I used the decrDude documentation that RyanTM referenced above, plus another decrDude post with code and even a Arduino shield posted here https://forum.pololu.com/t/a4988-dev-board/3822/1 to write and test a program for you. It took only an hour to adapt the decrDude code and I tested it on my version of his shield.
There are parameters to tweak the speed of the motor and the ramp speeds. These are inside of setup() and loop() and are timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec and rampspeed.
The code from decrDude starts with #define statements to assign the pins on the Arduino that command the A4988. They now have the values needed to use a shield that he has developed and will (or would, before) sell you if you’d like.
Try it. It may be just what you need. To others, you might want to examine the code as a learning tool.
It works for me with both Arduino 0022 and 1.0 but no promises that it will work for you. Use at your own risk. I am not a teacher or lawyer and I don’t even play one on TV.
// This "sketch" by jed on https://forum.pololu.com from one
// posted by decrDude at https://forum.pololu.com/t/a4988-dev-board/3822/1
// also using the guide decrDude posted at
// https://forum.pololu.com/t/a4983-and-a4988-getting-started-guide/2789/1
// I've said it before and I'll repeat it: MANY thanks to
// decrDude for his help teaching the rest of us how to use
// steppers, Pololu controller boards, and the Arduino
// together.
// jed's changes:
// Special code to move 45 degrees at a time, wait 2 seconds,
// move another 45 degrees
#define stepPin 3
#define dirPin 2
#define enablePin 7
#define MicroStep1Pin 6
#define MicroStep2Pin 5
#define MicroStep3Pin 4
#define numMsInOneSec 1000
#define numMicroSecInOneMs 1000
#define stepPulseWidthInMicroSec 2
#define setupTimeInMicroSec 1
#define inputBufferSize 128
int serialCharIn;
char serialInString[inputBufferSize];
int serialInIndex = 0;
unsigned long timeBetweenInputPollsInMicroSec = ( (unsigned long)(numMsInOneSec /4) * numMicroSecInOneMs ); // 250 = 1/4th of a second
unsigned long timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec = (1 * numMicroSecInOneMs);
unsigned long loopCheck = 0;
boolean lineReady = false;
boolean successfullyParsed = false;
boolean currentDirection = false;
boolean shouldStep = true;
boolean speedChanged = true;
void setCurrentDirection(boolean dir)
{
if(dir == false)
{
digitalWrite(dirPin, LOW);
} else {
digitalWrite(dirPin, HIGH);
}
currentDirection = dir;
delayMicroseconds(setupTimeInMicroSec);
}
void changeDirection()
{
setCurrentDirection(!currentDirection);
}
void enableStepper(int isEnabled)
{
if(isEnabled)
{
digitalWrite(enablePin, LOW); // enable HIGH = stepper driver OFF
} else {
digitalWrite(enablePin, HIGH); // enable HIGH = stepper driver OFF
}
// wait a few microseconds for the enable to take effect
// (That isn't in the spec sheet I just added it for sanity.)
