Hello,

For school im trying to make guitar hero with processing and my arduino. The problem is that the falling balls leave a track. By setting background(0) in the draw function i got rid of that but if i want to check whether the falling ball is within the ellipse below it will always say it is because there still is a track..... How can i fix this?

2. 
   
3. import processing.serial.*;
4. 
   
5. int[] sphereYCoords = { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 };
6. import processing.serial.*;
7. Serial port;
8. int val = 0;
9. float sphere1Dropper;
10. float sphere2Dropper;
11. float sphere3Dropper;
12. float sphere4Dropper;
13. float sphere5Dropper;
14. float i;
15. 
    
16. void setup(){
17.   size(450,1000);
18.   background(0);
19.   smooth();
20.     
21.   String portName = Serial.list()[0];
22.   port = new Serial(this, portName, 9600);
23.  
24. }
25.  
26. void sphere1Dropper()
27.   {  
28.     i=i+5;
29.     stroke(51,204,0);
30.     fill(51,204,0);
31.     {
32.         ellipse(45, 0*2+i, 30, 30);
33.         ellipse(45, -1250*2+i, 30, 30);
34.         ellipse(45, -2500*2+i, 30, 30);
35.         ellipse(45, -5250*2+i, 30, 30);
36.         ellipse(45, -5750*2+i, 30, 30);
37.         ellipse(45, -6250*2+i, 30, 30);
38.         ellipse(45, -6500*2+i, 30, 30);
39.         ellipse(45, -7000*2+i, 30, 30);
40.         ellipse(45, -7250*2+i, 30, 30);
41.         ellipse(45, -8500*2+i, 30, 30);
42.     }
43.   }
44.   
45. void sphere2Dropper()
46.   {  
47.     stroke(255,0,0);
48.     fill(255,0,0);
49.     {
50.         ellipse(135, -250*2+i, 30, 30);
51.         ellipse(135, -1250*2+i, 30, 30);
52.         ellipse(135, -2000*2+i, 30, 30);
53.         ellipse(135, -4500*2+i, 30, 30);
54.         ellipse(135, -4750*2+i, 30, 30);
55.         ellipse(135, -5000*2+i, 30, 30);
56.         ellipse(135, -6250*2+i, 30, 30);
57.         ellipse(135, -7500*2+i, 30, 30);
58.         ellipse(135, -7750*2+i, 30, 30);
59.         ellipse(135, -8500*2+i, 30, 30);
60.      }
61.    
62.   }
63.   
64. void sphere3Dropper()
65.   {  
66.     stroke(255,255,0);
67.     fill(255,255,0);
68.     {
69.         ellipse(225, -500*2+i, 30, 30);
70.         ellipse(225, -1500*2+i, 30, 30);
71.         ellipse(225, -2250*2+i, 30, 30);
72.         ellipse(225, -4500*2+i, 30, 30);
73.         ellipse(225, -4750*2+i, 30, 30);
74.         ellipse(225, -5000*2+i, 30, 30);
75.         ellipse(225, -5500*2+i, 30, 30);
76.         ellipse(225, -6000*2+i, 30, 30);
77.         ellipse(225, -6250*2+i, 30, 30);
78.         ellipse(225, -8000*2+i, 30, 30);
79.         ellipse(225, -8125*2+i, 30, 30);
80.         ellipse(225, -8250*2+i, 30, 30);
81.         
82.      }
83.   } 
84.   
85.   void sphere4Dropper()
86.   {  
87.     stroke(0,0,255);
88.     fill(0,0,255);
89.     {
90.         ellipse(315, -750*2+i, 30, 30);
91.         ellipse(315, -1750*2+i, 30, 30);
92.         ellipse(315, -2750*2+i, 30, 30);
93.         ellipse(315, -3250*2+i, 30, 30);
94.         ellipse(315, -3500*2+i, 30, 30);
95.         ellipse(315, -3750*2+i, 30, 30);
96.         ellipse(315, -6250*2+i, 30, 30);
97.         ellipse(315, -7500*2+i, 30, 30);
98.         ellipse(315, -7750*2+i, 30, 30);
99.         ellipse(315, -8500*2+i, 30, 30);
100.      }
101.   } 
102.   
103.   void sphere5Dropper()
104.   {  
105.     stroke(153,102,0);
106.     fill(153,102,0);
107.     {
108.         ellipse(405, -1000*2+i, 30, 30);
109.         ellipse(405, -1750*2+i, 30, 30);
110.         ellipse(405, -3000*2+i, 30, 30);
111.         ellipse(405, -4000*2+i, 30, 30);
112.         ellipse(405, -4250*2+i, 30, 30);
113.         ellipse(405, -6500*2+i, 30, 30);
114.         ellipse(405, -7000*2+i, 30, 30);
115.         ellipse(405, -7250*2+i, 30, 30);
116.         ellipse(405, -8500*2+i, 30, 30);
117.       }
118.   }    
119. 
     
