Ardunio alarm clock without rtc projects error - c

Question

i am currently working in a ardunio alarm clock project without and rtc for school. I have a problem with my hour variable not increasing and my conditionals that checks it.
This code mostly works i can set time in hr and minutes but when the timer reaches 59 minutes the hour doesnt increase by 1. The second code that has been posted is the bit where the problem lies. Any tips/help would be appreciated.
#include <Time.h>
#include <TimeLib.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_RGBLCDShield.h>
#include <utility/Adafruit_MCP23017.h>
#include <EEPROM.h>
Adafruit_RGBLCDShield lcd = Adafruit_RGBLCDShield();
const int numofMenus = 4;
int currentMenu = 0;
String menu[4][2] = {{"Set hour", "hr"}, {"Set minutes", "min"}, {"Set alarm", "o"}, {"Current Time", "ha"}};
int parameters[24];
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
lcd.begin(16, 2);
lcd.noBlink();
}
void loop() {
inputAction();
if (currentMenu == 0)
{
printScreen();
}
if (currentMenu == 1)
{
printScreen();
}
if (currentMenu == 2)
{
printScreen();
}
if (currentMenu == 3)
{
int hr = parameters[0];
int mn = minute(parameters[1]);
int sec = second();
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("Time: ");
if (parameters[1] >= 0 && parameters[1] <= 59 && sec < 59) {
parameters[0];
printtime(parameters[0]);
}
else if (parameters[1] == 59 && second() == 59) {
if (parameters[0]>=0 && parameters[0]<24){
parameters[0];
printtime(parameters[0]++);
//delay(1000);}
/*else if (parameters[0] == 24){
parameters[0]= 0;
printtime(parameters[0]);
}*/
}
}
lcd.print(":");
if (sec >= 0 && sec < 59) {
printtime(parameters[1]);
}
else if (sec == 59) {
parameters[1];
printtime(parameters[1]++);
delay(1000);
}
lcd.print(":");
printtime(sec);
/* if (sec == 60) {
mn+1;
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("Time: ");
printtime(hr);
lcd.print(":");
printtime(mn);
lcd.print(":");
printtime(sec);
}
if (mn == 60) {
hr+1;
lcd.clear();
lcd.setCursor(0, 0);
lcd.print("Time: ");
printtime(hr);
lcd.print(":");
printtime(mn);
lcd.print(":");
printtime(sec);
}*/
delay (100);
}
}
void inputAction() {
uint8_t buttons = lcd.readButtons();
if (buttons & BUTTON_UP) {
if (currentMenu == 0) {
currentMenu = numofMenus - 1;
} else {
currentMenu--;
}
} else if (buttons & BUTTON_DOWN) {
if (currentMenu == numofMenus - 1) {
currentMenu = 0;
} else {
currentMenu++;
}
} else if (buttons & BUTTON_RIGHT) {
parameters[currentMenu]++;
} else if (buttons & BUTTON_LEFT) {
parameters[currentMenu]--;
}
}
void printScreen() {
lcd.clear();
lcd.print(menu[currentMenu][0]);
lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
lcd.print(parameters[currentMenu]);
lcd.print(" ");
lcd.print(menu[currentMenu][1]);
delay(100);
}
void printtime(int data) {
if (data >= 0 && data < 10) {
lcd.print('0');
}
lcd.print(data);
}

Answer 1

I don't think it is a good strategy to throw all those delays in the code. If you want to work with an RTC, you need to be mindful of those delays as they will affect the functionality of your program. If you don't account for delay properly, they will accumulate as errors. An error of 100 msecs will be seen as error in seconds easily within days.
I did not go through your code because it is hard to understand. I propose you have a look at this code which should be placed in your loop() function:
delay(100);
parameters = parameters + 100;
long rtcSeconds = parameters / 1000;
int seconds = (int) (rtcSeconds % 60); // Range 0 . 59 units: Secs
int minutes = (int)(((rtcSeconds - seconds) / 60) % 60); // Range 0 . 59 units: Mins
int hours = (int) (((rtcSeconds - minutes*60 - seconds) / (3600)) % 24); // Range 0 . 23 units: Hrs
I am using your parameters[0] field to keep track of the time in your syste, in milliseconds units. The field increases every 100 msecs as you see. You can recover the different time values using a combination of the modulus (%) and division operations. Now, I know you need to increase the time in your program. To do so, it is easy:
If you want to increase one second, do this: parameters[0] += 1000;
If you want to increase one minute, do this: parameters[0] += 1000 * 60;
If you want to increase one hour, do this: parameters[0] += 1000 * 3600;
Now, you might need to work with long variables as int have a limited range. You also need to watch for the time roll over when you change your time. If you are decreasing the time, you need to watch pramaters[0] doesn't become negative. In case it does, you need to add 3600 * 24 * 1000 msecs to force it jump one day ahead (3600 * 24 is one day in seconds). I hope you understand this is not a solution to your problem but an alternative approach using a little bit of a simpler code structure.