DEV Community: Mytx

Blueprint[1]: Arduino IoT Cloud x Blynk Cloud Integration

Mytx — Mon, 09 Dec 2024 14:04:52 +0000

Introduction

Last year, I started an IoT project and explored two popular cloud platforms: Arduino Cloud and Blynk Cloud. Both have a common limitation—Arduino Cloud allows control of up to 5 variables, while Blynk Cloud provides 5 virtual datastreams. This means if you want to control 5 light bulbs, you can only do so one per variable or datastream.

Initially, I managed to fit all my needs into just 5 variables. However, I wondered: is it possible to combine both Arduino Cloud and Blynk Cloud on a single ESP32 microcontroller? After some experimentation, I got it working!

In this tutorial, I’ll guide you through setting up and using Arduino Cloud and Blynk Cloud individually, and then show you how to combine both platforms on the same ESP32 to enhance your IoT projects.

Please note, this is strictly an experiment. I’m sharing a method to take advantage of both platforms as a free-tier user. This tutorial is not a step-by-step guide for beginners starting with IoT but a resource for those with prior experience with these technologies. If you’re familiar with Arduino Cloud and Blynk Cloud, you’ll be able to apply what I’ve discovered effectively.

Blynk Cloud Setup

[Quickstart Method]

** - Prerequisites - **

An ESP32 microcontroller.
Blynk app installed on your smartphone (available on iOS and Android or you can just use web dashboard).
A Blynk account (sign up if you don’t have one).
Enter "blynk.cloud" on your web browser and log in or sign up.

Click on the circle symbol on the upper right conor of the screen and then click on quickstart.

Click "Let's go" and then on the next page choose your microcontroller board accordingly and connection type as WiFi

Now to install Blynk Libraries in Arduino IDE
First off on board manager tab search "esp 32" and install them
After that on library manager tab search "blynk" and installing the first one on the list should be suffice

Enter Your "Wifi SSID" and "password" on the blanks and then click "back" and once you are back to step 3 click "next" again, by doing this blynk website will generate a template code with your wifi SSID and password included, that way you can copy and paste the code to test the device rather quickly.

Now to compile and upload the codes to the esp32
I didn't have access to genuiene esp32 board so when choosing the board to upload in board manager i had to pick the one called "DOIT ESP32 DEVKIT V1"
Choose the correct board, port and click upload on upper left cornor of the screen
- Once uploading is done and everything went accordingly...your device should now be online and connected to blynk cloud server

This is the fastest way to setup blynk cloud service with esp32

Now that we got our esp32 board online with blynk cloud...let's move on to arduino cloud

Arduino IoT Cloud Setup

Enter "cloud.arduio.cc" on your web browser and log in or sign up.
After that click the cloud icon on upper right cornor of the screen.

Choose Things on the left and click on "CREATE THING".
Firstly, let's choose our device, Click the chain icon under "Associated Device"
click on "SET UP NEW DEVICE"
Since we are using esp32 as our board, choose "Third party device"
Select ESP32 and choose "DOIT ESP32 DEVKIT V1" if you use the same cloned board like me.
Give your device a kickass name
Definitely "DOWNLOAD PDF" and keep them to yourself, they are absolutely integral.
Next, we’ll set up the network details that our board will connect to. Click the chain icon after "Network" section.
Enter Your WiFi SSID, Password, and the secret Key from the pdf you previously downloaded.
Click on "Sketch", There arduino website will generate a complete code foryou to get started.
Click Download icon to download the file, extract the files, open .ino file and if asked to create a folder click yes, and copy files outside the recently created folder and paste it in the folder.
Open up "LIBRRY MANAGER" type "arduino cloud", install everything just to be safe.
After everything is done, your device should be online now.
Now that we are done with both blynk cloud and arduino IoT cloud, Let's write the code so that both cloud platform works simultaneously on one microcontroller.

INTEGRATION SETUP

Create a new sketch. You’ll also need an additional file in the same sketch. Click New Tab, and name it "thingProperties.h".
Let’s start by setting up thingProperties.h. This file will handle all the mandatory configurations for Arduino IoT Cloud.
Next, we’ll configure Blynk Cloud and set up the rest. In the void setup, we’ll initialize Arduino Cloud, Blynk Cloud, and the serial monitor. Finally, we’ll sync both platforms in the void loop.
Finally, you can compile and upload the program to your microcontroller. Warning: The compilation process may take a while, especially if it's your first time. Be patient and wait it out—don’t unplug the device just because it seems to be taking too long. Subsequent compilations will be faster!
For simplicity's sake, I can't explain every detail, and I apologize for that. The inked parts are meant to be filled with your own private credentials. If everything goes right, your device should be connected to both cloud services simultaneously.

