Preference Setting in Arduino IDE 1.6.0

It is very kind that this new IDE (1.6.0) detects my system language and uses it as editing and interface language. It is more comfortable for me to use English since the most resource I am using for Arduino is in English. This new IDE has the option to change the possibility to customize the interface.

Arduino ATtiny Project

This project is running again. I'm glad to see their recent update. Very useful! Recommended!

see http://highlowtech.org/

arduino autoreset, watchdog timer

I found this excellent video for using arduino watchdog timer created by Make Course. highly suggestive!

Software Reset of Arduino

The term "software reset" reffers to reset the arduino by internal codes. Generally there are three ways to reset arduino automatically:
1. use watchdog: an external hardware that activate the arduino reset function. The safest and most reliable way to do an automatic arduino reset.
2. use output pins with relay: when the pin is written to HIGH, it's attached relay connects the reset pin to Gnd, and that activates the reset function.
3. use software reset code: this only reset the running programm. This reset will command arduino to run the programm code from the beggining. (Bootloader, for example, will not be reset.)

It is useful to run automatic reset when using arduino for prototype of long-term usage.

Sofware reset can be done by some means:
1.  void(* resetFunc) (void) = 0;
Declare this function in the code and when calling resetFunc(); the programm wil be reset.
2. void resetFunc() {  asm volatile ("  jmp 0");  }
This is the other way to declare the reset function.

Reference:
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=49581.0
http://www.xappsoftware.com/wordpress/2013/06/24/three-ways-to-reset-an-arduino-board-by-code/
http://www.instructables.com/id/two-ways-to-reset-arduino-in-software/step2/using-just-software/

USE TLC5940 on Arduino Leonardo

The TLC5490 library (http://playground.arduino.cc/learning/TLC5940 ) should be modified to be working with Arduino Leonardo. The Solution can be found here:
http://forum.arduino.cc/index.php?topic=110394.0
I went through all the process and this solution works fine. This post is my documentation.

Upgrade Arduino WiFi-Shield firmware

I am newly studying the interaction between arduino and xively.com. The interaction was first designed for arduino ethernet but now I need the sketch run with WiFi. I use the WiFi shield and Arduino MEGA 2560. Although the internet seems work, my arduino just cannot get the xively data from internet. Even the example sketch of "wifi web client" doesn't work properly.

Finally I tried to update the firmware on my wifi shield. The introduction from the official arduino page is correct but lacks clear step-by-step explaination. Some other online solutions don't work on my shield. This article is written after my finally finshing the update and solving some problems. The final process I found out is actually relative simple and requires only a few downloads (I use windows):

Arduino ATtiny 84/85 (updated 2020/8/4)

ATtiny allows you to reduce the cost of your electronic prototype, even lower than Arduino Mini series. ATtiny84 or 85 is microcontroller from Atmel. ATtiny85 offers 6 I/O pins for communication and 8192 byte memory, and ATtiny 84 12 I/O pins and 8192 byte. You can use Arduino IDE to make a sketch and upload onto this tiny IC. To do that, you need to set up your Arduino as an ISP (In-System Programming).

I think, the original developers using ATtiny for Arduino projects are from High-Low Tech Lab of MIT (2009-2014). Visit their page for more information: http://highlowtech.org/ 

This post shows you how to use ATtiny84/85 for your project and other recent updates. 

ATtiny85