Record Arduino Variables Into a PC File

8 lines of code to setup and 1 line of code per variable for the Arduino, no programming on the PC side. USB-WiFi-Ethernet-Serial.

IntermediateFull instructions provided5,866

Things used in this project

Hardware components

Arduino UNO

Any board will do, Uno, Mega, MKR, Due, ESP8266

Maxim Integrated DS18B20 Programmable Resolution 1-Wire Digital Thermometer

Glass of water

Tripod

This is a support to hold the DS18B20 in the glass of water

Software apps and online services

WawiLib

Story

Record the temperature of the water to an Excel/LibreOffice .xlsx file.

On the Arduino side you need 8 lines of code to setup communication and 1 line of code per variable you want to manage. On the PC side you use a tool named WawiLib-PC (Watch Window Library) that takes care of all communications for you. Serial, SoftSerial, USB, Ethernet and Wi-Fi are supported interface types.

The tool can also be used to read and write Arduino variables as you were changing the cells in an Excel worksheet. WawiLib can create a separate file (with time stamp in its file name) each 15 minutes, hour or day, so long term recording is possible. Data can be recorded time based or change based. Files names can contain date and time to keep the overview.

Change based means that when WawiLib sees that 1 or more of the variables (selectable) change, it writes a set of all values associated with the current data recorder to file. Multiple data recorders with multiple parameters can be active at the same time.

Multiple Arduino boards can be connected at the same time. WawiLib can manage disk space so it can clean up the oldest (time stamped) file making sure your PC does not end up with disk space problems.

If you have problem that occurs from time to time, recording variables over a longer period of time can be a real life saver.

You can use WawiLib also as a very powerful debugging tool as it is able to read and write variables while your sketch is processing its loop. If one uses the Arduino IDE serial output window for debugging (to enter new set points or test input) one needs to stop the main loop and write special code to process the input.

Fig 1. WawiLib main screen to read and write variables

With WawiLib there is a completely different approach: it is the approach used in as in an industrial PLC application: fill in the variables of interest in a table while you are testing, see the actual value and write to them as you were changing variable in an Excel table. Per variable, 1 line of code is all it takes (Arrays are also supported). HEX, INT, UINT, STRING, FLOAT all types are supported.

The bottom window of WawiLib provides very detailed feedback about communication, data recording, variable writing. Text output from the sketch can be sent to this window as you were using Serial.

Fig 2. Detailed feedback and diagnostics in the output window.

WawiLib can work over USB, if you use USB, then you cannot use the serial output window as the serial port of the Arduino is occupied. This is not a problem as WawiLib is able to capture serial text messages as Serial and send them to the output window.

Disclaimer: I do not know whether this demo qualifies for this site as there is apart from the free version, also a version of WawiLib that is available for a limited contribution if 25€ to support the costs for the code signing certificate and the support site.

More info www.SylvesterSolutions.com.

Read DS18B20 temperature and expose variable temperature for reading by WawiLib

// read temperature DS18B20
#include <OneWire.h> 
#include <DallasTemperature.h>
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

OneWire oneWire(8); 
DallasTemperature sensor(&oneWire);

// WawiLib library (lines 1&2):
#include <WawiSerialUsb.h> 
WawiSerialUsb WawiSrv;     

float temperature;

// make variable temperature visible to WawiLib (lines 3&4):
void wawiVarDef()          
{
  WawiSrv.wawiVar(temperature); 
}

void setup() 
{
    // Initialize serial object and WawiSerialUsb object (lines 5&6)
    // Init serial port (over USB):
    Serial.begin(115200);  
    // Init WawiSerialUsb object
    WawiSrv.begin(wawiVarDef,Serial,"Empty Demo Arduino"); 
}

void loop()
{
    // read DS18B20 values
    sensor.requestTemperatures(); 
    
    // wait a bit, but keep communicatoin allive (line 7)1
    WawiSrv.delay(100);
    
    // read actual temperature: 
    temperature=sensor.getTempCByIndex(0);
    
    // WawiLib housekeeping (line 8)
    WawiSrv.loop();
}

Credits

user1793315

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Record Arduino Variables Into a PC File