Epilogue

That's a wrap! You've successfully integrated both Arduino Cloud and Blynk Cloud on a single ESP32 microcontroller—pretty cool, right? This experiment shows that even with some limitations, you can find creative ways to get the most out of your IoT projects.

As you dive deeper into IoT, keep experimenting and exploring. There’s always more to learn and discover, so don’t hesitate to try out new ideas. If you run into any challenges or have something to share, I’d love to hear about it!

Thanks for following along.

Sic itur ad astra!

De[v]log#5: Arduino Cloud & Blynk Integration

Mytx — Thu, 14 Nov 2024 01:01:07 +0000

Dev Log: Integrating Arduino Cloud and Blynk for Enhanced IoT Control 🛠💡
Introduction:
I m gonna start my dev logs again after the long hiatus and before i start completely i wanted to do a quick devlog about my work
In my recent project, I faced a major challenge: managing a complex IoT setup with limited control variables on standard platforms like Arduino Cloud and Blynk Cloud. Each platform alone allows only a handful of variables, making it tough to manage a full-scale smart home system with multiple sensors and devices. But what if we could harness the power of both platforms together?

Why Integrate Arduino Cloud and Blynk?
Arduino Cloud and Blynk are both excellent platforms, but they come with limitations:

Arduino Cloud restricts the number of control variables, capping flexibility for larger projects.
Blynk Cloud offers a great interface but also limits the number of control variables in the free tier.
By using them together, I bypassed these constraints, effectively doubling the number of control points and opening up new possibilities for managing complex IoT systems. With this integration, I could control:

12 Lights 🌐💡
5 Monitoring Sensors for home statuses (humidity, temperature, fire alarm, water level detection etc.)
Key Features of My Solution:
Dual Cloud Integration: Seamless connection between Arduino Cloud and Blynk Cloud to expand control variables.
ESP32 Communication Setup: Efficient use of Serial2 communication to handle data between the esp32, Arduino Uno microcontrollers and both cloud services.
Optimized Control with Arrays: Managing 12 light controls using just 3 control variables via arrays, maximizing efficiency.
Snippet Preview:
Here's a sneak peek of the setup code:

//------------------------------ ex[T]ernal fi[L]es ------------------------------//
//_____________________________________________________________________________________________ - bl[Y]nk cl[O]ud -
#define BLYNK_TEMPLATE_ID "*************"
#define BLYNK_TEMPLATE_NAME "****************"
#define BLYNK_AUTH_TOKEN "********************************"
#include <WiFi.h>
#include <BlynkSimpleEsp32.h>

char ssid[] = "*********";
char pass[] = "***********";
//_____________________________________________________________________________________________ - ard[U]ino cl[O]ud -
#include "arduino_cloud_lights_control.h"
#include "arduino_cloud_door_control.h"

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  Blynk.begin(BLYNK_AUTH_TOKEN, ssid, pass);
  ArduinoCloud.begin(ArduinoIoTPreferredConnection);
}

void loop() {
  Blynk.run();
  ArduinoCloud.update();
}

This basic code outlines how I established the connection between the ESP32 microcontroller and both cloud platforms. It shows the use of the Blynk.run() and ArduinoCloud.update() functions to update both platforms simultaneously.

Challenges Faced and Solutions Implemented:
Variable Limitations:

Problem: I needed to control multiple devices but was restricted by the number of control variables.
Solution: I used arrays to manage multiple devices with fewer variables, effectively expanding my control capacity.
Synchronized Updates:

Problem: Data synchronization between Arduino Cloud and Blynk Cloud was tricky.
Solution: Efficient use of serial communication and update functions in the main loop.
What’s Next? Full Tutorial Coming Soon! 🚀
I just want to do a quick dev log of what I’ve accomplished. I’ll be releasing a full tutorial soon, detailing:

Step-by-step setup for Arduino Cloud and Blynk.
Code optimizations and tricks for expanding control variables.
Hardware diagrams and project walkthroughs.
Stay tuned if you want to push your IoT projects beyond the limits of a single cloud service! 💪💻

De[v]log#4: Raylib setup on vscode

Mytx — Wed, 07 Jun 2023 05:46:32 +0000

Install Vscode __https://code.visualstudio.com/download
Install Raylib __https://github.com/raysan5/raylib/wik

You don't need to include library path if you are on linux environment but you need to do the following if you are working with windows

C:\raylib\w64devkit\bin

On window raylib installer will install everything on C: like above
Copy that and put that in Environment Path

Control Panel -> Edit the system environment variables -> Environment Variables -> System Variable -> Path -> New -> C:\raylib\w64devkit\bin -> Ok All

With that you are set for compilation...

