Arduino Programming

Part 7: Flow charts and

Top-down design
EAS 199B, Winter 2010

Gerald Recktenwald
Portland State University
gerry@me.pdx.edu
 Goals

Introduce flow charts

❖ A tool for developing algorithms
❖ A tool for documenting algorithms
❖ A visual method of communicating about any sequential or
iterative process
❖ Great for visual learners!

Top-down design
❖ One technique for creating a plan for large, multi-step problems
❖ Not tied to flow charts, but can be used effectively with flow
charts

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 2

 Flow chart symbols
Terminator Start or stop a sequence.
May contain module name.

Process A step in the process or

computational algorithm

Data input Information from outside of

the algorithm or process

Decision Choose a flow path for continuing

the algorithm or process

Flow indicators Connect other elements

Connector or Junction Optional joint where flow

indicators merge

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 3

 Exercise 1

Draw the flow chart to read and display the salinity

value on the LCD monitor
Keep it simple
❖ 5 or so symbols (not counting arrows)
❖ Describe only the high level actions

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 4

 Exercise 1

Your answer goes here.

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 5

 Exercise 1

Read and display salinity

Specify constants

Initialize LCD

Read salinity

Display value to LCD

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 6

 Exercise 2

Expand the “Read salinity” step in another flow chart

❖ Keep it simple
❖ “analog data” is an external input
Read and display salinity
analog
input
Specify constants

Initialize LCD

Read salinity

Display value to LCD

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 7

 Exercise 2

Your answer goes here.

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 8

 Exercise 2

Read salinity

output pin,
input pin

Turn on power

Wait

analog
Read analog input
value

Turn off power

Stop
Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 9
 Exercise 3

Expand the “Read analog input” step in another flow chart

❖ Compute the average of n readings
❖ “analog data” is an external input Read salinity

output pin,
input pin

Turn on power

Wait

analog
Read analog input
value

Turn off power

Stop

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 10

 Exercise 3

Your answer goes here.

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 11

 Exercise 3
Read average analog input

n readings,
input pin

Initialize: sum=0, counter=0

analog
Read analog input
value

Add to sum, increment counter

yes
Counter<n?

no

Average = sum/n

Stop
Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 12
 Top-down design

1. Start with a general statement of the solution

a. List the main steps
b. Don’t worry yet about details
2. Pick one of the steps
a. Break this step into a manageable number of sub-steps
b. Don’t worry about too many of the details
c. Apply step 2 to one of steps just generated

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 13

 Top-down design

Recursive refinement: from general to specific

Read and display salinity
Read salinity

Specify constants output pin, Read average analog input

input pin
n readings,
Initialize LCD Turn on power input pin

Initialize: sum=0, counter=0

Read salinity Wait

analog
Display value to LCD Read analog input
value
analog
Read analog input
value
Turn off power

Add to sum, increment counter

Stop

yes
Counter<n?

Repeat refinement until individual no

steps can be translated in to

Average = sum/n

concrete actions or lines of code Stop

Arduino Programming Part 7: EAS 199B 14