Processing Sketch - Mouse Comet

Here is the first sketch i created. I call it Mouse Comet. Hit a mouse button to create a comet that follows your mouse cursor. Again, this was a quick test for me to get back into coding and thinking like a programmer.

/*******************************************
*    Test Program
*    Kyle Kuepker
*    19 July 2010
*
*    Simple Test Program To Draw Lines with
*     Mouse
********************************************/
 
int array_max = 60;
int index_last = 0;
float shrink_index = 1.01;
int mx[] = new int[array_max];
int my[] = new int[array_max];
int mw[] = new int[array_max];
PImage reticle;
PFont fontA;
 
void setup()
{
  size(400, 400);
  reticle = createImage(11, 11, ARGB);
  formReticleBullseye();
  noCursor();
  smooth();
  noStroke();
  fill(255, 150);
 
}
 
void draw()
{
  background(50);
  image(reticle, mouseX-5, mouseY-5);
   
  if(mousePressed)
  {
    mx[index_last] = mouseX;
    my[index_last] = mouseY;
    mw[index_last] = 35;   
    index_last++;
  }
   
  for (int i = 0; i < array_max; i++)
  {
    mw[i] /= shrink_index;
    if(int(mw[i]) < 1)
    {
      stroke(0);
      fill(0);
    }
    else
    {
      noStroke();
      fill(255, 150);
    }
    ellipse(mx[i], my[i], mw[i], mw[i]);
  }
   
  if(index_last == array_max)
  {
    index_last = 0;
  }
}

/*************************
 Form a reticle instead of a cursor
*************************/
void formReticleSquare()
{
  for(int i=0; i < reticle.pixels.length; i++)
  {
    reticle.pixels[0] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[1] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[2] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[3] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[4] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[5] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[6] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[7] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[8] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[9] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[10] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[11] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[21] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[22] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[32] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[33] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[43] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[44] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[54] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[55] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[65] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[66] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[76] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[77] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[87] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[88] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[98] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[99] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[109] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[110] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[111] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[112] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[113] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[114] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[115] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[116] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[117] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[118] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[119] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[120] = color(255);
  }
}
 
void formReticleBullseye()
{
  for(int i=0; i < reticle.pixels.length; i++)
  {
    // Vertical Line
    reticle.pixels[5] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[16] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[27] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[38] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[49] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[60] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[71] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[82] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[93] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[104] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[115] = color(255);
    // Horizontal Line
    reticle.pixels[55] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[56] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[57] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[58] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[59] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[60] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[61] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[62] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[63] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[64] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[65] = color(255);
    //  Circle
    reticle.pixels[35] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[46] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[68] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[79] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[41] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[52] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[74] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[85] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[25] = color(255);
    reticle.pixels[26] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[28] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[29] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[91] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[92] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[94] = color(255);   
    reticle.pixels[95] = color(255);
  }
}

Processing Sketches - Spew

So hit this link first........http://processing.org/learning/........and work through every tutorial if you want to get up to speed quickly with the Processing programming language. Each one is very concisely written and each has well developed example code to help through each lesson.

So here is my example code for the sketch I have called Spew. It is basically a mouse input sketch that creates 'fireworks' from your cursor. It was my test for understanding mouse cursor following as well as simple class writing (you tend to forget those things when you dont use them on a daily basis).

/**************************************************
 Spewing Cursor Test v. 3
 Kyle Kuepker
 July 21, 2010

 The idea is to have the mouse move a cursor and have 
 it spew pixels in different directions like a fountain

**************************************************/
int array_max = 60;
int firework_count = 0;
int spew_length_max = 200;
int spew_length_min = 50;
int fade_speed = 7;
float angle;
int MouseX;
int MouseY;
int spew_length;
PImage reticle;
Firework f_array[] = new Firework[array_max];

void setup()
{
  size(400, 400);
  background(25);
  reticle = createImage(15, 15, ALPHA);
  formReticleSquare();  
  noCursor();
  smooth();
  stroke(255, 150);
  strokeWeight(3);
  strokeCap(ROUND);
  fill(255, 150);
  for(int i = 0; i < array_max; i++)
  {
    f_array[i] = new Firework(0,0,0,0);
  }
  