delayMicroseconds(2);
}
void takeSingleStep()
{
digitalWrite(stepPin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(stepPulseWidthInMicroSec);
digitalWrite(stepPin, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(stepPulseWidthInMicroSec);
digitalWrite(stepPin, LOW);
}
void setFullStep()
{
digitalWrite(MicroStep1Pin, LOW);
digitalWrite(MicroStep2Pin, LOW);
digitalWrite(MicroStep3Pin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(setupTimeInMicroSec);
}
void setHalfStep()
{
digitalWrite(MicroStep1Pin, HIGH);
digitalWrite(MicroStep2Pin, LOW);
digitalWrite(MicroStep3Pin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(setupTimeInMicroSec);
}
void setQuarterStep()
{
digitalWrite(MicroStep1Pin, LOW);
digitalWrite(MicroStep2Pin, HIGH);
digitalWrite(MicroStep3Pin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(setupTimeInMicroSec);
}
void setEighthStep()
{
digitalWrite(MicroStep1Pin, HIGH);
digitalWrite(MicroStep2Pin, HIGH);
digitalWrite(MicroStep3Pin, LOW);
delayMicroseconds(setupTimeInMicroSec);
}
void setSixteenthStep()
{
digitalWrite(MicroStep1Pin, HIGH);
digitalWrite(MicroStep2Pin, HIGH);
digitalWrite(MicroStep3Pin, HIGH);
delayMicroseconds(setupTimeInMicroSec);
}
/* we don't need this code but might need to refer to it
*********** start of commented code
bool makeChangesBasedOnSerial()
{
boolean output = true;
String tempString = serialInString;
String hzStartString = "StepsInHz=";
if(tempString == "ChangeDirection\n")
{
changeDirection();
} else if (tempString == "EnableStepper\n") {
enableStepper(true);
} else if (tempString == "DisableStepper\n") {
enableStepper(false);
} else if (tempString == "FullStep\n") {
setFullStep();
} else if (tempString == "HalfStep\n") {
setHalfStep();
} else if (tempString == "QuarterStep\n") {
setQuarterStep();
} else if (tempString == "EighthStep\n") {
setEighthStep();
} else if (tempString == "SixteenthStep\n") {
setSixteenthStep();
} else if (tempString == "SteppingOn\n") {
shouldStep = true;
} else if (tempString == "SteppingOff\n") {
shouldStep = false;
} else if (tempString.startsWith( hzStartString ) && tempString.endsWith("\n") ) {
// must be less than 1,000,000
String hzstr = tempString.substring(hzStartString.length(), tempString.length() -1);
char hzCharArray[inputBufferSize];
hzstr.toCharArray(hzCharArray, inputBufferSize);
// Serial.println(hzstr);
long parsed = atol(hzCharArray);
// Serial.println(parsed);
if(parsed != 0 && parsed < (numMicroSecInOneMs*numMsInOneSec) )
{
timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec = ((unsigned long)numMicroSecInOneMs*numMsInOneSec) / (unsigned long) parsed;
= true;
} else {
output = false;
}
} else {
output = false;
}
return output;
}
*************** end of commented code ************
*/
void setup()
{
// We set the enable pin to be an output
pinMode(enablePin, OUTPUT); // then we set it HIGH so that the board is disabled until we
pinMode(stepPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(dirPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(MicroStep1Pin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(MicroStep2Pin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(MicroStep3Pin, OUTPUT);
// get into a known state.
enableStepper(false);
// we set the direction pin in an arbitrary direction.
setCurrentDirection(false);
setSixteenthStep();
enableStepper(true);
// we set the direction pin in an arbitrary direction.
setCurrentDirection(true);
timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec = (1 * numMicroSecInOneMs); // set speed
// timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec = (3 * numMicroSecInOneMs); // slower speed
// timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec = (numMicroSecInOneMs / 2); // faster speed
}
void loop()
{
int j;
int loops, ramp;
int rampspeed=4; // bigger numbers = quicker ramp
// we need to move 45 degrees until 360 degrees is done
for (loops=0; loops<(360/45); loops++) {
enableStepper(true);
// now we ramp up the stepper then move it smoothly
// 200 steps * 16 microstepping = 3,200 / 8 loops = 400
// so will ramp up for 50, speed for 300, ramp down for 50
for (ramp=0; ramp<50; ramp++) {
// wait extra time
delay((50-ramp)/rampspeed);
takeSingleStep();
delayMicroseconds(timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec);
}
for(j=0; j<200; j++) {
takeSingleStep();
delayMicroseconds(timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec);
}
for (ramp=0; ramp<50; ramp++) {
// wait extra time
delay((ramp+1)/rampspeed);
takeSingleStep();
delayMicroseconds(timeBetweenStepsInMicroSec);
}
// now disable the stepper and wait two seconds
enableStepper(false);
delay(2000); // in miliseconds
}
// that's all, folks!
enableStepper(false);
delay(8000); // delay before going again
}
