Send text to Arduino

Scripting Forums AppleScript | Mac OS X
#1

Hi,
I want to display a message from my Mac laptop on my 16x2 LCD display via my Arduino.

Ideally I would like AppleScript to send the text to my Arduino as that will integrate with the rest of my plans but if that is too tricky then the Mac Terminal is also good.

I have spent a while looking around the web but not found any answers.

Any advice and help would be great.

Thanks.

Phil

#2

Unfortunately the Arduino app (when I looked) wasn’t scriptable. Basically it’s set up so you can send code to the board from within the app and then tell the board to run it. You’d have to write code on the Arduino that was waiting for the text message and then insert it in the command to the display you’re using. Perhaps this example will help: http://arduino.cc/en/Tutorial/LiquidCrystal. As I figured it out some time ago (fuzzy, at best), the app wasn’t prepared to exchange messages from anything but the board. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done; I just couldn’t find out how either. I think you’d have to write some C code yourself to do it from the Mac.

#3

Thanks Adam, what i had in mind was having the Arduino “listening” on it’s usb port then displaying the text that it receives.

I have that part pretty much figured out, what i want AppleScript to do is to send the text string out of the Mac USB port.

Thanks.

Phil

#4

This applescript addon looks like it might help me.

http://alteredhorizons.infiniteserve.com/home/MacSoft.html

Phil

#5

Good catch – that does look like it could do it. I tried it with a modem and it seemed happy.