Before compiling anything you need to fix something upfront tho...

#include "C:/raylib/raylib/src/raylib.h"
#include "C:/raylib/raylib/src/raymath.h"

You need to declare raylib headers like this...since raylib library and headers are not in default include paths on window...you dont need to do this part for linux tho

Compiling on Command Line Interface:

For Window
gcc core_basic_window.c -lraylib -lopengl32 -lgdi32 -lwinmm -o core_basic_window.exe

For Linux
cc main.c -lraylib -lGL -lm -lpthread -ldl -lrt -lX11 -o main

This is a simple command line to compile raylib source_code written in C (just change gcc to g++ for C++ codes)

Navigate to your source code file from command line using
cd C:/directory and run the command line to compile the code

After that: double click core_basic_window.exe on window (You can run ./core_basic_window.exe if you are on powershell) or run ./main with terminal on linux

Compiling on vscode

Now to compile and run the code in vscode...copy and paste the following in the task.json ( Ctrl+P -> task.json to open the file to edit)


{
    "tasks": [
        {
            "type": "cppbuild",
            "label": "C/C++: g++.exe build active file",
            "command": "C:\\raylib\\w64devkit\\bin\\g++.exe",
            "args": [
                "-fdiagnostics-color=always",
                "-g",
                "${file}",
                "-ID:\\C:\\raylib\\raylib\\src",
                "-L:\\C:\\raylib\\raylib\\src",
                "-lraylib", "-lopengl32", "-lgdi32", "-lwinmm",
                "-v",
                "-o",
                "${fileDirname}\\${fileBasenameNoExtension}.exe"
            ],
            "options": {
                "cwd": "${fileDirname}"
            },
            "problemMatcher": [
                "$gcc"
            ],
            "group": {
                "kind": "build",
                "isDefault": true
            },
            "detail": "Task generated by Debugger."
        }
    ],
    "version": "2.0.0"
}

If directory locations are mismatch...try to fix that

<<<>>>

{
    "configurations": [
        {
            "name": "Win32",
            "includePath": [
                "${workspaceFolder}/**",
                "C://raylib/raylib/src"
            ],
            "defines": [
                "_DEBUG",
                "UNICODE",
                "_UNICODE"
            ],
            "windowsSdkVersion": "10.0.22000.0",
            "compilerPath": "cl.exe",
            "cStandard": "c17",
            "cppStandard": "c++17",
            "intelliSenseMode": "windows-msvc-x64"
        }
    ],
    "version": 4
}

Changing "c_cpp_properties.json" to this will save you the trouble from typing -> #include "C:/raylib/raylib/src/raylib.h"...
with that...now you only need to type #include "raylib.h" everytime you write a new source

De[v]log#3: Compiling rayilb on powershell!!!

Mytx — Wed, 31 May 2023 12:52:48 +0000

After 4 flipping days of constant head slamming....I managed to make it work!

These are all the error messages everytime I tried to compile raylib on cli

C:/raylib/w64devkit/bin/ld.exe: cannot find ..\../src/raylib.rc.data: No such file or directory
C:/raylib/w64devkit/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible ./libraylib.a when searching for -lraylib
C:/raylib/w64devkit/bin/ld.exe: skipping incompatible .\libraylib.a when searching for -lraylib

c:/mingw/bin/../lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/../../../../mingw32/bin/ld.exe: cannot find -lraylib

c:/w64devkit/bin/../lib/gcc/mingw32/6.3.0/../../../../mingw32/bin/ld.exe: cannot find -lraylib

I couldn't make it work on cli...so i tried to make things work with vscode yesterday....and it work...but kinda...it only work with c codes and I really want to make it work for c++ too...on side note...I somehow compiled the code without error but the output file isn't compatible for with window for some reason...curious case indeed

after trying everything I can think off....it finally compiled and run...

the method was...

https://github.com/raysan5/raylib/wiki/Working-on-Windows

one of the section (Build ONE example using gcc/g++) tell you to run w64devkit.exe from raylib/w64devkit folder in C: and navigate to source and compile there...and it work...but it only work when I use w64devkit.exe from raylib/w64devkit folder.it doesn't work when I tried to compile from how do I say this....default w64devkit I installed on my C: drive...that is also the one I setup in my environment path -> C:\w64devkit

The error seems like it couldn't find the library necessary for raylib compilation...so I thought...maybe raylib/w64devkit folder have extra stuffs that default w64devkit I installed on my C: drive doesn't...so like any sane person would...I copy everything from raylib/w64devkit and paste them in default w64devkit...and voila I can now compile raylib source code from anywhere...and thus my problem is resolved....