120. void draw(){
121.   
122.  background(0); 
123.  beginShape();
124.  stroke(255);
125.  strokeWeight(1);
126.  line(90, 0, 90, 1900);
127.  line(180, 0, 180, 1900);
128.  line(270, 0, 270, 1900);
129.  line(360, 0, 360, 1900);
130.  line(0, 250, 450, 250);
131.  line(0, 500, 450, 500);
132.  line(0, 750, 450, 750);
133.  line(0, 1000, 450, 1000);
134.  endShape();
135. 
     
136.  send_info_to_arduino();
137.  sphere1Dropper();
138.  sphere2Dropper();
139.  sphere3Dropper();
140.  sphere4Dropper();
141.  sphere5Dropper();
142.  
143.  beginShape();
144.  noFill();
145.  strokeWeight(2);
146.  stroke(51,204,0);
147.  ellipse(45, 875, 45, 45);
148.  stroke(255,0,0);
149.  ellipse(135, 875, 45, 45);
150.  stroke(255,255,0);
151.  ellipse(225, 875, 45, 45);
152.  stroke(0,0,255);
153.  ellipse(315, 875, 45, 45);
154.  stroke(153,102,0);
155.  ellipse(405, 875, 45, 45);
156.  endShape();
157.  
158. }
159. 
     
160.  void send_info_to_arduino()
161.     {
162.       if (i > 850 && i < 900){
163.         port.write(1);
164.       }
165.     }

I want my processing sketch to send a signal (see incoming == 1 in my arduino sketch) if the dropping balls collide with the ellipses at the bottom.

Arduino code:

2. float incoming;
3. 
   
4. int ledPin8 = 8;
5. int ledPin9 = 9;    
6. int ledPin10 = 10;
7. int ledPin11 = 11;
8. int ledPin12 = 12;
9. int buttonState2 = 2;
10. int buttonState3 = 3;
11. int buttonState4 = 4;
12. int buttonState5 = 5;
13. int buttonState6 = 6;
14. const int buttonPin2 = 2;
15. const int buttonPin3 = 3;
16. const int buttonPin4 = 4;
17. const int buttonPin5 = 5;
18. const int buttonPin6 = 6;
19.  
20. void setup() {
21.   pinMode(ledPin8, OUTPUT); 
22.   pinMode(ledPin9, OUTPUT);
23.   pinMode(ledPin10, OUTPUT);
24.   pinMode(ledPin11, OUTPUT);  
25.   pinMode(ledPin12, OUTPUT);
26.   pinMode(buttonState2, INPUT);   
27.   pinMode(buttonState3, INPUT);  
28.   pinMode(buttonState4, INPUT);
29.   pinMode(buttonState5, INPUT);
30.   pinMode(buttonState6, INPUT);
31.   
32.   Serial.begin(9600);
33.   
34.  }
35. 
    
