How do functions outside of void loop work?

Question

I am used to Arduino sketches with a void setup() part that runs once, and a void loop() part that keeps looping. What happens when you have void functions outside of the main void loop()? Will these all keep looping in parallel or do they run one after the other? Or do certain void functions only run once certain criteria has been met (like a while loop)?

For example in the code below, when will the void receiveData(int byteCount) and the void sendData() functions run?

//I2C_test

//This code demonstrates communication via an I2C bus between a raspberry pi and an arduino.
//When the Raspberry pi (master) sends data to the Arduino (slave), the Arduino uses this
//data to control a motor. After the Arduino has recieved data from the master, it then collects
//data from the external environment via a sensor and sends this data back to the Raspberry pi.

#include <Wire.h>
int number = 0; //Declare variables
int val = 0;

void setup() {
  //Anything between the curly brackets runs once when the arduino is turned on or reset
  pinMode(0, INPUT);
  //Set pin 0 as input and 3 as output
  pinMode(3, OUTPUT);
  Serial.begin(9600);
  //Set the data rate for serial transmission at 9600bps
  Wire.begin(0x04);
  //Initiate the Wire library, join the Arduino as a slave, and specify its 7 bit slave address
  Wire.onReceive(receiveData);
  //Define callbacks for i2c communication
  Wire.onRequest(sendData);
}

void loop() {
  //The code between the curly brackets keeps repeating
  delay(100);
}

void receiveData(int byteCount) {
  while(Wire.available()) {
    number = Wire.read();
    //Set the variable "number" to the data sent by the master
    analogWrite(3, number);
    //Write this number to pin 3 (PWM). This controls the motor speed
  }
  val = analogRead(0);
  //Read the voltage on pin 0 (connected to the sensor). Map input voltages between 0 and 5 volts into integer values between 0 and 1023
}

void sendData() {
  Wire.write(val);
  //Send the data read from the sensor to the master.
}

score 11 · Accepted Answer · answered Oct 22 '14 at 12:32

The setup() and loop() functions are unusual because they are called automatically for you by the Arduino code. No other functions behave this way.

Generally speaking, a function will never run unless you explicitly call it yourself (e.g. from within setup() or loop()), or instruct another part of the program to call it. (There are other ways to execute functions, but that usually involves some very advanced tinkering which is best avoided.)

For example, pinMode() is a function just like any other. It only runs when you actually put something like pinMode(3, INPUT) in your code. At that point, it runs once, finishes, and then the calling function carries on from where it left off (they never run in parallel).

The example code you've posted is quite interesting. Look at these lines in setup():

Wire.onReceive(receiveData);
Wire.onRequest(sendData);

These lines are telling the Wire object to call receiveData() and sendData() in response to I2C events. It does this by passing function pointers which are stored and used by Wire.

I'd recommend searching for information about C/C++ function pointers online if you want to learn more about this. You may also be interested to explore Arduino's attachInterrupt() function.

Dee · Answer 2 · 2015-09-17T09:22:21.543

3

Is it not that case that setup() is called once and loop() is called repeatedly? i.e. that there is an unseen main() which might look like this:

void main(){
  setup();
  while(True){
    loop();
  }
}

Apologies as I'm just looking into the Arduino and have almost no C/C++ experience; I'm trying to get a handle on this loop() situation myself.

edited Sep 17 '15 at 09:22

answered Sep 08 '15 at 02:56

Dee

31
4

score 3 · Answer 3 · edited Feb 03 '17 at 15:14

3

I can't comment on Dee's response. The actual code that is executed in the main loop is here:

    int main(void) {
    init();
    initVariant();

    setup();

    for (;;) {
        loop();
        if (serialEventRun) serialEventRun();
    }   
    return 0;
}

And yes, setup() gets called once and loop() is being called repeatedly (together with some serial stuff).

edited Feb 03 '17 at 15:14

Greenonline

3,152
7
36
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answered Feb 03 '17 at 14:40

Petrus

171
1

score 1 · Answer 4 · answered Oct 22 '14 at 12:32

It works as normal function, it must be called to make sense. loop()/setup() are called from a main() function which is compiled from Arduino directory and linked in. receiveData/sendData are to called from your program which root is in loop/setup functions.

How do functions outside of void loop work?

4 Answers4