### Author:  [@Annak](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Annak)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2020, 11:25am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-needed-to-code-videos-play-with-processing-by-receiving-data-from-arduino/24237/1 "2020-09-30T11:25:16Z")
Hello everyone!
I am an artist and I am trying to make an interactive artwork using Arduino and Processing. I am really new at all this,.I know very little about programming but I have to complete this artwork as it is the final task of an intensive program I took part in, which introduced me to interactive arts using Arduino.
So, for this artwork, I am using an ultrasonic distance sensor to capture the existence of a person in front of it, an Arduino Uno, and of course Processing. Firstly, I want to play a video that only has sound with Processing. When the sensor detects a person at a maximum distance of 50cm, then the first video stops, and a second video starts playing without looping. Right after the second video ends, then the first video starts looping again until the sensor detects another person standing in front.
So far I have found a code for Arduino and written a code in Processing. The problem is that the first video only plays a few seconds and then the second video starts playing without interacting with the sensor. I have checked the sensor and it functions properly. I have also tested the communication between Arduino and Processing with a premade code and it also works. But I still haven’t found what I do wrong. I would really appreciate any given help!
Thank you in advance!
This is the code I run with Arduino, which I found online:
#include \
#define TRIGGER\_PIN 10 // Arduino pin tied to trigger pin on the ultrasonic sensor.
#define ECHO\_PIN 9 // Arduino pin tied to echo pin on the ultrasonic sensor.
#define MAX\_DISTANCE 50 // Maximum distance we want to ping for (in centimeters). Maximum sensor distance is rated at 400-500cm.
NewPing sonar(TRIGGER\_PIN, ECHO\_PIN, MAX\_DISTANCE); // NewPing setup of pins and maximum distance.
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600); // Open serial monitor at 115200 baud to see ping results.
}
void loop() {
delay(100); // Wait 50ms between pings (about 20 pings/sec). 29ms should be the shortest delay between pings.
[//Serial.print](https://Serial.print)("Ping: ");
Serial.write(sonar.ping\_cm()); // Send ping, get distance in cm and print result (0 = outside set distance range)
[//Serial.println](https://Serial.println)(“cm”);
}
And this is a code that I did myself at processing:
import processing.serial._; //importing serial lib
import processing.video._;
Serial arduino;
int serialIn;
int val = 49; // Data received from the serial port
int THRESHOLD = 50;
Movie sound;
Movie video;
void setup() {
size(500,500);
printArray(Serial.list());
arduino = new Serial(this,Serial.list()[1],9600);
frameRate(25);
sound= new Movie(this,“keys.mp4”);
video= new Movie(this,“cross.mov”);
sound.loop();
}
void movieEvent(Movie m) {
m.read();
}
void draw() {
if(arduino.available()\>0)
{
serialIn=arduino.read();
println(serialIn);
```
if (val <= THRESHOLD) { //If the sensor detect object at less 10cm
sound.stop();
video.play();
image(video,0,0);
}
```
}
}
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [September 30, 2020, 11:44am UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-needed-to-code-videos-play-with-processing-by-receiving-data-from-arduino/24237/2 "2020-09-30T11:44:20Z")
hello,
and welcome to the forum!
Great to have you here!
Essentially, you have 2 videos.
You load both in setup(). Good. (Not sure, if mp4 are ok, did you test?)
**Now to your problem.**
In my understanding you need a variable boolean `useImageMovie` (or whatever name) that indicates what to play.
This:
> [@Annak](#):
>
> ```auto
> if (val <= THRESHOLD) { //If the sensor detect object at less 10cm
> sound.stop();
> video.play();
> image(video,0,0);
> }
>
> ```
should be
```auto
if (val <= THRESHOLD) { //If the sensor detect object at less 10cm
sound.stop();
video.play();
useImageMovie= true;
}
if(useImageMovie) {
image(video,0,0);
}
else {
image(sound,0,0);
}
```
Because, when you say image(video,0,0); in the first if-clause it will only play during the if (val \<= THRESHOLD) and not to its end.
**More**
when video is over, set useImageMovie to false:
`useImageMovie = false;`
**Declaration**
declare `boolean useImageMovie = false;` before `setup()`
I hope this helps!