36. void loop(){
37.    buttonState2 = digitalRead(buttonPin2);
38.    buttonState3 = digitalRead(buttonPin2);
39.    buttonState4 = digitalRead(buttonPin2);
40.    buttonState5 = digitalRead(buttonPin2);
41.    buttonState6 = digitalRead(buttonPin3);
42.    
43.    if(Serial.available() > 0){
44.      incoming = Serial.read();
45.      Serial.print(incoming,DEC);
46.        
47.     if (buttonState2 == HIGH && incoming == 1) {            // add && check in processing for collision 
48.     digitalWrite(ledPin8, HIGH);
49.     }
50.     if (buttonState3 == HIGH && incoming == 1) {            // add && check in processing for collision   
51.     digitalWrite(ledPin9, HIGH);  
52.     }
53.     if (buttonState4 == HIGH && incoming == 1) {            // add && check in processing for collision
54.     digitalWrite(ledPin10, HIGH);
55.     }
56.     if (buttonState5 == HIGH && incoming == 1) {            // add && check in processing for collision
57.     digitalWrite(ledPin11, HIGH);
58.     }
59.     if (buttonState6 == HIGH && incoming == 1) {            // add && check in processing for collision
60.     digitalWrite(ledPin12, HIGH);
61.     }  
62.   }
63. } 

Processing code:

2. import processing.serial.*;
3. 
   
4. int[] sphereYCoords = { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 };
5. import processing.serial.*;
6. Serial port;
7. int val = 0;
8. float sphere1Dropper;
9. float sphere2Dropper;
10. float sphere3Dropper;
11. float sphere4Dropper;
12. float sphere5Dropper;
13. 
    
14.   
15. void setup(){
16.   size(450,1000);
17.   background(0);
18.   smooth();
19.   
20.   String portName = Serial.list()[0];
21.   port = new Serial(this, portName, 9600);
22. }
23.  
24. 
    
25. void draw(){
26.   
27.  beginShape();
28.  stroke(255);
29.  strokeWeight(1);
30.  line(90, 0, 90, 1900);
31.  line(180, 0, 180, 1900);
32.  line(270, 0, 270, 1900);
33.  line(360, 0, 360, 1900);
34.  line(0, 250, 450, 250);
35.  line(0, 500, 450, 500);
36.  line(0, 750, 450, 750);
37.  line(0, 1000, 450, 1000);
38.  endShape();
39. 
    
40.  sphere1Dropper();
41.  sphere2Dropper();
42.  sphere3Dropper();
43.  sphere4Dropper();
44.  sphere5Dropper();
45. 
    
46.  beginShape();
47.  fill(255);
48.  strokeWeight(2);
49.  stroke(51,204,0);
50.  ellipse(45, 875, 45, 45);
51.  stroke(255,0,0);
52.  ellipse(135, 875, 45, 45);
53.  stroke(255,255,0);
54.  ellipse(225, 875, 45, 45);
55.  stroke(0,0,255);
56.  ellipse(315, 875, 45, 45);
57.  stroke(153,102,0);
58.  ellipse(405, 875, 45, 45);
59.  endShape();
60.  
61. 
    
62. }
63. 
    
64. 
    
65. void sphere1Dropper()
66.   {  
67.     stroke(51,204,0);
68.     fill(51,204,0);
69.     for (int i=0; i<5; i++)
70.     {
71.         ellipse(45, sphereYCoords[i]++, 30, 30);
72.      }
73.   }
74.   
75. void sphere2Dropper()
76.   {  
77.     stroke(255,0,0);
78.     fill(255,0,0);
79.     for (int i=0; i<5; i++)
80.     {
81.         ellipse(135, sphereYCoords[i]++, 30, 30);
82.      }
83.    
84.   }
85.   
86. void sphere3Dropper()
87.   {  
88.     stroke(255,255,0);
89.     fill(255,255,0);
90.     for (int i=0; i<5; i++)
91.     {
92.         ellipse(225, sphereYCoords[i]++, 30, 30);
93.      }
94.   } 
95.   
96.   void sphere4Dropper()
97.   {  
98.     stroke(0,0,255);
99.     fill(0,0,255);
100.     for (int i=0; i<5; i++)
101.     {
102.         ellipse(315, sphereYCoords[i]++, 30, 30);
103.      }
104.   } 
105.   
106.   void sphere5Dropper()
107.   {  
108.     stroke(153,102,0);
109.     fill(153,102,0);
110.     for (int i=0; i<5; i++)
111.     {
112.         ellipse(405, sphereYCoords[i]++, 30, 30);
113.     }
114.   }