Programming Arduino: Getting Started With Sketches

This book is a fantastic intro for anyone whos new to writing programs for Arduino boards. Arduino boards are programmed using the C language, so anyone who can already write code for pc's with C already know all the code required to program Arduino. They will already know all of the functions and terminology in this book. Yet tey will still find this book to be an invaluable resource since it explains all of the unique aspects of how C has been implemented for use on Arduino boards. It will be a quick read, but afterwards they will be entirely familiar with the practical issues of writing code for Arduino. Most C programmers will not have written code related to addressing individual input/output pins. This book will introduce them to using the high level language of c to address low level tasks. For those unfamiliar with the C language. If they are proficient programmers of another language (java, python or even basic) it is possible to learn to code with C directly from this book in conjunction with learning to program for the Arduino. However, I would recommend they also purchase a book that offers an introduction to programming in C since it will offer more thorough explanations of the structure of C programs and the associated functions. Any user who has no previous experience programming, the Arduino is not a good place to learn to code. They will find any book on the subject to be a confusing and difficult read. I would highly recommend first learning to program in C on a standard computer, then taking on Arduino. Learning to program on a standard computer is a daunting enough task, trying to leap directly into coding for a computer with no keyboard or monitor will make the process all the more confusing. This book has the user write real programs for their Arduino device and explains the underlying theory in the process. Combining hands on experience with complete explanations of the boards operation means that by the time you finish the book you will have fully explored the operation of Arduino.

To start with, I am an experienced software developer and have worked with AVR microcontrollers in the past, so my information needs may be a little different than a lot of people that are just getting started with the Arduino. That said, I was looking for a quick start guide to better understand Arduino concepts and this book delivered. It was nice and concise, hitting on many facets of what the device was capable of, and gave me a good reference point to understand when this would be a good platform to build on (as opposed to just coding to the ATMega chip directly). I was able to get through the book cover-to-cover in just 2 days, and with a few internet searches to fill in some additional questions, I now feel I finally "get" what the Arduino platform is about. The included code examples were all pertinent, concise, and clearly written. Because of my past experience, I was able to grasp what was going on in each example fairly easily just by reading through them, however those with no experience in software development (in C specifically), or electronics (like with using LCD displays) may have to do a little more research to fully understand what is going on in some of them. But this book definitely gives you a good place to get started from. I docked the book a point for futilely trying to explain some pretty in-depth concepts in just a page or two (like how to create C++ header files, pointers and addresses in C, OOP, HTML, and HTTP request handlers to name a few). I felt the chapter on Data Storage was also a little weak, though for the same reason - it's a relatively complex design implementation that was covered in just a few pages. It was fine for my needs, and I'm actually glad it was included, but again for someone just starting out I imagine it may have gone completely over their head. This brings up one revelation I had about Arduino: despite the hype I've always heard about programming in the "Arduino language" or Wiring, it's really just programming in C or C++, using wrapper libraries (Wiring) that happen to hide a lot of the messiness that is inherent to working with microcontrollers. Sketches are just C++ source files (albeit slightly incomplete ones since the IDE adds some additional info as part of it's compilation process). Ultimately under the hood, Arduino still uses gcc to create the binary file that gets loaded onto the microcontroller using avrdude, just like I would do if I was coding directly to the ATMega chip. The only other thing that makes an Arduino an Arduino (besides the IDE and the Wiring framework), is the use of a bootloader on the uC that allows you to load the program over USB and not need any additional hardware. If you happen to have the programming hardware, then you don't even need the on-chip bootloader code and you can just use a raw ATMega328 and load your compiled binary file directly using that. In conclusion, I'd say this book is a good jumping off point (or jumping in as the case may be) for anyone just getting started with programming an Arduino. It provides a good overview of the Arduino platform for experienced developers that are new to Arduino, and a decent place to start for beginners as well.

Having just started using the Arduino last summer, I can say that this is the ABSOLUTELY BEST book a person could get to become familiar with the Arduino. I've been an electronics hobbyist for years but mainly dealt with analog world with minimal interest in too much on the digital side. I did programming but never with a microprocessor until I got my Arduino last summer. Now I'm hooked. Unfortunately, the usual books for "helping" with Arduino give sketches and explain bits and pieces without ever doing an overview of the system. However, this book is fantastic. Just got it today and have read over half of it; I've marked it up with pen to remind myself of crucial facts that I wish I had known a few months back. I programmed in Fortran (antique language) and BASIC before, but never learned the C programming language (the language of the Arduino). Thankfully, this book assumes no knowledge of C language and holds your hand through the process. It does a wonderful job explaining what each section of the programming does, it explains the hardware of the board, and it explains how the board communicates with the computer. At long last, instead of just copying and pasting someone else's program and hoping I can modify it to work for my own purposes, I can understand WHY certain things work the way they do. UPDATE: I've had this book for over five months, and I still maintain that you have GOT to have this book. I have used it so much that I've about worn it out. Yes, the info that is in the book can be found elsewhere, but he covers so much material so well in such logical places. If you're trying to understand how and why Arduino sketches work the way they do, BUY THIS BOOK! UPDATE 2: I STILL stand by my review of almost a year ago. I have used this book so much in referring to things that I may have to order a second copy as insurance in case I misplace the first. To be such a small book, it packs a lot of punch. It's written at just the right level for beginners who are just learning about Arduino and microprocessors in general, and he points you to all the resources on the web for further information. The book is practical and useful and just plain fun to read. So instead of having to copy and paste everyone else's code all the time, read this book to understand at least the basics of WHY things work in an Arduino the way they do.

