Unlike Raspberry pi, Arduino doesn't use an OS to run the user code. Which makes me wonder if programming Arduino means programming firmware for the board, because by definition firmware is "what functionalizes a system", so when we program Arduino we are creating a custom device. Be it turning led on and off while pushing a button or blinking or Marlin firmware for Arduino based 3d printers etc.
So my question is: does programming Arduino mean programming the board's firmware and are all Arduino sketches essentially firmware?
By definition, firmware means the permanent software programmed into a read-only memory. So, two categories of firmware are used in Arduino: I) Bootloader II) User's Customize firmware.
Just like we flash to install/update EEPROM firmware of a bios in the PC, we flash the Arduino bootloader in a chip. The Arduino board can be configured as a joystick, for example, by flashing Unojoy firmware.
On the microcontroller (Atmega328) chip, customized firmware (in HEX) is burned on the flash memory. Arduino IDE allows ease of programming the firmware at higher level programming and conversion to hex for loading to the microcontroller.
I would define firmware as a software of a product.
In case of Arduino boards is then the firmware the bootloader and the firmware in the USB chip. But the main application is for you to play and upload sketches which are not firmware.
If you create software for a product based on Arduino board like a 3D printer, a networking co-controller, a special HID device, then your software loaded to the MCU of this device is a firmware.
Related
I have ATMEL ICE C initial connection problems - it cannot read device signature, because of the target board voltage isn't between range of 1.8 to 5.5V. It has measured by the Atmel Studio as 1.3V (when target board is powered by the USB connector) or 0.3V (when USB disconnected from target).
It'a a brand new device, and i never used it before, may be i did something wrong?
I had used before AVR ISP handmade by myself, and had used previously programmed target board for this experiment, to avoid possibility, that board is dead. The target is works and blinking heart beat.
What i has done -
1.Connect the target board to the ICE programmer.
2.power target board by USB.
3.power programmer by USB from PC USB port.
4.open "device programming" tab in AS 7.
5.Make all settings for my chip atmega328p
6.press "apply" then 'read'
7.get err msg that voltage is too low.
(while i had measured it directly, by the digital voltmeter on pins +5V and GND on target
board, it's about 4.5V, same as in ISP connector - measured on 2 and
6 pins.)
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#markus-nm where did you take your measurements?
i had measured on pin 2 and 6 of ISP connector and between pin +5V and GND on Arduino Nano board.
What reference was used?
i had used GND pin on target board for the reference.
Did you use the same USB Host for ISP and power?
no, power to target board was from the wall socket USB charger, AND power to Atmel ICE is from personal computer.
If not, did you connect the grounds?
no, but i guess that grounds are already connected on the target board.
Some links to your chip, your board and ISP would be helpful.
ATMEL-ICE-C https://www.microchip.com/en-us/development-tool/ATATMEL-ICE
ARDUINO NANO PRO https://store.arduino.cc/products/arduino-nano
If it's a custom PCB, provide some schematics. Show a wiring diagram of what you did.
no, i had used the standard Nano board (may be not original, but clone, but it is definitely working now, because it can be programmed by the AVRDUDE program and work.)
The Atmel-ICE, by design, has a lot of different ways to hook up the programming connector. Often when I see problems like this it's because the wrong connector is used. Keep in mind the programmer itself has both an AVR and a SAM port. For the Arduino Nano Pro, make sure it's plugged into the AVR port. After that, ensure you're using the correct programming connector on the adapter board that comes with the Atmel-ICE and that it's oriented correctly on the Nano's header.
If that all fails then something is broken.
I was troubleshooting why Serial1 was always throwing undefined errors in sketches I was trying to run when I found a solution posted online for a slightly different board that suggested this line:
HardwareSerial Serial1(2);
I uploaded it and now the Arduino doesn't show up in the IDE, did I remap it's serial communications? Why is this possible!
Is there any hardware factory reset option available on these boards? Did I just brick my device?
edit: It seems the STM32Cube programmer app can be used to communicate with the device but I'm not sure where to get the original firmware to flash. https://imgur.com/a/LbiHenf
Assuming from the tag in your question, I guess you have an STM32 – (BluePill) Development Board (STM32F103C8).
If you think that your board is not handling serial communication properly then you might consider burning bootloader to your board. This will reset the complete configuration of your board.
There are many ways in which you can burn bootloader to your board.
Using another Arduino board like Uno / Nano / Mega
Using an FTDI USB to TTL Serial Adapter.
You might want to go through tutorials list below:
Getting Started with STM32 using Arduino IDE: Blinking LED
Programming STM32F103C8 Board using USB Port
I want to use ATmega2560 MC, but it manufactured only as surface mount IC which means i must make PCB to use it. I searched for a per-made kit and found Arduino Mega R3 board contains the desired MC. (It contains less I/O pins but that's OK for now). Can i implement my code (without any arduino code) in this board? or should i modify it to work with Arduino, also if it runs in the board will it be the same as normal IC or there will be differences in speed.
The MCU in the Arduino Mega2560 is a stock ATmega2560. There is no need to use the Arduino libraries to program it and no need to use the Arduino tools to communicate with it; avr-gcc and avrdude will work with it as normal. Note that you will need to select the appropriate programmer/protocol in avrdude for the bootloader programmed on the chip if you want to program it via serial rather than ISP.
I have an Arduino 2560 and would like to send serial data to my PC. However, I am currently not using the Arduino Bootloader because I wanted to use a program that I wrote for an Atmega644 before (as far as I understood, one has to use the Arduino language when using the Bootloader?).
Does anyone know if what I am trying to do is possible with reasonable effort?
Connection to PC via 2560's serial0 does not depend on bootloader (if you plan connection when main program is running). You need 16u2 running to bridge 5V serial UART to USB or you can of course use any other option (e.g. MAX232 or so) to convert 5V UART to USB or RS232. But in case of RS232 double check baud rate error because of 16MHz crystal for particular baudrate.
2560 bootloader just implements firmware flash.
I want to start a project using arduino microcontroller board. In this project I will use a Mini Thermal Receipt Printer, barcode scanner and the arduino ethernet shield to transfer data to my pc and from my pc. my question is, what arduino board should I buy for such project? is the arduino uno is enough?
The choice of a right Arduino depends on the sort of peripherals you need for example if your barcode reader is SPI enabled and you can't bit-bang SPI then this counts for Hardware SPI usage and as such will take the SPI pins on the UNO which has support for only 1 SPI hardware connection but if you want more SPI connections go for a MEGA ,similarly UART, two wire etc are communication protocols that may be needed by you based on the chipssets you use in your project, also GPIO's are there which just turn on and off.
I will suggest starting off with an Arduino UNO which DIP ATmega328P and get a spare Bootloader acquipped ATmega328P chip standalone in case as a newbie you magic-smoke the chip on the board.