.. _arduino-constants: constants ========= Constants are predefined variables in the Arduino language. They are used to make the programs easier to read. We classify constants in groups. .. contents:: Contents :local: .. _arduino-constants-bool: Boolean Constants ----------------- There are two constants used to represent truth and falsity in the Arduino language: **true**, and **false**. .. _arduino-constants-false: false ^^^^^ false is the easier of the two to define. false is defined as 0 (zero). .. _arduino-constants-true: true ^^^^ true is often said to be defined as 1, which is correct, but true has a wider definition. Any integer which is *non-zero* is TRUE, in a Boolean sense. So -1, 2 and -200 are all defined as true, too, in a Boolean sense. Note that the *true* and *false* constants are typed in lowercase unlike HIGH, LOW, INPUT, & OUTPUT. Defining Pin Levels, HIGH and LOW --------------------------------- When reading or writing to a digital pin there are only two possible values a pin can take/be-set-to: **HIGH** and **LOW**. .. _arduino-constants-high: **HIGH** The meaning of HIGH (in reference to a pin) is somewhat different depending on whether a pin is set to an INPUT or OUTPUT. When a pin is configured as an INPUT with pinMode, and read with digitalRead, the microcontroller will report HIGH if a voltage of 3 volts or more is present at the pin. A pin may also be configured as an INPUT with pinMode, and subsequently made HIGH with digitalWrite, this will set the internal 20K pullup resistors, which will *steer* the input pin to a HIGH reading unless it is pulled LOW by external circuitry. When a pin is configured to OUTPUT with pinMode, and set to HIGH with digitalWrite, the pin is at 5 volts. In this state it can *source* current, e.g. light an LED that is connected through a series resistor to ground, or to another pin configured as an output, and set to LOW. .. _arduino-constants-low: **LOW** The meaning of LOW also has a different meaning depending on whether a pin is set to INPUT or OUTPUT. When a pin is configured as an INPUT with pinMode, and read with digitalRead, the microcontroller will report LOW if a voltage of 2 volts or less is present at the pin. When a pin is configured to OUTPUT with pinMode, and set to LOW with digitalWrite, the pin is at 0 volts. In this state it can *sink* current, e.g. light an LED that is connected through a series resistor to, +5 volts, or to another pin configured as an output, and set to HIGH. Defining Digital Pins, INPUT and OUTPUT --------------------------------------- Digital pins can be used either as **INPUT** or **OUTPUT**. Changing a pin from INPUT TO OUTPUT with pinMode() drastically changes the electrical behavior of the pin. Pins Configured as Inputs ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Arduino (Atmega) pins configured as **INPUT** with pinMode() are said to be in a high-impedance state. One way of explaining this is that pins configured as INPUT make extremely small demands on the circuit that they are sampling, say equivalent to a series resistor of 100 Megohms in front of the pin. This makes them useful for reading a sensor, but not powering an LED. Pins Configured as Outputs ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Pins configured as **OUTPUT** with pinMode() are said to be in a low-impedance state. This means that they can provide a substantial amount of current to other circuits. Atmega pins can source (provide positive current) or sink (provide negative current) up to 40 mA (milliamps) of current to other devices/circuits. This makes them useful for powering LED's but useless for reading sensors. Pins configured as outputs can also be damaged or destroyed if short circuited to either ground or 5 volt power rails. The amount of current provided by an Atmega pin is also not enough to power most relays or motors, and some interface circuitry will be required. .. _arduino-fpconstants: Floating-Point Constants ------------------------ Similar to integer constants, floating point constants are used to make code more readable. Floating point constants are swapped at compile time for the value to which the expression evaluates. Examples: ``n = .005;`` Floating point constants can also be expressed in a variety of scientific notation. 'E' and 'e' are both accepted as valid exponent indicators. :: floating-point evaluates to: also evaluates to: constant 10.0 10 2.34E5 2.34 * 10^5 234000 67e-12 67.0 * 10^-12 .000000000067 .. _arduino-constants-integers: Integer Constants ----------------- Integer constants are numbers used directly in a sketch, like ``123``. By default, these numbers are treated as `int `_'s but you can change this with the U and L modifiers (see below). Normally, integer constants are treated as base 10 (decimal) integers, but special notation (formatters) may be used to enter numbers in other bases. :: Base Example Formatter Comment 10 (decimal) 123 none 2 (binary) B1111011 leading 'B' only works with 8 bit values (0 to 255) characters 0-1 valid 8 (octal) 0173 leading "0" characters 0-7 valid 16 (hexadecimal) 0x7B leading "0x" characters 0-9, A-F, a-f valid .. _arduino-constants-integers-dec: **Decimal** is base 10. This is the common-sense math with which you are acquainted. Constants without other prefixes are assumed to be in decimal format. Example: :: 101 // same as 101 decimal ((1 * 10^2) + (0 * 10^1) + 1) .. _arduino-constants-integers-bin: **Binary** is base two. Only characters 0 and 1 are valid. Example: :: B101 // same as 5 decimal ((1 * 2^2) + (0 * 2^1) + 1) The binary formatter only works on bytes (8 bits) between 0 (B0) and 255 (B11111111). If it is convenient to input an int (16 bits) in binary form you can do it a two-step procedure such as: :: myInt = (B11001100 * 256) + B10101010; // B11001100 is the high byte .. _arduino-constants-integers-oct: **Octal** is base eight. Only characters 0 through 7 are valid. Octal values are indicated by the prefix "0". Example: :: 0101 // same as 65 decimal ((1 * 8^2) + (0 * 8^1) + 1) Warning It is possible to generate a hard-to-find bug by (unintentionally) including a leading zero before a constant and having the compiler unintentionally interpret your constant as octal. .. _arduino-constants-integers-hex: **Hexadecimal (or hex)** is base sixteen. Valid characters are 0 through 9 and letters A through F; A has the value 10, B is 11, up to F, which is 15. Hex values are indicated by the prefix "0x". Note that A-F may be syted in upper or lower case (a-f). Example: :: 0x101 // same as 257 decimal ((1 * 16^2) + (0 * 16^1) + 1) .. _arduino-constants-integers-u-l: U & L formatters ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ By default, an integer constant is treated as an `int `_ with the attendant limitations in values. To specify an integer constant with another data type, follow it with: - a 'u' or 'U' to force the constant into an unsigned data format. Example: ``33u`` - a 'l' or 'L' to force the constant into a long data format. Example: ``100000L`` - a 'ul' or 'UL' to force the constant into an unsigned long constant. Example: ``32767ul`` See also -------- - `pinMode() `_ - `Integer Constants `_ - `boolean variables `_ - `#define `_ - `byte `_ - `int `_ - `unsigned int `_ - `long `_ - `unsigned long `_ .. include:: cc-attribution.txt