First, I have been in IT for over 15 years, I have dodged programming like it was the plague. I stayed on the Microsoft environment, system administrator. Through out the years I have need scripts for this and that and always was able to find one on the net and modify it to fit my needs (most were written in C++). A few fellow workers attempted to "teach" me code. After admitting that it isn't a bad idea to have a solid understanding of coding, I agreed to learn some. My first project was with the Arduino Uno. A simple (or so I thought then) temperature sensing program that opens and closes a relay based on the temp. I poured through samples, caught a few lines of code I recognized. I was in trouble. This book is well laid out, starts off assuming you know nothing of programming and allows you to move forward to where you feel comfortable. His direction in introducing new commands is great. Using his sample sketches along with book really adds to it. Being able to DO, and write the code, and SEE the results really help in learning it. There are even parts were you will write code that will fail, to teach you how to find and fix errors. And I am only half way through it and can't wait to get home and start learning some more!! Overall- Well laid out. Well written, doesn't go over your head, and yet doesn't read like a 5th grade book either. Good charts and explanations when needed. If you have never coded, start here. C++, and JAVA and other popular code is based on C. This will build a solid foundation for coding. Once I master this part, he has other books that I will be purchasing to continue to develop my coding skills.

I have been using Arduino since its beginning - literally my first Arduino was one they had hand cut the boards apart and hand soldered together. It was brought to me from Italy, placed in my hand, and I was told "you are going to love this". I also teach arduino to art students at a university. To say I have read a few arduino books is an understatement. I won't go back over what others have written about this book, but I want to add two things. The big positive that struck me about this book is what a great 'learning to write programs' book it is. Not just how to make an arduino do what you want it to, but just in general how to put together code in sensible ways, how and why to use certain commands, and how to use them effectively. That was an unexpected and very pleasant surprise. I am making at least the first few chapters required reading for all my students. The other thing that I was struck by is how much the author goes on and on about how the reader is learning the C programming language. I can't agree with this...but I can't fully disagree either. I mean, it is C in a way, but even if you are fluent in C you have quite a lot of commands to learn (and things to unlearn as well) to program an arduino. And if you are fluent in arduino code you would not be able to sit down and write even a super basic desktop application without *quite* a lot of further study. In the arduino community we simply refer to the language as "arduino" (really...no one I know ever refers to writing sketches in C) and we really feel that that's what it is since it is so particular to its host. This is a detracting comment, I know, but it isn't anything that keeps this book from getting 5 stars from me...it's just something that I found curious is all.

To be fair, I've been programming in C for some time now so I didn't really need programming help. But still, it would have been nice if he had at least added an APPENDIX with a list of the arduino library functions and maybe a list of the pins you could use and for what. It might be all there but it's buried in discussions of how C syntax works. Or it's not there. One could argue that this is a good book for a beginner and maybe that's true. I'll grant that it's well written and the examples seem clear enough. But it's only 150 pages or so and arduino-specific information is all muddled up with information about how to program.

