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Monitor program for Arduino

Abstract

You can control Arduino's pins by ArdunoMonitor and watch changes on pins. This is useful for debugging your hardware before you write a sketch.

How to use

Before you begin

Upload the sketch below to your Arduino.

Start ArduinoMonitor

Connect Arduino and PC, then execute ArduinoMonitor. Chose the serial port Arduino is connected and click ``Connect'' button. You will see that it starts updating pins' status on Arduino. Note that all the pins on Arduino except for pin 13 (LED's pin) are inputs with the skecth below. This is different from the Firmata example which comes with Arduino IDE. The example makes pins as digital output (LOW).

The connection is terminated by clicking ``Disconnect'' button. Click `X' to quit ArduinoMonitor.

Changing pin modes and values

Select the usage of the pins from pull down menu on the side of the pin. DIN and AIN corresponds to digital and analog input. If you chose DOUT (digital out), radio buttons LOW and HIGH appear to change its logic level. If you chose PWM (analog output) or RC (R/C servo motor), it shows a lider to the pin's control output value.

Converting analog value

If you check ``show in voltage'', the values of analog pins are show in voltage rather than direct value. You need to put analog refrence voltage on the text box under the check box. It is 5[V] by default.

Logging

It starts logging in CSV format by clicking ``Start Log'' button. Note, it will overwrite an existing file. The sampling rate is about 0.1[s] per sample. Click ``Stop Log'' button to stop logging.

Displaying a graph

It shows a graph window by clicking ``Graph'' button. The window shows status of the pins as a graph. Blue lines indicate lowest value (0) on pins. Red lines indicate highest value (1 for digital inputs and ouputs, 1023 for analog inputs, 255 for PWM (analog outputs), and 180 for RC servos) on pins.

It stops updates of the graph by clickng ``Stop'' button. The ``Clear'' button clears graph area. It saves a graph image in PNG format by clicking ``Save PNG'' button. It saves values in CSV format by clicking ``Save CSV'' button. The close button is for closing the window. The sampling rate is about 0.1[s] per sample.

Saving and loading a configuration

It saves and loads configuration in XML format by clicking ``Save'' and ``Load'' buttons. The file to save/load is specified by the text box above the buttons. Note, it will load/save without showing a file dialogue if the file is specified. You see the dialogue by double clicking the text box.

Example sketch

Pressing `Show code' button shows source code for Arduino IDE. Use "Save" button to save to a file. The window will close when you click ``Close'' button.

Notes

Installing

You need .NET Framework 4 to use this program.

Bugs

Pin modes sometimes change when you connect and disconnect the Arduino. This is due to the skech on the Arduino (same thing happens with the sketch which comes with the Arduino IDE).

Download

History

Contacts

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(c) 2011 N. Mitsunaga