How to sue Arduino Nano to control Stepper motor with Firmata

Question

I have a stepper motor and at present it is controlled by a sketch all working fine. I need now to add it to a Win32 app to control it in circuit with existing Servo Motor. The servo Motor is working well via Firmata from Win32 app as follows

in setup part

arduino.pinMode(9, Arduino.SERVO);

In loop

 private void btn_set_servo_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
 int angle = Convert.ToInt32(Math.Round(numupdwn_degrees.Value, 0));
 arduino.servoWrite(9, angle);//tell the servo motor go to the position
 }

How do you drive the stepper motor using Firmata has anyone got an example I can see please?

• PMF: You're saying it's working fine. So what is your problem?
• user3884423: The servo motor is working fine but the stepper motor is not working at all. A Servo motor and a Stepper motor are two different animals. I need both to work from the same Win10 controller.
• PMF: I don't have any of these, so I can only guess. I think you need the AccelStepper firmata module. What client library are you using on the PC?
• user3884423: Thanks for help and understood but that is a library for a sketch not running Firmata protocol that will allow me to run from C# Win32 app with the other items.

Answer 1

Update: I have created a C# .Net App to connect and control the stepper Motor. The code and a Readme file is available at

https://github.com/zizwiz/Arduino_Projects/tree/main/FirmataStepperMotorTest

---

Initial Answer:

After a bit of thinking time I have managed to start the stepper motor running with Firmata protocol from my C# Win32 app. This post is just a basic outline I use to get it running I need lots more thinking and tinkering till I get what I need but in case this is helpful here it is.

Create a button to press to start. Create a thread when the button is clicked

 private void btn_stepper_start_Click(object sender, EventArgs e)
 {
 var thread = new Thread(() =>
 {
 while (true)
 {
 RunStepper();
 }
 });
 
 thread.IsBackground = true;
 thread.Start();
 }

In the function RunStepper() create the following

 private void RunStepper()
 {
 while (true)
 {
 arduino.digitalWrite(7, Convert.ToByte(255));
 arduino.digitalWrite(8, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(9, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(10, 0);
 Task.Delay(10);
 arduino.digitalWrite(7, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(8, Convert.ToByte(255));
 arduino.digitalWrite(9, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(10, 0);
 Task.Delay(10);
 arduino.digitalWrite(7, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(8, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(9, Convert.ToByte(255));
 arduino.digitalWrite(10, 0);
 Task.Delay(10);
 arduino.digitalWrite(7, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(8, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(9, 0);
 arduino.digitalWrite(10, Convert.ToByte(255));
 Task.Delay(10);
 }
 }

As mentioned this small basic example is just a start to prove I may be able to do what I need.