For fresh installation:

install raylib with window installer

remove mingw path if there is any to avoid any conflicts

put C:\w64devkit\bin in the path and I guess that is pretty much it

I am so glad the problem is solved and....I can actually start coding...well that is what I want to say at least but now I gotta change astronvim c++ syntax highlight from c++11 to c++20...I somehow managed to do that in my wsl..but I tried so many stuffs in the process...I don't remember which one actually worked...but that is for another day xD...i m just gonna enjoy my little accomplishment and play some katana zero...

De[v]log#2: Making astronvim and raylib work on window + Extra: astronvim LspInstall error on android

Mytx — Wed, 31 May 2023 01:49:23 +0000

My day started off pretty normal....still feeling bad that I couldn't finish setting up yesterday...so with new determination and all i set out to solve those errors...

first order of business was to fix everything that is wrong with astronvim....

There are dependencies to install before install astronvim and my negligence caused me a great headache...installed all of them and those errors warning go away...

now for the next error...i noticed that i couldnt using :TSInstall
apparently it is compile error...due to compiler being super old or something so i setout to fix it

fortunately there is already support for this error

https://github.com/nvim-treesitter/nvim-treesitter/wiki/Windows-support

this link helped me out...i literally installed almost everything describe in there...curl tar mingw llvm
then i put this line of code

require 'nvim-treesitter.install'.compilers = { "clang" }

at the end of nvim/init.lua file and voila....the issue is resolved! Astronvim now run almost flawlessly...a few hiccups here and there but i can tolerate them for now...so i will just fix them later

After that i tried to fix raylib once again...
following along this make it possible to compile and run on vscode

https://www.appsloveworld.com/cplus/100/561/how-to-add-raylib-to-vs-code

but for some reason...that only work for c codes...i gotta search a way for c++ to work too...but atleast i can fallback and work with c now

My eyes and head hurt from all those setbacks but hey...adrenaline rush after solving a problem always motivate me to keep on going...so all is well in the end i guess?

Extra

I dont want to write a new log for this since it is a miniscule problem...running astronvim on android work fine with one exception... I could'nt install clangd with LspInstall command...
The error says "Failed due to unsupported platform or something"
Manually installing clangd outside of nvim and putting this line at the bottom of /nvim/init.lua solve the problem

require'lspconfig'.clangd.setup{}

with one problem solved...new one arrived gcc wont work on termux and now I m trying to setup archlinux on termux with proot...

I had some trouble install tree-sitter-cli with cargo and npm on termux...I was busy that day and forgot to write about it...I will just do it later

De[v]log#1: Oops.....powershell is ruined...sorry

Mytx — Mon, 29 May 2023 12:44:25 +0000

Oops, something went wrong.
Please report this bug with ALL the details below, including both the 'Environment' and 'Exception' sections.
Please report on GitHub: https://github.com/PowerShell/PSReadLine/issues/new?template=Bug_Report.md
Thank you!

### Environment
PSReadLine: 2.2.0-beta1
PowerShell: 7.3.4
OS: Microsoft Windows 10.0.22000
BufferWidth: 132
BufferHeight: 35

Last 0 Keys

### Exception
System.TypeLoadException: Could not load type 'System.Management.Automation.Subsystem.PredictionResult' from assembly 'Microsoft.PowerShell.PSReadLine.Polyfiller, Version=1.0.0.0, Culture=neutral, PublicKeyToken=null'.
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.PSConsoleReadLine.PredictionViewBase.Reset()
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.PSConsoleReadLine.PredictionInlineView.Reset()
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.PSConsoleReadLine.Prediction.Reset()
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.PSConsoleReadLine.Initialize(Runspace runspace, EngineIntrinsics engineIntrinsics)
   at Microsoft.PowerShell.PSConsoleReadLine.ReadLine(Runspace runspace, EngineIntrinsics engineIntrinsics, CancellationToken cancellationToken)

This is the error code I got after modding my powershell7 with oh-my-posh....I don't really know what went wrong but after I restarted the powershell7...this error showed up...as if I didn't have enough error in my hands to solve....well fortunately upgrading PSreadline solve the problem

pwsh.exe -noprofile -command "Install-Module PSReadLine -Force -SkipPublisherCheck -AllowPrerelease"

prompting this line on my built in powershell solved the problem...

so yeh...basically this one line did it and I wanted to recorded it somewhere if it were to happen again...