beginners hints and tips

Posted by: Pakabol

For reason like this  ( i once got a job at a machine shop and i didnt get the idea of back lash til it was explained to me) it was a simple thing but caused many errors 

I've done electronics, programming, and machining.   Unfortunately, machining is by-far the easiest when it comes to the example you've given.   Not to imply that machining is easy, but when it come to learning a few simple things that take you a very long way electronics and programming just aren't in the same ballpark.  There are simply a gazillion simple things in both electronics and programming, that once you learn them they seem so obvious you wonder why you didn't think of them yourself.  None the less, this same experience just keeps on going and going and going,...

With both electronics and programming the key is "Just Do It", and do it, and do it, and do it.

That's actually the advice I would give as an answer to your question.  Just start building stuff and build as many projects as  you can find the time to build.  The more you build the more "backlash" experience you'll gain. ? 

I do possibly have an answer for you in terms of programming.   The same thing applies, you need to just do a lot of it.   But one thing I found that helped me early one was that when you program something, don't just stop there.  Go back and modify it in as many ways as you can think of.   Try using different methods or functions to do the same thing.

For example if you start with a Blink Sketch in the Arudino, after you do that, go back and make the LED blink in as many different ways as you can think of.  Including having using "If" statements.  And then "Case" statements, and For loops, etc.   Just play around with the language while you're working with a program that you already have up and running.

Same thing with the electronic end of things.  If your first try was to blink the on-board LED, then don't stop there, set up an LED on a bread board and blink that one.  Then set up more LEDs and see if you can get them to blink in different ways.

While your at it grab some sort of buzzer and add that to your circuit etc.

By the way, I only used the blink sketch as an  example.  You should continue to do this with all your projects.   Never just stop when you achieved your original goal.  Always ask, "What else can I do with this?"

That's really the best way to learn.  Just be as spontaneous as you can.  And that will take you down the path to creativity as well.

And if you want to learn how to draw and read electronic circuits be sure to draw up every circuit you build. Even if you built it by looking at a schematic in the first place.  By re-drawing it you'll learn how to do it much faster than just having looked at it. 

Hope this wasn't too much.  It's just the more you do, the more you learn.  That's the bottom line.

I need an Arduino cheat sheet that will translate my Arduino cheat sheet.

Yeah, that sounds pretty dumb, huh?

The one I have, printed front and back on one piece of paper is:  http://arduino.cc/en/Reference/

While I'm familiar with some of the simple commands that begins to build an Arduino structure, I need a more simple reference to getting the syntax to where the compiler can understand what I'm trying to express.

Oddly, to me anyhow, I came up with some improper code, sent it to the compiler and it was accepted. BUT it didn't work, or do anything at all. Dunno, maybe I need some of that Prevagen (sp?) OTC brain pills. I really don't think that's gonna do any good for my memory.

UPDATE: Well that link, oddly, took me not to the sheet I was holding in my hand which is where I got the link, to a place that is very much what I'm asking for.

The internet and life can be so weird.

Hi Bill