for potentiometers? Is there a reason you need the input_pullup resistors on these pins?
What about the input dogotal pins?Are you using resistors in your circuit? Cause you're not using the input_pullups there.
Can you share a schematic of your circuit?
I am at the moment experimenting with different setups and circuits using heat sensitive sensors and haptic feedback (and audio).
But what I am after is to be able to choose freely whatever combination of pin and pin configuration to be used with pd, when experimenting. So there is no specific circuit. I have several different scenarios that I want to try.
The actual pin settings and modes are not important, I just hope to be able to handle digital i/o and analog i/o at the same time.
I dont know how to debug in this setup either.
Thanks for helping
@alexandros said:
@cfry why do you call pinMode on pins A0 through A7? You don't need to declare the analog pins. Is this for potentiometers? Is there a reason you need the input_pullup resistors on these pins?
What about the input dogotal pins?Are you using resistors in your circuit? Cause you're not using the input_pullups there.
Can you share a schematic of your circuit?
...or am I trying to use the arduino with pd in a not suitable way? Would it be better to skip on the idea of using ins and outs at the same time and instead use two (nanos), one for ins and the other for outs?
@cfry definitely not necessary to use two Arduinos. I can't really understand where your problem lies. You didn't reply to my earlier question about the pinMode calls where you use INPUT_PULLUP on analog inputs. Is this really necessary? Also, why not use the analog pins in an array like with the digital pins? It will save a lot of writing and it's less error prone.
One thing you might want to consider is having the Arduino notify Pd when it's done sending all its data and that it's ready to receive. That could be done at the end of the loop() function like this:
Serial.print("done ");
Serial.println("bang");
And in Pd have a [r done] object which will output a bang. Use this bang to send data from Pd to the Arduino by unpacking a list with all the accumulated data, possibly with a [list-abs/list-drip].
I use this notification technique in my 3dPdModular system, but there's a LOT of data there and it was only necessary. Perhaps you could try it out.
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