The most basic Arduino sketch consists of two functions called setup() and loop(). The Arduino IDE once installed has a basic example that shows this. Open the Arduino IDE and select File → Examples → 01.Basics → BareMinimum to see the following in the IDE
[codesyntax lang=”cpp”]
void setup() {
// put your setup code here, to run once:
}
void loop() {
// put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
}
[/codesyntax]
The setup() function is called when a sketch starts. Use it to initialise variables, pins, start using libraries, etc. The setup function will only run once, after each power up or reset of the Arduino board.
Statements in the loop() function will run continuously from top to bottom and then back to the top. Lets you had 2 statements in your loop(), statement 1 would run first and then statement 2, once statement 2 had completed you would go back to statement 1 again and so on.
Code example
[codesyntax lang=”cpp”]
void setup()
{
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.println("*** We are in the setup loop ***");
delay(2000);
}
void loop()
{
Serial.println("Now in main loop about to pause for 2 seconds.");
delay(2000);
Serial.println("This would be a statement or function");
delay(2000);
Serial.println("Arduino now at bottom of main loop.");
}
[/codesyntax]
Open the serial monitor and you should see the following, imagine these were different statements or functions that were running
*** We are in the setup loop ***
Now in main loop about to pause for 2 seconds.
This would be a statement or function
Arduino now at bottom of main loop.
Now in main loop about to pause for 2 seconds.
This would be a statement or function
Arduino now at bottom of main loop.
Now in main loop about to pause for 2 seconds.
This would be a statement or function
Arduino now at bottom of main loop.
Now in main loop about to pause for 2 seconds.
This would be a statement or function
Arduino now at bottom of main loop.
Now in main loop about to pause for 2 seconds.
This would be a statement or function
Arduino now at bottom of main loop.
As you can see the serial output in the setup() loop ran once and the other serial output will keep running and looping