}

void draw()
{
  background(25);
  image(reticle, mouseX-8, mouseY-8);
  
  if(mousePressed)
  {
    spew_length = int(random(spew_length_min, spew_length_max));
    angle = random(0, 2*PI);
    f_array[firework_count] = new Firework(mouseX, mouseY, spew_length, angle);
    f_array[firework_count].f_draw();
    firework_count++;
    println(firework_count);
    if(firework_count > 59)
    {
      firework_count = 0;
      println("RESET");
    }
  }
  
  for(int i = 0; i < f_array.length; i++)
  {
    f_array[i].update();
  }
}

/*****************************
 A simple Firework class
******************************/

class Firework
{
  int startX, startY, f_length, endX, endY;
  float f_angle;
  
  Firework(int X1, int Y1, int LENGTH, float ANGLE)
  {
    startX = X1;
    startY = Y1;
    f_length = LENGTH;
    f_angle = ANGLE;
    endX = X1 + int(LENGTH * cos(ANGLE));
    endY = Y1 + int(LENGTH * sin(ANGLE));
  }
  
  void f_draw()
  {
    line(startX, startY, endX, endY);
  }
  
  void update()
  {
    f_length = f_length - fade_speed;
    
    if(f_length < 1)
      noStroke();
    else
      stroke(255, 150);
      
    startX = endX - int((f_length) * cos(f_angle));
    startY = endY - int((f_length) * sin(f_angle));
    line(startX, startY, endX, endY);
  }  
}

/*****************************
 A simple reticle to replace the mouse cursor
 This creates a square cursor....boring....i know
******************************/

void formReticleSquare()
{
  for(int i=0; i < reticle.pixels.length; i++)
  {
    reticle.pixels[i] = color(255, 200);
  }
}

Processing

So I have started messing with the programming language Processing. It has a very similar feel to the Arduino environment and is a very easy language to pick up for those familiar with programming. Hit up their website (www.processing.org) to learn more about their mission and what the langauge can do, as well some great tutorials for newbies or even very experienced programmers. I was very impressed with the progression of their tutorials and they way they introduced and taught Object Oriented Programming principles. I wish I had read these tutorials while I was in college.

So, go check them out. I am hoping to make some great visual interactions for my Arduino tinkering by hooking my Arduino up to my laptop and interfacing it with a Processing sketch.

I will post some of my sketches.......

Do work.......

So the Taylor indoor/outddoor thermometer was pretty easy to take apart.



A couple of small screws and the front screen pops right out. A couple more screws and the circuit boards come right off as well.



In the picture above, the bottom PCB holds two momentary switches for inputs. One button switches degC to degF and back while the other button toggles min and max temperatures recorded.

The top PCB in the picture above, holds the brains of the device as well as one thermistor for the indoor temperature reading directly on the PCB and I'm assuming another thermistor is encapsulated inside the remote probe at the end of a length of wire attached to the same PCB.

So my wife loves Target.....and when i say love i mean we almost named our first child Target. But anyways, she always walks at the end of the aisles looking for deals on the end-caps. Well yesterday she brought home this indoor/outdoor thermometer for your house. I was like 'Hey...that would be really cool to tear apart. Do they have anymore?' She said, 'Yes, we can go get another.' I replied happily, 'Lets do it!' So the next day on my errand run I stopped by Target and luckily I got the last one.

At $2.00 this little thing is at least worth its parts. I'm thinking it has at least some salvageable thermistors or whatever it uses for temp sensing. And hopefully a hackable LCD screen.

So, next post I will hopefully have some pictures of the innards of this little bugger.

So do like my wife does and search the end-caps of Target (or just get your wife to do it like I do). You never know what little hackable tech goodies you can find.

Welcome to Blogging!

This should be interesting....

I hope to use this blog as a way to motivate and chronicle my adventures in tinkering with electronics. As an intro, heres a quick background on me.

I am an EE by day and father and husband by night. I enjoy all kinds of sports; lacrosse, basketball, soccer, cycling and play most of them for fun. While I am blessed to have a great job working for Boeing I miss the creativity of designing and building electronic creations for fun.

So hopefully this blog will be filled with creations, frustrations, tear-downs and general good natured exploration of the world as experienced through electronics.