I am experienced with microcontroller systems but new to Arduino. Here's what I think of this book: THE GOOD: + For a beginner it's very readable and isn't "here's a bunch of theory and then we do fun stuff". The book is very much hands-on oriented, giving just enough explanation related to the task at hand (which is both good & bad, more on this below) + Book is thin and small, will not cause "I have to read and understand all that?" anxiety for beginners THE BAD: - The use of timer interrupts is not discussed at all in this book. I found this disappointing as timer interrupts are a common way to handle "background" tasks (this is where you can run code at specific time intervals). One could argue that this is not a beginner topic but since pin interrupt-on-change interrupts ARE discussed I think timer interrupts should have been as well. UPDATE: The follow-up book Programming Arduino Next Steps: Going Further with Sketches (Tab) covers timer interrupts and other fun stuff. - There are many issues that could be expanded on, even a couple of sentences would be helpful. Examples include: Arduino maximum pin current sink/source & applied voltage limitations. This is briefly mentioned in Chapter 1, but the author just mentions to be careful to not exceed the 40mA current limitation. He should have also mentioned that you can damage the chip this way (also if you exceed max voltage to an I/O pin). This should have been repeated in Chapter 6 which deals with digital interfacing. One of the most common mistakes in interfacing is overlooking the max operating specifications and damaging the chip or decreasing long-term reliability. In Chapter 10 where the author discusses Ethernet shields he mentions that you need the "official" shield based on the Wiznet chipset rather than the cheaper ones based on the Microchip ENC28F60 chip. He could have stated why - the reason is because the Wiznet chip handles the gory details of TCP/IP communication for you (and is more expensive than the ENC28J60 which requires the host chip to do the TCP/IP processing, which is NOT suitable for beginners). OVERALL, it's a gentle introduction for beginners to Arduino. If you are new to Arduino I would recommend buying an extra board or chip in case you accidentally damage it. It can be helpful for troubleshooting to try the same code on a different board to see if the problem might be with the board. Also, search the internet for "10 Ways to Destroy an Arduino" to avoid expensive mistakes. As a bonus, here are other useful Arduino-related items that I have reviewed/purchased and you might be interested in: Cheap UNO clone: SainSmart UNO R3 ATmega328P Development Board + USB Cable Compatible With Arduino UNO R3 Mega 2560 Nano Robot Cheap Mega2560 clone: SainSmart Mega2560 R3 ATmega2560-16AU + ATMEGA16U2 + USB Cable for Robot Arduino UNO MEGA2560 R3 Duemilanove 2013 Serial 2x16 LCD using I2C (only 2 I/O pins): ZITRADES New IIC/I2C/TWI 1602 Serial LCD Module Display For Arduino BY ZITRADES Cheap Ethernet Shield: RioRand (TM) Upgraded Ethernet Shield W5100 for Arduino UNO R3 & MEGA 2560 Duemilanove I hope you found this useful!

I started Arduino about a month ago with an starter kit from Vilros. The kit came with everything needed in the means of components and schematics for examples, but it lacked coding for them. I had to download code from other sources just to get my projects to work. In addition, I lacked the knowledge of the C language to make my own sketches, aside from "blink", "arrays", and other simple functions. I wanted to advance my skills so I could make my own innovations! After searching around, I found that (according to reviews) this book would be most comprehensive for my level. These reviews were correct. This book breaks the C language down into layman's terms and then teaches many practical situations in which each program/function could potentially be used. I would strongly recommend this book to anybody who wishes to venture into the realms of writing their own sketches. The book covers the most common functions and their syntax. It gives correct examples and how they work, as well as incorrect examples (common errors) and what one should do to avoid/fix them. DO NOT just skim through the book, read the code, say, "yeah, I got that," and do nothing; actually take the time to build a circuit (most of them just require an LED or a basic shield once you get towards the end), put in the code, and feel your accomplishments! You will get firsthand experience of building, coding, and troubleshooting. Moreover, the feeling when you finally get the code to work the way you want is like no other. I have learned so much from this and plan to continue to the next-tier book "Next Steps: Going Further with Sketches".

This book has opened my eyes to more possibilities with the Arduino than I though. Starts simple and moves into the process of writing and developing code that will work, be easy to understand and debug. Some of the latter chapters I thought would not be relevant have got me thinking of other applications. I think a must read for early programmers.

英語ですがKINDLEなら、辞書もあるし この値段と内容ならならまあまあかと思います

Le livre est très utile pour l'initiation des cartes Aduino. Il permet de coder rapidement les différents petits programmes de test.

Veramente un prodotto ottimo per chi comincia ad usare Arduino e la sua IDE, permette un'ottima comprensione dei meccanismi hardware a disposizione e delle possibili soluzioni software da utilizzare. Ottimo per chi comincia.

Teaching programming using "toy" languages is both popular and effective. The Arduino is well-suited for this purpose - students who are too old to steer a turtle around a screen and consider themselves too old to play with lego will still engage with programming leds to flash and stepper motors to move. I was disappointed with this book but only because it wasn't quite what I expected. As a programmer, I was looking for a guide to the Arduino. In fact, this is an excellently written guide to programming, and application to the Arduino is secondary. The book leads the reader through a series of progressively more complicated programming exercises, explaining what each line does and why the program is put together in that particular way. Different kinds of variables, types and control structures are introduced gently and well. Embedded programming concepts such timing are discussed at an appropriate level. I would highly recommend this book to someone who wanted to teach themselves programming, and prefers to see the results of their programs come to life through hardware than through text on a screen. It would also be good as a supplement to a taught course introducing programming using the Arduino. All of the many exercises in the book are available for free download, but if you are using the book I recommend you type them in yourself anyway. This should not be considered an in-depth reference guide to either programming or the Arduino.