Warm regards,
Chrisir
---
### Author:  [@Annak](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Annak)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2020, 5:22pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-needed-to-code-videos-play-with-processing-by-receiving-data-from-arduino/24237/3 "2020-10-03T17:22:46Z")
Hello and thanks a lot for your immediate reply!
You said that when the video is over, I should set useImageMovie to false. This means that I should write this line of code at the end of the if, else- clause?
I run the code with 2 mov-type videos but I still get the same result. The first video plays for one second and almost immediately the second video starts playing without placing any object in front of the sensor.
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2020, 5:48pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-needed-to-code-videos-play-with-processing-by-receiving-data-from-arduino/24237/4 "2020-10-03T17:48:18Z")
> [@Annak](#):
>
> I should write this line of code at the end of the if, else- clause?
No.
remember that draw() runs 60 times per second during the movie plays.
So the execution doesn’t wait in the if-clause but runs on.
Therefore, this line of code must be outside the if-clause.
Does the movie has something like `.isPlaying` property?
---
### Author:  [@Annak](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Annak)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2020, 6:44pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-needed-to-code-videos-play-with-processing-by-receiving-data-from-arduino/24237/5 "2020-10-03T18:44:29Z")
Ok so, here’s what my draw() looks like
void draw() {
if(arduino.available()\>0)
{
serialIn=arduino.read();
println(serialIn);
```
if (val <= THRESHOLD) { //If the sensor detect object at less 50cm
sound.stop();
video.play();
//image(video,0,0);
useImageMovie= true;
}
if(useImageMovie) {
image(video,0,0);
useImageMovie = false;
}
else {
image(sound,0,0);
}
useImageMovie= false;
}
```
}
but still nothing. The first video stops and the second plays right after without any interaction with the sensor.
> [@Chrisir](#):
>
> Does the movie has something like `.isPlaying` property?
I’m sorry I dont understand the question.
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2020, 6:50pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-needed-to-code-videos-play-with-processing-by-receiving-data-from-arduino/24237/6 "2020-10-03T18:50:09Z")
No.
Do you have sound.play(); in setup()?
Do you have boolean useImageMovie = false; before setup()?
try:
```auto
void draw() {
if (arduino.available()>0) {
serialIn=arduino.read();
println(serialIn);
if (val <= THRESHOLD) {
//If the sensor detect object at less 50cm
sound.stop();
video.play();
useImageMovie = true;
}
}
// ------------
if (useImageMovie) {
image(video, 0, 0);
} else {
image(sound, 0, 0);
}
}
```
---
### Author:  [@Annak](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Annak)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2020, 7:09pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-needed-to-code-videos-play-with-processing-by-receiving-data-from-arduino/24237/7 "2020-10-03T19:09:20Z")
> [@Chrisir](#):
>
> Do you have sound.play(); in setup()?
I have sound.loop(); I want this one to loop until an interaction happens.
> [@Chrisir](#):
>
> Do you have boolean useImageMovie = false; before setup()?
Yes.
Ok, I’ll try it.
Thanks again!
---
### Author:  [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [October 3, 2020, 7:21pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-needed-to-code-videos-play-with-processing-by-receiving-data-from-arduino/24237/8 "2020-10-03T19:21:06Z")
I hope the video starts now properly ending the sound.
**We still have to find to end the video after it played once though.**
in my opinion, the movie doesn’t tell you whether its finished or not according to [https://www.processing.org/reference/libraries/video/index.html](https://www.processing.org/reference/libraries/video/index.html)
Hence, let’s use
float durationVideoMovie; int startMs; before setup()
after (!) video.play(); say
durationVideoMovie = video.duration(); // measured in seconds
startMs=millis(); // startMs is in millis, see reference
in this section
```auto
if (useImageMovie) {
image(video, 0, 0);
}
```
say
```auto
if (useImageMovie) {
image(video, 0, 0);
// detect if video is over
if((millis()-startMs) / 1000 >= durationVideoMovie ) {
// Yes, go back to default black video (sound only)
useImageMovie=false;
video.stop();
sound.play();
}
}
```
not tested…
😉