# Help with logic in saving tables

**URL:** https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178
**Category:** Electronics (Arduino, etc.)
**Created:** [August 4, 2019, 2:29pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178 "2019-08-04T14:29:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 11
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![plux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@plux](https://discourse.processing.org/u/plux)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2019, 2:29pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/1 "2019-08-04T14:29:42Z")

</div>

Hi, I have a scriopt that receives data from an accelerometer through Arduino. I want to save these data in a csv file.

The system works as follows:

- Processing generates a sequence of sine waves (stored in freqList[]), each of them for an amount of time (recTime)
- Continuously record the incoming data from arduino (through serialEvent()).
- Save a new table/file for each of the frequencies (fileNames[])

So far it works well except that I’m stuck with the logic in the saving the recordings in a differnet table for each frequency played. I don’t understand where to put the logic and how to write it (eg should I use a global variable to keep track of which frequency is playing and determine when this frequency has finished playing?)

What’s the best approach? Thank you!

```auto
/*
* This application plays a series of sine waves at different frequencies (see freqList[]) and record the correpondent incoming output of accelerometer.
* Setup: laptop out -> amp -> vibrotactile actuator -> accelerometer (arduino) -> serial to Processing -> csv
* Press ENTER to start application
* Press ESC to quit/exit application
*/

import processing.sound.*;
import processing.serial.*;
Serial myPort;
Table table;
String fileName;
SinOsc osc;
int[] freqList = {20, 40, 80, 100, 120, 160}; //frequencies to be played

//file names for tables
String[] fileNames = {"20_flat", "40_flat", "80_flat", "100_flat", "120_flat", "160_flat"};

Boolean runApp = false;
int startTime;
int recTime = 1000; //1 second play time for each frequency
int fileIndex = 0;

void setup()
{
  size(300,300);
  
  String portName = Serial.list()[0];  
  myPort = new Serial(this, portName, 9600);
  myPort.clear();
 
  osc = new SinOsc(this);
  osc.freq(0);
  osc.stop();
  
//define table columns
  table = new Table();
  table.addColumn("id");
  table.addColumn("time");
  table.addColumn("rawX");
  table.addColumn("X");
  table.addColumn("rawY");
  table.addColumn("Y");
  table.addColumn("rawZ");
  table.addColumn("Z"); 
}

// record a new table row every time data is received from arduino 
void serialEvent(Serial myPort){
  
  if(runApp){
    try{
      String val = myPort.readStringUntil('\n');
    
      if (val!= null) {
        val = trim(val);
        //println("VAL: " + val);
        float readings[] = float(split(val, ','));
        
        TableRow newRow = table.addRow();
        newRow.setInt("id", table.lastRowIndex());
        newRow.setFloat("time", readings[0]);
        newRow.setFloat("rawX", readings[1]);
        newRow.setFloat("X", readings[2]);
        newRow.setFloat("rawY", readings[3]);
        newRow.setFloat("Y", readings[4]);
        newRow.setFloat("rawZ", readings[5]);
        newRow.setFloat("Z", readings[6]);
        } 
      }catch(Exception e){
        println("caught error parsing data:");
        //e.printStackTrace();
    }
  }
}

void draw(){
  background(30);
  textSize(32);
  textAlign(CENTER, CENTER);
  
  if(runApp){
    text("Recording", width/2, height/2); 
    
    osc.amp(1);
    osc.play();

    int curTime = millis();
    int timeDiff = curTime - startTime;
   
//play each frequency in freqList in serie for the same amount of time
// HERE I need help. after each frequency has played a new table should be saved
    if(timeDiff < recTime){
      osc.freq(freqList[0]);
    }else if(timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*2){
      osc.freq(freqList[1]);
    }else if(timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*3){
      osc.freq(freqList[2]);
    }else if(timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*4){
      osc.freq(freqList[3]);
    }else if(timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*5){
      osc.freq(freqList[4]);
    }else if(timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*6){
      osc.freq(freqList[5]);
    }else{ 
//OLD code for saving table (this saves 1 table with all frequencies, not what I need)
      //println("WRITING FILE" + fileNames[fileIndex]);
      //fileName = fileNames[fileIndex] + ".csv";
      //saveTable(table, fileName);
      
      if(fileIndex < 5)
        fileIndex++;
      else{
        runApp = false;
        exit();
      }        
     startTime = millis();
     }
  }else
    text("Idle", width/2, height/2); 

}

// start/stop application
void keyPressed(){
  
  if(key == ENTER){
    startTime = millis();
    runApp = true;
  }
  if(key == ESC){
    runApp = false;
    exit();
  }
}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2019, 6:04pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/2 "2019-08-04T18:04:35Z")

</div>

> [@plux](#):
>
> if(timeDiff \< recTime){  
> osc.freq(freqList[0]); }  
> else if(timeDiff \>= recTime && timeDiff \< recTime_2){  
> osc.freq(freqList[1]); }  
> else if(timeDiff \>= recTime && timeDiff \< recTime_3){  
> osc.freq(freqList[2]); }  
> else if(timeDiff \>= recTime && timeDiff \< recTime_4){  
> osc.freq(freqList[3]); }  
> else if(timeDiff \>= recTime && timeDiff \< recTime_5){  
> osc.freq(freqList[4]); }  
> else if(timeDiff \>= recTime && timeDiff \< recTime\*6){  
> osc.freq(freqList[5]);

Lots of questions.

**First:** the if’s are wrong imo because you need to multiply the `>=` part as well by 2,3,4,5…

new version:

