Multiple Arduino addressing

[Nick85]

Is there any function in LIFA_Base to assign different addresses or IDs to a set of  different Arduinos connected to Labview over USB?. I would like to connect more than one Arduino to labview and then have labview retrieve the ID of each Arduino on different com ports.  Also if there is a function to do this will the Arduino keep its ID on a restart? Also is there a reference on LIFA_Base explaining its functionality for someone who knows no C programming

[Nathan_B.]

This is not natively implemented but you can do it.  I did it for one of my projects so that I could have two Ardunios and alwayw know which is which.  I created a new LIFA function that sends an integer back to LabVIEW.  This integer was changed before uploading it on to the individual Arduinos.  So, I changed the value to 1 for the first Arduino and uploaded it.  Then I changed the value to 2 and uploaded to the second Arduino.  Finally, you use the LabVIEW VI that you create to retrieve that value.

I think I posted my code here somewhere for an older version of LIFA.

[jbliss1000]

A "one LIFA_Base fits all" solution would would be to wire in something along the lines of a hex switch to the Digital I/O and then have the Arduinos report the encoded value back to LabView.

[Nathan_B.]

Ooo . . I like this idea.  Good suggestion jbliss.  Something like this would work.

[Nick85]

Nathan don’t know c yet so this could be a little tricky for me. I was thinking I will try to change the firmware name to a different name for each arduino. I should be able to get LV to tell me what to look for in the code then make a make the change there and retest with LV and see if it responds to my change. I will test this and get back with my findings as soon as my boards get here which shouldn’t be long.

jbliss yes that was my fall back option, I was thinking dip switches but the encoder would make life a lot simpler, this is a option on something like a mega but on a mini or uno resources are a little tighter but still definitely still viable

[michi_ries]

Hey Nick!

After spending one week on trying to get it fixed, it´s kinda easy

you just have to change the LabVIEWInterface as i did.

	/*********************************************************************************
	** LIFA Maintenance Commands
	*********************************************************************************/
	case 0x00:	// Sync Packet
	Serial.print("sync1");
	Serial.flush();
	break;
	case 0x01:	// Flush Serial Buffer
	Serial.flush();
	break;

I just changed the Serial.print to "sync1". Have a look at the picture!

In order to identify the Arduinos, i made a VI.

[shogunato3]

Hi michi_ries!

I wonder if what you did can work in multiple arduino connected through Xbee?

I have 3 arduinos, each having Xbee and would send their data to the coordinator. Would this also work?

[Nathan_B.]

The changes that he made, is only for identifying the Arduino uniquely.  Each Arduino still requires it's own COM port.

[shogunato3]

That would require 3 Xbees in coordinator. Are there any option that I can use?

[Nathan_B.]

Correct.  I don't know.  I'm waiting on hrh1818 to respond in the other thread since I'm not all that familar with xbee.  So, I would probably just wait until he says something in that thread.