AVR course

• Installation
• Usage
• VS Code shortcuts
• Exercises
• List of examples
• Components and tools
• References

The repository contains AVR lab exercises for bachelor course Digital Electronics 2 at Brno University of Technology, Czechia. The course focuses on digital circuits, microprocessor technology, embedded systems and uses the C and ASM languages for programming 8-bit Arduino microcontrollers in PlatformIO and Visual Studio Code IDE.

Installation

PlatformIO is a cross-platform build system that can be used to develop software platforms for Arduino, ESP32, PIC32, and AVR. PlatformIO can be used with VS Code to provide a powerful set of tools to assist you in development [1], [2].

1. Download and install Visual Studio Code source code editor.

2. Run Visual Studio Code, open up the extensions viewer in menu View > Extensions Ctrl+shift+X, and then typing PlatformIO into the search bar. Press Install button on the result PlatformIO IDE.

   

   It may take a few minutes depending on your connection speed. Do not close any window and do not open other folders until the installing process is completed. After that, restart the Visual Studio Code.

3. Install Arduino framework: Click on the PlatformIO icon in the left-hand margin, then in menu PIO Home > Platforms > Embedded. Type AVR as a platform's filter and select Atmel AVR. Click on the Install button.

   

Usage

1. Create a new project: Click on the PlatformIO icon in the left-hand margin, then in menu PIO Home > Open > New Project. Type lab1-blink_arduino as project name, select Arduino Uno board, keep Arduino framework, and select location to your working folder. Click on the Finish button.

2. Code the application: Copy/paste blink example code from this repository to your LAB1-BLINK_ARDUINO > src > main.cpp file.

   Rename source file main.cpp to main.c, ie change the extension to .c.

3. Compile and upload the code: The handy shortcuts for building and uploading the code is available on the blue footer taskbar. Hover over the icon to get its functionality. First, compile (Build) the project and then Upload it to Arduino Uno board. You can Clean up generated files as well.

   

   Command Palette: All available commands in VS Code are also accessible by F1 or Ctrl+Shift+P shortcut and followed by a command. Most useful commands in this course are:

   • PlatformIO: Build
   • PlatformIO: Upload
   • PlatformIO: Clean
   • PlatformIO: Upload and Monitor
   • PlatformIO: PlatfomrIO Home

VS Code shortcuts

Other common shortcuts in VS Code are:

Shortcut	Usage
F1 or Ctrl+Shift+P	Command Palette. Access to all of the VS Code functionality
Ctrl+K+O	Open folder
Ctrl+K F	Close folder
Ctrl+Tab	Switch between open files
Ctrl+O	Open a file
Ctrl+Shift+S	Save all open files
Ctrl+Shift+V	Open Markdown preview
Ctrl+K V	Open Markdown preview to the side
Ctrl+B	Toggle Sidebar visibility

Exercises

1. Git version-control system, AVR tools
2. Control of GPIO pins
3. Timers
4. Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
5. Universal Asynchronous Receiver-Transmitter (UART)
6. Inter-Integrated Circuits (I2C)
7. Assembly language and project documentation
8. Project

List of examples

• Basic C template, blink a LED
• Project documentation with Doxygen
• Autonomous slot car

Components and tools

The following hardware and software components are mainly used in the lab.

Component	Link(s)
ATmega328P microcontroler	data sheet, instruction set
Arduino Uno board	schematic
LCD and keypad shield	schematic
Multi-function shield	schematic
DHT12	I2C humidity and temperature sensor: data sheet
MPU6050	I2C gyroscope and accelerometer: data sheet
DS3231	I2C real time clock: data sheet
AT24C32	I2C EEPROM memory module: data sheet
HC-SR04	Ultrasonic sensor: datasheet
Joystick PS2	Analog joystick PS2
Rotary encoder	tutorial
Touch sensor	TTP223 touch sensor module: tutorial
IR module	HW-201 IR obstacle avoidance module: tutorial
GPS module	GPS module NEO-6M GYNEO6MV2
Bluetooth modules	HC-05
Servos	Micro servo SG90
Soil moisture sensor	tutorial
Relays	Modules with 1, 2, and 4 relays
Displays	HD44780-based, Nokia displays, 4-digit LED display TM1637, 8x8 LED display MAX7219
OLED display	I2C OLED display 128x64, driver SH1106
Keypad	4x4 keypad: tutorial
Basic components	Pasive and active components: push buttons, resistors, 10kohm potenciometers, (multicolor) LEDs, LED bargraphs, N-MOSFET transistors 2N7000, [light dependent resistor LDR, photoresistor](Light Dependent Resistor LDR, Photoresistor), IR LED 940 nm, IR receiver
Current sensor	Current sensor 5A ACS712
ESP8266 Wi-Fi module	AT commands
Logic analyzer	24MHz 8-channel logic analyzer: software
Osciloscope DSOX3034T	Oscilloscope Keysight Technologies DSOX3034T (350 MHz, 4 analog channels), including 16 logic timing channels DSOXT3MSO and serial protocol triggering and decode options D3000BDLA
Multimeter	Multimetrix DMM230
Visual Studio Code	web page
PlatformIO	web page
GCC Compilers for AVR	web page
SimulIDE	Real time electronic circuit simulator. With PIC, AVR and Arduino simulation: web page
Git	git

Tested on

Version	Result (yyyy-mm-dd)	Note
Linux Mint 21.2 (Victoria)	OK (2024-01-20)	Laptop
Windows 10	OK (2022-09-08)	Lab SC 6.61
Linux Mint 20.3 (Una)	OK (2022-02-23)	Laptop
Windows 10	OK (2021-11-25)	Office

# FYI: How to check OS version in Linux
cat /etc/os-release

# Or by Neofetch
neofetch

References

1. Peter Fleury, AVR-GCC libraries

2. Barr Group, Embedded C Coding Standard

3. 4Geeks. How to use Gitpod