```auto

if (timeDiff < recTime) {
  osc.freq(freqList[0]);
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*2) {
  osc.freq(freqList[1]);
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*2 && timeDiff < recTime*3) {
  osc.freq(freqList[2]);
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*3 && timeDiff < recTime*4) {
  osc.freq(freqList[3]);
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*4 && timeDiff < recTime*5) {
  osc.freq(freqList[4]);
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*5 && timeDiff < recTime*6) {
  osc.freq(freqList[5]);
}

```

**Second:** The else is wrong. The else would only be executed after all if’s failed but you want to execute file save after **each** event. So no else needed.

**Wrapping it up**

Here is an idea for your filenames using indexForFileNames:

```auto

int indexForFileNames=-1;

if (timeDiff < recTime) {
  osc.freq(freqList[0]);
  indexForFileNames=0;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*2) {
  osc.freq(freqList[1]);
  indexForFileNames=1;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*2 && timeDiff < recTime*3) {
  osc.freq(freqList[2]);
  indexForFileNames=2;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*3 && timeDiff < recTime*4) {
  osc.freq(freqList[3]);
  indexForFileNames=3;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*4 && timeDiff < recTime*5) {
  osc.freq(freqList[4]);
  indexForFileNames=4;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*5 && timeDiff < recTime*6) {
  osc.freq(freqList[5]);
  indexForFileNames=5;
}

// save
if (indexForFileNames>-1) {
  // syntax: saveTable(table, filename)
  saveTable(table, fileNames[indexForFileNames];
}

```

Chrisir

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![plux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@plux](https://discourse.processing.org/u/plux)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2019, 7:09pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/3 "2019-08-04T19:09:52Z")

</div>

Thanks.  
I was thinking of doing something like this…but this way it keeps saving the file for each run of the loop()…is it safe to do so?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [August 4, 2019, 7:30pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/4 "2019-08-04T19:30:14Z")

</div>

Ah

In theory this is unnecessary

You could fill the current table and save it only when one time slot ends?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![plux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@plux](https://discourse.processing.org/u/plux)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2019, 12:31pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/5 "2019-08-05T12:31:17Z")

</div>

yes that was my plan…but how would I detect when time slots ends and save the table only once?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2019, 1:54pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/6 "2019-08-05T13:54:03Z")

</div>

when you check this:

