Step 11: Controller software - install
The setup is ready to test! The software you use to control it is a little application written in Processing. You can run this from the source code, but it's probably easier to use one of the pre-compiled binaries that I've made. The google code project site has the latest versions for mac or windows, in a zip called polargraphcontroller<version number><platform>.zip.
Download it, unzip it, and run the executable. It'll open up very small, but maximise the window to see more. It will automatically create a default configuration file in the same folder as it runs in, and you should then click "save properties" in the top-left corner to save the new window size as the default.
If you're curious about Processing, you're right to be: It's ace. There are useful tutorials on processing.org, and of course here on Instructables too. It's basically java, but optimised to run little stand alone programs with graphics. If you're interested in keeping on the leading edge of the controller development, you might like to check out the code directly from the repository and compile it yourself.
So open Processing up, and go to File->Sketchbook and you should see "polargraphcontroller" listed there. Click on it, and the application should open up. It'll only be very small, so go ahead and maximise the window, or stretch it so you can see everything. If it worked, then well done. NEXT!
Download it, unzip it, and run the executable. It'll open up very small, but maximise the window to see more. It will automatically create a default configuration file in the same folder as it runs in, and you should then click "save properties" in the top-left corner to save the new window size as the default.
If you're curious about Processing, you're right to be: It's ace. There are useful tutorials on processing.org, and of course here on Instructables too. It's basically java, but optimised to run little stand alone programs with graphics. If you're interested in keeping on the leading edge of the controller development, you might like to check out the code directly from the repository and compile it yourself.
So open Processing up, and go to File->Sketchbook and you should see "polargraphcontroller" listed there. Click on it, and the application should open up. It'll only be very small, so go ahead and maximise the window, or stretch it so you can see everything. If it worked, then well done. NEXT!
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At this point, ControlP5 and geomerative libraries installed, code downloaded from svn today, I am stuck (Processing 1.5.1, current Ubuntu release) when trying to run the sketch:
error in line 140 of Panel.pde c.setSize((int)cSize.x, (int)cSize.y);
error msg: "The function setSize(int,int) does not exist"
If I comment this line out, the next error is in line 182 of the same file
"the function getBackground() does not exist"
then line 189 of the same "The function setLock(boolean) does not exist"
if I comment the last one, the controller runs (still signals a RXTX Version mismatch Jar version = RXTX-2.2pre1 native lib Version = RXTX-2.2pre2
but this is not fatal.
So it is like a library or set of functions might be missing. Any hints? Thank you!
Cheers!
I have another question about this step (11). With the newest updates you made to your code, do I now have to copy ALL 11 of the files from your code site, branch polargraphcontroller_zoom, into the sketch folder for Processing?
Thank you
I downloaded from your site: polargraphcontroller1.0.2.windows32.zip
I'm running WinXP
I installed Processing, latest version, and see folder here: My Documents/Processing
I created a new folder in that folder called polargraphcontroller.
So, my question is, what files do I need to copy into: My Documents/Processing/polargraphcontroller
from your zip file? Do I need to copy the source folder from your zip file, there are 11 files in that folder.
but nothing shows up when I run Processing and click on File->Sketchbook . I have closed Processing and tried reopening, but nothing is displayed
The reason the files aren't showing up inside processing is that the name of the pde has to match the name of the folder it's in. So if you've downloaded polargraphcontroller_zoom, then it needs to be in a folder called /polargraphcontroller_zoom/. And yes, all the polargraph files would need to be in that same folder.
That said, you also need to get the controlP5 library and the geomerative library too, so I'd recommend using the precompiled binaries. And you've already got that (polargraphcontroller1.0.2.windows32.zip), so wherever you unpack it, just run the executable file that's in the root of wherever you unpacked it to. It'll be called polargraphcontroller_zoom.exe. You still need to change the serial port in the configuration file, but other than that, it's simple - don't even need processing installed for it.
You may find that the new software is not quite ready for primetime, and in particular I think it struggles with some image resizing issues.
Good luck!
Ok, so based on what you told me, I just extracted the polargraphcontroller.1.0.2.windows32.zip file
I ran polargraphcontroller_zoom.exe and it opens up fine. I closed out of the program and then updated polargraph.properties.txt file with my correct serial port for my Arduino UNO.
When I open polargraphcontroller_zoom.exe again, it just says No Serial Connection at the top of the screen.
My next question is.....do I need to load a sketch onto my Arduino in order to get it to talk to polargraphcontroller_zoom.exe?
Right now, the last sketch loaded onto my Arduino is Blink. Do I need to clear off that sketch or something in order for my Arduino to talk to the computer?
I read this Instructable many times and I just seem to be missing something here. I'm guessing it's like you said, these directions are for the older version of your software. I'm looking for any more tips to get the software talking to the Arduino.
Thank you
Also, the value you need to put into the properties.txt is not the same number as your COM port - like, if you have COM14, then you wouldn't enter "14".
What it actually needs is the position of the com port in a list of all com ports on your system. So you would enter "0" if you wanted to connect to the first COM port, "1" if you wanted to connect to the second, etc.
On all my windows machines the arduino pops up in the second com port, so I always have "1" as my COM port in the file. The actual name of the port varies, depending on which arduino I have plugged in, so it can be COM14, COM31, COM5 etc. This is the bit that doesn't really work yet in the new controller software.
Running the older version, with the COM port setting that you explained, after manually installing all the libraries, loading the server onto the Arduino, I am now able to run the program!
It comes up, says it's connected via the COM port, and I can load an image into the program. I'll re read all of the other steps again and try to learn more about how to use the polargraphcontroller program.
Thanks again for all you've done!
Ok. So I downloaded Processing just fine and found the folder on my computer and created the polargraphcontroller folder within, but how exactly do I download the source code. I opened it up and was able to look at it but didnt know where to go from there. This is probably a really lame question, but I am completely new at this stuff.
Thanks for the help thus far,
Jud.
To get it from your browser into Processing, you can either right-click on the link and do "save target as.." and save it into your polargraphcontroller.pde folder, or you can follow the link, then file-> save as.. But just make sure you get to save it as a *.pde rather than an html, or whatever weird format your browser (internet explorer being daft) wants to impose on it.
You could even copy the contents of the file into the clipboard and create a new file and just paste it in.
If you've got it into Processing already, you should just click the "play" button in the top left of the toolbar - that'll run the application. Note I have added a couple of extra things into the code since writing this ible, so I'll be updating a couple of steps here shortly. Basically, the stuff about setting up your drawing area and things, and choosing serial ports.
Good luck!