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im trying to build a bit of test equipment that will talk to some software and it needs to send a fix string. when the voltage changes the string length does as well. i need to cap the results to 4 in length. (sorry for not knowing the correct terminology. this is the output i need - Where,

X = Flag CP Value
_ = Space
P = Polarity
C = CP Received value
Y = Flag Field Gradient
F = Field Gradient Received value
Z = Flag Contact CP
T = Contact CP Received value

There is also a line feed and carriage return present at the end of each string. The polarity indicator will only display a minus sign ‘-‘ if the received value is negative otherwise no assignation will be transmitted. Although the overall string length is constant the values for each measurement are right justified and hence a space will be present should the value of the measurement not necessitate the utilisation of all allocated character spaces. Sample Outputs

< X -89 Y -1989 Z -1096 >
< X 1039 Y 8 Z 78 >

this is my code so far

#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_ADS1015.h>

Adafruit_ADS1115 ads1(0x48);     // Use this for the 16-bit version
Adafruit_ADS1115 ads2(0x49);

void setup(void) {

  Serial.begin(9600);

  ads1.setGain(GAIN_ONE);        // 1x gain   +/- 4.096V  1 bit = 2mV      
  ads2.setGain(GAIN_ONE);        // 1x gain   +/- 4.096V  1 bit = 2mV      

  ads1.begin();
  ads2.begin();
}

void loop(void) {

  int16_t results01,results02,results03;

  results01 = ads1.readADC_Differential_0_1();
  results02 = ads1.readADC_Differential_2_3();
  results03 = ads2.readADC_Differential_0_1();

  Serial.print("X "); 
  Serial.print(round(results01 * multiplier));

  Serial.print(" Y "); 
  Serial.print(round(results02 * multiplier)); 

  Serial.print(" Z "); 
  Serial.print(round(results03 * multiplier));

  Serial.println();              // send a cr/lf
  delay(500);
}

Any help pointing me in the right direction would be Amazing. Thanks in advance

Joe

Improve this question
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  • What is it that your trying to "cap to 4 in length"? I'm assuming you have no control over how the device sends its string, and that you want to format the device's results for the terminal? Can you show a sample of what you want the end-result to look like? Commented Jan 5, 2019 at 16:51
  • < X -89 Y -1989 Z -1096 > Commented Jan 5, 2019 at 16:55
  • each of the reading im getting need to be 4 in length . im reading -2000 to +2000 but say when the voltage is -89 it shortens the string. Commented Jan 5, 2019 at 16:56
  • So you want to print, e.g. "15" as "0015"? How about "-1500"? How can that take fewer than 5 printing characters? Commented Jan 5, 2019 at 17:39
  • sorry i mean 5 characters. "___15" or " __-15" or "-1500" or "_1500" like i said im very new to this and im amazed i have got this far without asking for help . :) Commented Jan 5, 2019 at 17:50

1 Answer 1

Reset to default
1

The printf() family of functions comes handy when you need this kind of control over the formatted output:

/*
 * Format a number as 5 characters.
 * Returns the string in a statically allocated buffer.
 */
char * format5(int x)
{
    static char buffer[6];  // 5 chars + terminating NUL
    snprintf(buffer, sizeof buffer, "%5d", x);
    return buffer;
}

void setup() {
    Serial.begin(9600);
    Serial.println(format5(15));
    Serial.println(format5(-15));
    Serial.println(format5(-1500));
    Serial.println(format5(1500));
}

void loop(){}

output:

   15
  -15
-1500
 1500
Improve this answer
1
  • thanks for this. as been very new to this I have tried and cant get this working... Commented Jan 6, 2019 at 17:16

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