Getting started with Arduino Uno for led blinking

Getting started with Arduino Uno for the first program. Led blinking by using led program. Windows 7 & 10, MAC OSX based Ide installation method.

Getting started with Arduino

Let's we are getting started with Arduino to run our first program. As we use it with different machines e, g. windows, apple, Ubuntu, mobile, etc.

But here, I will discuss for windows operating system and also a little another operating system. First, I discuss how to interface with the Windows operating system.

What you Needs

Arduino Uno           Amazon

USB Cable A-B male (usually used for printers)

Laptop/Desktop with Windows 7, 8, 10

The IDE Software

Led (can choose any color)

Resistance (value of 230 Ω)

Download the Software (IDE)

Get the latest version from the official website and Install it on your system. An integrated development environment (IDE) can work on Windows, Linux (both 32 and 64 bits), and Mac.

Let's start after Downloading the software IDE and installation at your system. The icon will show on the desktop. Now just plug in a USB terminal with the standard B USB cable and the status led will light up on the board.

1) USB used for power-up the Board

2) To upload the program to the board

3) For Communication between computer and board

Getting Started connection

Now, you need to check driver availability at your system. For that, please follow these steps and go to My Computer → Properties → Device Manager, a pop-up window will be open, as shown

getting started with Arduino

Highlighted in the picture. If you found a USB-serial device under Port (COM & LPT) then ok else check in Other devices and found unknown devices. Right-click to update the driver or need to check the USB Serial port IC chip at your UNO board.

Mostly Windows XP, Vista, 7, or 10 will auto-detect drivers. For the communication, some boards used Atmega16/FTDI 232 chip/CH 340 chip. In my case, it was CH340 and automatically detected.

MAC OSX Installation

Download the latest disk image (DMG) file for the IDE Environment. Open the .DMG file by dragging the icon over to the Applications folder.

Also, for installation at Linux (both 32 and 64 bits), and Mac OS X can check the link http://arduino.cc/en/Main/Software from the official website.

Explore Ide Environment

After it does a successful installation, open the development environment to start your first program. When you open the integrated development environment (IDE), it will similar to the figure as shown below.

Some buttons are inside the menu bar, it's important to understand first the functions

New - It starts a new program/Writes a new code.

Open - By this option, you can open the existing program.

Save - It will save the program.

Verify- To verify before, upload the program/Compiling the code (Some time found we could correct an error issue)

Upload-It uploads the program to the chip.

Open Led Blink Program

Start your first program blinking, led by File → Example → 01. Basics → Blink will launch a blinking led program.

Board Selection in Ide

Now you need to go to the tool menu. Then select your board in the drop-down list. If you are using another board, e.g. Nano, Mega, or Uno. In my case, I select the Arduino Uno.

How to select the Port

After that, once again in the tool menu and select port, and it will show on the bottom side along with COM Port as in fig. In my case, it is COM7.

Upload the First Led blink Program

Before uploading the program, we should verify it by compiling it. Then upload the first led blinking program.

You will see after a few seconds Led near pin # 13 will blink if every step is as per instruction,

Congratulation ! and now arrange led circuit at the board. Between negative supply and Led pin, put 230-ohm resistance in series.

You can change led blinking time to change the code, I define the delay time as

(1000); 1000 = 01 Second

You can change ON/OFF time by changing the value. There are a lot of examples of led-related projects in the Ide environment.