Project Arduino – Serial Monitor

Intro

Serial printing on Arduino is a powerful tool that enables the communication between an Arduino microcontroller and a computer over a serial link. This feature is often used for debugging and monitoring the behavior of an Arduino program.

To utilize serial printing, the first step is to establish a serial communication link between the Arduino board and the computer. This can be achieved by using a USB cable and the built-in USB-to-serial converter on the Arduino board.

Once the serial connection is established, the Serial object can be used in the Arduino code to send data to the computer. The Serial.print() function can be used to send text or numeric data, while the Serial.write() function can be used to send raw binary data.

On the computer side, a serial terminal program (such as the Arduino IDE’s Serial Monitor) can be used to receive and display the data sent by the Arduino. It is crucial to ensure that the baud rate, which is the data transmission rate, is consistent between the Arduino and the serial terminal program.

Serial.begin()

Serial.begin() is a function in Arduino that is used to initialize the serial communication between the Arduino board and the computer. It is essential to call Serial.begin() in the setup function of your Arduino code, as it sets the data rate (baud rate) of the serial communication and enables the communication channel.

If Serial.begin() is not called, or the baud rate is not set correctly, the Arduino board will not be able to communicate with the computer, and any data sent from the Arduino will be lost. Therefore, it is crucial to set the baud rate correctly, and the baud rate used in Serial.begin() must match the baud rate used by the serial terminal program on the computer.

Here is an example of code that is using print statements to show the sensor value.

/* Potentiometer
   Regel knippersnelheid met potentiometer op A5

   Geef de sensorValue weer op de seriële monitor
*/

const int sensorPin = A1;
const int ledPin = 13;
int sensorValue = 0;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("sensorValue");
  
  pinMode(ledPin, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {
  sensorValue = analogRead(sensorPin);

  Serial.println(sensorValue);

  digitalWrite(ledPin, HIGH);

  delay(sensorValue);

  digitalWrite(ledPin, LOW);

  delay(sensorValue);
}

Conclusion

In conclusion, serial printing is a crucial feature that simplifies debugging and testing of Arduino programs. Its ease of use and the availability of various serial terminal programs make it a popular choice for many Arduino developers.