understanding code: accelerometer with arduino

[meowth08]

#define ANALOG0 14

class Accelerometer
{
    int p[3]; // which analog pins
    int a[3]; // acceleration, zero-based
    int b[3]; // acceleration bias/calibration information
    int g, t, r; // cached copies of calculations
    int scale; // scaling factor between ADC and gravity

public:
    Accelerometer(int pinX, int pinY, int pinZ, int pinVCC, int pinGND)
    {
        pinMode(pinGND + ANALOG0, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(pinGND + ANALOG0, LOW);
        pinMode(pinVCC + ANALOG0, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(pinVCC + ANALOG0, HIGH);
        pinMode((p[0] = pinX) + ANALOG0, INPUT);
        pinMode((p[1] = pinY) + ANALOG0, INPUT);
        pinMode((p[2] = pinZ) + ANALOG0, INPUT);
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
            b[i] = 512;
        g = t = r = 0;
        scale = 100;
    }

    void update()
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
            a[i] = analogRead(p[i]) - b[i];
        g = t = r = 0;
    }

    void dump()
    {
        Serial.print(  "x="); Serial.print(a[0]);
        Serial.print("\ty="); Serial.print(a[1]);
        Serial.print("\tz="); Serial.print(a[2]);
        Serial.print("\tmg="); Serial.print(milligee());
        Serial.print("\tpitch="); Serial.print(pitch());
        Serial.print("\troll="); Serial.print(roll());
        Serial.println();
    }

    void calibrate()
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
            b[i] = analogRead(p[i]);
        b[2] -= scale;
        update();
    }

    int milligee()
    {
        if (g != 0) return g;
        long squared = 0.0;
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
            squared += (long)a[i] * (long)a[i];
        g = squared * 1000 / (scale*scale);
        return g;
    }

    int accel(int axis)
    {
        if (axis < 0 || axis > 3) return 0;
        return a[axis];
    }

    int roll()
    {
        if (r != 0) return r;
        r = (int)(atan2(a[0], a[2]) * 180. / M_PI);
        return r;
    }

    int pitch()
    {
        if (t != 0) return t;
        t = (int)(acos(a[1] / (float)scale) * 180. / M_PI);
        return t;
    }

    void loop()
    {
        update();
    }
};

Hi,
I copied this code from the net.
Kindly add some comments on what each part of the code is for.
I am having a hard time understanding C.

Thanks in advance.
m8

 

[Ian Rogers]

I am having a hard time understanding C.

Unfortunately this is worse... Its C++... If you don't grasp C++ ( Object Orientated ) It won't be easy to explain

Some comments added

#define ANALOG0 14
 
class Accelerometer				/// Name of the class
{
	// the following are class variables ( private and can't be seen outside the scope of the class)
    int p[3]; // which analog pins
    int a[3]; // acceleration, zero-based
    int b[3]; // acceleration bias/calibration information
    int g, t, r; // cached copies of calculations
    int scale; // scaling factor between ADC and gravity
 
public:		// All these functions below WILL be seen outside of the class scope.
    Accelerometer(int pinX, int pinY, int pinZ, int pinVCC, int pinGND)
    {
        pinMode(pinGND + ANALOG0, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(pinGND + ANALOG0, LOW);
        pinMode(pinVCC + ANALOG0, OUTPUT); digitalWrite(pinVCC + ANALOG0, HIGH);
        pinMode((p[0] = pinX) + ANALOG0, INPUT);
        pinMode((p[1] = pinY) + ANALOG0, INPUT);
        pinMode((p[2] = pinZ) + ANALOG0, INPUT);     // pinmode is a library function
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
            b[i] = 512;
        g = t = r = 0;
        scale = 100;
    }
 
    void update()	//  This can be called to refresh all the above variables.
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
            a[i] = analogRead(p[i]) - b[i];		// analogRead is a library function
        g = t = r = 0;
    }
 
    void dump()		// this is called to print the variables
    {
        Serial.print(  "x="); Serial.print(a[0]);		// serial is the serial class. Print is one of the functions
        Serial.print("\ty="); Serial.print(a[1]);
        Serial.print("\tz="); Serial.print(a[2]);
        Serial.print("\tmg="); Serial.print(milligee());
        Serial.print("\tpitch="); Serial.print(pitch());
        Serial.print("\troll="); Serial.print(roll());
        Serial.println();
    }
 
    void calibrate()	// Again.. Called to calibrate the accelerometer
    {
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
            b[i] = analogRead(p[i]);	
        b[2] -= scale;
        update();
    }
 
    int milligee()		// returns the G force 
    {
        if (g != 0) return g;
        long squared = 0.0;
        for (int i = 0; i < 3; i++)
            squared += (long)a[i] * (long)a[i];
        g = squared * 1000 / (scale*scale);
        return g;
    }
 
    int accel(int axis)	// this returns the acceration as an Int
    {
        if (axis < 0 || axis > 3) return 0;
        return a[axis];
    }
 
    int roll() 	// this returns the roll as an Int
    {
        if (r != 0) return r;
        r = (int)(atan2(a[0], a[2]) * 180. / M_PI);
        return r;
    }
 
    int pitch()		// this returns the pitch as an Int
    {
        if (t != 0) return t;
        t = (int)(acos(a[1] / (float)scale) * 180. / M_PI);
        return t;
    }
 
    void loop()		
    {
        update();
    }

 

[meowth08]

Hi,

Thanks for the reply.
I think it would be hard if I start with something I don't understand.
I'll try to post the actual problem I have later.
But I'll try my best to make my own code.