Unrecognizable Message From PROGMEM char*

Question

I'm using a PROGMEM char* to store a massive array. When I try to print a certain part of the array, the message comes out mangled. How do I fix this?

The output should be "Poliwag", but it comes out as "arow".

#include <TrueRandom.h>
#include <EEPROM.h>
#define numPokemon 151
PROGMEM char* nameArray[] = {"MISSINGNO","Bulbasaur","Ivysaur","Venusaur","Charmander","Charmeleon","Charizard","Squirtle",
"Wartortle","Blastoise","Caterpie","Metapod","Butterfree","Weedle","Kakuna","Beedrill","Pidgey","Pidgeotto",
"Pidgeot","Rattata","Raticate","Spearow","Fearow","Ekans","Arbok","Pikachu","Raichu","Sandshrew","Sandslash",
"Nidoran♀","Nidorina","Nidoqueen","Nidoran♂","Nidorino","Nidoking","Clefairy","Clefable","Vulpix","Ninetales","Jigglypuff",
"Wigglytuff","Zubat","Golbat","Oddish","Gloom","Vileplume","Paras","Parasect","Venonat","Venomoth","Diglett","Dugtrio","Meowth",
"Persian","Psyduck","Golduck","Mankey","Primeape","Growlithe","Arcanine","Poliwag","Poliwhirl","Poliwrath","Abra","Kadabra","Alakazam",
"Machop","Machoke","Machamp","Bellsprout","Weepinbell","Victreebel","Tentacool","Tentacruel","Geodude","Graveler","Golem","Ponyta","Rapidash",
"Slowpoke","Slowbro","Magnemite","Magneton","Farfetch`d","Doduo","Dodrio","Seel","Dewgong","Grimer","Muk","Shellder","Cloyster","Gastly","Haunter",
"Gengar","Onix","Drowzee","Hypno","Krabby","Kingler","Voltorb","Electrode","Exeggcute","Exeggutor","Cubone","Marowak","Hitmonlee","Hitmonchan","Lickitung",
"Koffing","Weezing","Rhyhorn","Rhydon","Chansey","Tangela","Kangaskhan","Horsea","Seadra","Goldeen","Seaking","Staryu","Starmie","Mr. Mime","Scyther","Jynx",
"Electabuzz","Magmar","Pinsir","Tauros","Magikarp","Gyarados","Lapras","Ditto","Eevee","Vaporeon","Jolteon","Flareon","Porygon","Omanyte","Omastar","Kabuto","Kabutops",
"Aerodactyl","Snorlax","Articuno","Zapdos","Moltres","Dratini","Dragonair","Dragonite","Mewtwo","Mew"
};
int a = 0;
int b = 0;
int value;
String pokemonName = "Missingno";
int currentID = TrueRandom.random(1,numPokemon+1);
// a = CurrentID
void setup(){
 Serial.begin(9600);
 if (EEPROM.read(a)!=0){
 currentID = EEPROM.read(a);
 Serial.print("The Stored ID is ");
 Serial.println(EEPROM.read(a));
 Serial.println("Stored = true");
 }else{
 value = EEPROM.read(a);
 Serial.println(value);
 EEPROM.write(a,currentID);
 value = EEPROM.read(a);
 Serial.println(value);
 Serial.println("Stored = false");
 }
 pokemonName = nameArray[currentID];
 Serial.println(pokemonName);
}
void loop(){
}

Answer 1

The way you've written in, the pointer is stored in flash, but the strings are stored in SRAM. Read the appropriate documentation (also found in the Arduino reference) more closely, and do as it says.

char nmPokemon0[] PROGMEM = "MISSINGNO";
char nmPokemon1[] PROGMEM = "Bulbasaur";
 ...
PGM_P nameArray[] PROGMEM =
{
 nmPokemon0, nmPokemon1, ...
};

And don't forget to copy the string to SRAM as shown further down before outputting it, since Serial.println() can't work directly with flash.

• WineSoaked: arduino.cc/en/Reference/PROGMEM has all of this info.