OK don't forget - yous have to go though the Lesson #0 steps to install drivers, software, and verify that your Arduino is powered, has the bootloader installed and shows up equally a COM/Serial port... Don't proceed unless that has been done!

Startup!

Double click the Arduino software icon on your desktop

arduino_icon.png

To open upwards the workspace, too called the IDE. IDE stands for Integrated Development Environment. Basically, a give-and-take processor for writing code. The full name is really a mouthfull, so nosotros say I.D.E. (Eye Dee Eee)

Anyhow, it looks like this:

arduino_ide.png

The primary IDE window has multiple tabs and areas, nosotros'll visit all of these shortly, so go along your centre on this diagram!

arduino_ide-parts.png

Getting Ready To Do This Thing!

We're going to jump correct in! Earlier you can run a program on the Arduino you need to tell the IDE where to find it and what kind you're going to exist programming (as we mentioned in lesson #0 at that place are dozens of types of Arduinos!)

Select Board Type Arduino UNO

Under the Tools bill of fare, find the Board submenu and navigate that to select Arduino (Genuino) UNO.

You should employ this lath selection also if you are using an Adafruit Metro or whatever other Arduino UNO compatible

arduino_selectuno.png

Select Correct Serial Port

Well-nigh of import yous will also demand to select the right Serial port. This is where people can go tripped up. The good news is if yous accept a 18-carat Arduino UNO, the name will appear next to the series port bill of fare detail to make it easy to pick out!

arduino_selectCOM.png

arduino_Screen_Shot_2016-07-19_at_9.05.32_PM.png

If you have an Arduino compatible like Adafruit Metro, y'all may not come across annihilation after the Serial port name, but information technology volition however be the simply option available that is not COM1 or something with Bluetooth in the name

arduino_metro.png

~~ Hints! ~~

Windows: It will never be COM1 don't pick that one. Y'all should but have 1 other option.

Mac OS Ten and Linux: It will never be an choice with 'bluetooth'  in the name, wait for /dev/cu.usbmodem or /dev/cu.usbserial or /dev/ttyUSB or similar!

Have lots of Serial ports? Try unplugging your Arduino and seeing which port disappears side by side fourth dimension you wait at the Ports list!

The board and series port preferences are saved so you lot only have to set it once, the plan will remember next time information technology'due south run.

However, if you have multiple Arduino'southward, they may be assigned difference COM ports. So every time you plug in a new Arduino, double check that the correct port and type is selected!

Open Glimmer Sketch

Sketches are footling scripts that you can send to the Arduino to tell it how to act. Let's open up an Example Sketch. Go to the File menu -> Examples -> 01.Basics -> Blink

arduino_blinksketch.png

This should open up a new window that should now look like this, with a bunch of text in the eye white infinite. In a higher place the text is a tab labeled Blink

arduino_blinkopened.png

Verify / Compile

Permit's keep going! The first footstep to getting a Sketch set for transfer over to the arduino is to Verify/Compile it. That means check it over for mistakes (sort of like spell-checking or grammatical editing) and then translate it into an app that is compatible with the Arduino hardware.

Verify: Similar having a friend look over your homework essay before handing it in, verifying ways the Arduino software will bank check over and look for typos, common errors - it can't take hold of all errors, only similar a spellcheck wont be able to tell that you spelled "conduct" like "blank" by accident since both are proper words

Compile: bank check your music player and y'all'll probably detect you own at least one compilation, which means a drove that someone put together in a specific order. When Arduino compiles your sketch, it is putting/arranging it together into the correct club for your Arduino hardware board to be able to run

While in theory you lot could have Arduino exercise each ane separately, it's faster to but have it do both at the same time

You can start the action via the Sketch menu

arduino_verifycompile.png

Later a few seconds, y'all should run across the message Done compiling. in the Status Bar and Sketch uses ... bytes (x%) of program storage space (or something like) in the Programme Notification Expanse.

This ways the sketch was well-written and is ready for uploading to the Arduino board!

arduino_compiled.png

Upload

Prepare for the moment of truth? Now it'south time to upload your very first sketch. Brand sure the Arduino is plugged in, the green low-cal is on and the right board and Serial Port is selected.

Select Upload from the Sketch menu

arduino_upload.png

Subsequently a few seconds yous should get this screen, with the message Done uploading. in the status bar.

arduino_doneuploading.png

Things That Can Go Wrong...

Arduino bootloader doesn't respond

If y'all become the following error message avrdude: stk500_getsync(): non in sync or avrdude: stk500_recv(): developer is non responding that means that the Arduino bootloader is not responding

arduino_stk500err.png

This error can be caused past a lot of issues. Check the following:

  • Is the right Arduino Board selected?
  • Is the correct Series Port selected?
  • Is the correct commuter installed?
  • Is something continued to the Reset pivot or pressing the reset push?
  • Endeavour disconnecting all connected shields, jumper wires and components
  • Is the chip inserted into the Arduino properly? (If y'all built your own arduino or take burned the bootloader on yourself)
  • Does the scrap have the right bootloader on information technology? (If you built your own arduino or accept burned the bootloader on yourself)

You can also check Lesson #0 on how to verify if the bootloader is installed

Can't open serial port device

If yous become an fault like avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device it probable means your Arduino got asunder from USB somehow

arduino_cantopendevice.png

This error can exist caused by a few possible bug. Check the following:

  • Is the correct Serial Port selected?
  • Is the correct commuter installed?
  • Try unplugging/replugging the USB cablevision
  • Try another USB cable or USB port
  • Your figurer's USB system may have crashed. Shutdown your computer, disconnect ability, wait three minutes then restart information technology

Video of all steps

Here is a video showing the timing of the steps described so far, opening the Glimmer sketch and setting the lath and serial port.

Watch!

If you lot have a UNO Arduino, the upload process is quite fast: Once you click Upload from the software the IDE volition ask the Arduino to reset itself into the bootloader and immediately get-go uploading the blink sketch. After uploading, the sketch is quickly verified - the IDE asks the Arduino 'delight echo back what I just asked to you to practice' - and reset again to beginning running the sketch.

The piddling translucent L LED volition start blinking on and off, a second on and a second off.

Here's a looping animation showing upload and then 3 blinks: notice the RX and TX LEDs blink during upload, merely it happens very fast!

This guide was first published on Sep 01, 2016. It was last updated on Sep 01, 2016.

This page (Upload Your First Sketch) was last updated on April ten, 2022.

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