avr-usart

An improved USART library for Arduino and ATmega MCUs supporting UART/USART communication. It has a flash footprint between 2476 to 2946 bytes, depending on the number of used UART/USART ports. It has a RAM usage of 56 to 194 bytes, without the buffer (the buffer max buffer length is adjustable), depending on the number of used UART/USART ports.

##Advantages

• allows the usage of up to 4 UART/USART ports named USART, USART1, USART2 and USART3
• the buffer can be adjusted (now uses dynamic memory allocation, but a version using stack comes soon)
• allows to set frame length, stop bits number and parity
• allows to send data stored with PROGMEM (data stored in program memory which allows to save RAM)
• allows to search in buffer for PROGMEM stored data
• allows control over the buffer with the decision of when to delete the data which is read
• works with Arduino IDE (v1.6.5+) but also with AvrStudio (v6.1+)

##Supported MCUs and Arduino boards

• ATmega328P and Arduino UNO v3
• ATmega2560 and Arduino MEGA2560
• currently under test... Arduino DUE

##How to use it

This library requires C++11. To use it with the Arduino IDE, a compiler flag needs to be added. Navigate to your arduino\hardware\arduino\avr folder and edit the platform.txt file by adding the -std=gnu++11 flag at the end of the line compiler.cpp.flags=.... Then save the file, restart Arduino IDE and you are ready to go.

If Arduino IDE is not used, the F_CPU constant needs to be defined. When using Arduino IDE you need not to do this, and actually you are adviced to skip this definition. This constant specifies the MCU frequency (actually the crystal/oscilator frequency) in Hertz, and is used internally for various real-time purposes. For example, with a 16MHz oscillator/crystal this is defined as:

#define F_CPU 16000000L

You may use this site AVR Baud Rate Calculator to have an overview of the frequencies versus baud rates compatibility, since not all baud rates works well with all possible MCU speeds.

The global USART/USARTn, n = { 1, 2, 3}, objects allows you to use the USART communication. The following methods are available:

• void void begin( const uint32_t baud, uint16_t rxBuffMaxLen, UsartModeEL mode) - start communication with a specified baud rate, receive buffer length (default = 64bytes) and communication mode (asynchronous normal, asynchronous double speed which is also the default value, and synchronous modes). Communication mode parameter (mode) requires values from UsartModeEL::xxx.
• void setFrameLength( UsartFrameLengthEL frameLength) - allows to specify the frame length (supports: 5bits, 6bits, 7bits and 8 bits). Use UsartFrameLengthEL::xxx as parameter.
• UsartFrameLengthEL getFrameLength() - read the currently used frame length
• void setStopBit( UsartStopBitEL stopBit) - allows to specify the number of stop bits ( supports: 1bit and 2bits). Use UsartStopBitEL::xxx as parameter.
• UsartStopBitEL getStopBit() - reads the currently used stop bits number;
• void setParity( UsartParityEL parity) - allows to specify the parity mode (supports: none, even and odd). Use UsartParityEL::xxx as parameter.
• UsartParityEL getParity() - reads the currently used parity mode
• void writeByte( uint8_t ub) - write a single byte of data
• void writeBytes( uint8_t* data, const uint16_t dataLen) - write a set of bytes
• void write( const char* data) - write a String ( char pointer not String object!)
• void writeFromPM( const char pmData[]) - write a String data which was stored in PROGMEM;
• void write( long num) - write a signed long integer number
• void write( unsigned long num) - write an unsigned long integer number
• void write( int num) - write a signed long integer number
• void write( unsigned int num) - write an unsigned integer number
• uint16_t getMaxLength() - returns the buffer max length
• uint16_t getRxLostBytesNr() - the number of lost bytes ( modulo 65535) from the last call of the clear method
• uint8_t read( bool removeReadByte = true) - read one byte from the RX buffer and remove it from the buffer if removeReadbyte is set to true (default = true)
• uint16_t available() - return the number of bytes available in the RX buffer
• bool clear() - clear the RX buffer
• bool find( const char* data, bool removeReadByte = true) - find a string in the RX buffer and remove all data until the found string ( or the entire buffer if not found) if the removeReadbyte parameter is set to true (default = true)
• bool findFromPM( const char pmData[], bool removeReadByte = true) - find a string (which was stored in PROGMEM) in the RX buffer and remove all data until the found string ( or the entire buffer if not found) if the removeReadbyte parameter is set to true (default = true);

There is still some room for optimisation, but actually the footprint in both, Flash and RAM memory is a better than the Arduino Serial library. In addition, enhanced features as described above are provided.

##Arduino example code

#include "Usart.h"

void setup() {
  // start communication at a baud rate of 115200
  USART.begin( 115200);   
}

void loop() {
  // write some data
  USART.write( "Hello I am here, now send me the data!");
  
  // some delay waiting for data/response
  _delay_ms( 25);
  
  // read the response data
  while ( USART.available() > 0 ) {
    // here do something with the received data...
  }
}

##AvrStudio example code

#include "Usart.h"

int main(void) { 
  // start communication at a baud rate of 115200
  USART.begin( 115200);   
  
  // write some data
  USART.write( "Hello I am here, now send me the data!");
  
  // some delay waiting for data/response
  _delay_ms( 25);
  
  // read the response data
  while ( USART.available() > 0 ) {
    // here do something with the received data...
  }
}

##License

This project and its source code is released under MIT license.