```auto
 if (indexForFileNames==0) {
    saveThis=true;
  }

```

it would be executed only once during the time span (because then we set indexForFileNames to 1)

full code section:

```auto

int indexForFileNames=-1;
boolean saveThis = false; // tells the sketch to save  

if (timeDiff < recTime) {
  osc.freq(freqList[0]);
  indexForFileNames=0;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*2) {
  if (indexForFileNames==0) {
    saveThis=true;
  }
  osc.freq(freqList[1]);
  indexForFileNames=1;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*2 && timeDiff < recTime*3) {
  if (indexForFileNames==1) {
    saveThis=true;
  }
  osc.freq(freqList[2]);
  indexForFileNames=2;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*3 && timeDiff < recTime*4) {
  if (indexForFileNames==2) {
    saveThis=true;
  }
  osc.freq(freqList[3]);
  indexForFileNames=3;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*4 && timeDiff < recTime*5) {
  if (indexForFileNames==3) {
    saveThis=true;
  }
  osc.freq(freqList[4]);
  indexForFileNames=4;
} else if (timeDiff >= recTime*5 && timeDiff < recTime*6) {
  if (indexForFileNames==4) {
    saveThis=true;
  }
  osc.freq(freqList[5]);
  indexForFileNames=5;
}

// save
if (saveThis && (indexForFileNames>0)) {
  // syntax: saveTable(table, filename)
  saveTable(table, fileNames[indexForFileNames - 1]; // using -1 here !!!!
  saveThis = false;
}

//

```

Chrisir

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![plux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@plux](https://discourse.processing.org/u/plux)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2019, 3:46pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/7 "2019-08-05T15:46:16Z")

</div>

mm there’s somethign wrong as it doesn’t save any table. This is the whole draw()

```auto
void draw(){
  background(30);
  textSize(32);
  textAlign(CENTER, CENTER);
  
  if(runApp){
    text("Recording", width/2, height/2); 
    
    osc.amp(1);
    osc.play();

    int curTime = millis();
    int timeDiff = curTime - startTime;

    int indexForFileNames=-1;
    boolean saveThis = false; // tells the sketch to save  
    
    if (timeDiff < recTime) {      
      osc.freq(freqList[0]);
      indexForFileNames=0;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*2) {
      if (indexForFileNames==0) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[1]);
      indexForFileNames=1;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*2 && timeDiff < recTime*3) {
      if (indexForFileNames==1) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[2]);
      indexForFileNames=2;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*3 && timeDiff < recTime*4) {
      if (indexForFileNames==2) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[3]);
      indexForFileNames=3;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*4 && timeDiff < recTime*5) {
      if (indexForFileNames==3) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[4]);
      indexForFileNames=4;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*5 && timeDiff < recTime*6) {
      if (indexForFileNames==4) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[5]);
      indexForFileNames=5;
    } else
      startTime = millis();
    
    
    // this is never run
    if (saveThis && (indexForFileNames>0)) {
      saveTable(table, fileNames[indexForFileNames - 1]); // using -1 here !!!!
      saveThis = false;
      
      if(indexForFileNames == 5){
        runApp = false;
        exit();
      }
        
    }
           
  }else
    text("Idle", width/2, height/2); 

}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![plux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@plux](https://discourse.processing.org/u/plux)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2019, 3:59pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/8 "2019-08-05T15:59:29Z")

</div>

ok I moved the initialization if indexForFileNames outside (as gobal variable)

but still something is missing cause I only have 5 tables (and 6 sounds). It doesn’t save the first sound because of the \>0 in the save part. But if I change that it will break the whole thing because of the fileNames[indexForFileNames-1]

```auto
void draw(){
  background(30);
  textSize(32);
  textAlign(CENTER, CENTER);
      
  if(runApp){
    text("Recording", width/2, height/2); 
    
    osc.amp(1);
    osc.play();

    int curTime = millis();
    int timeDiff = curTime - startTime;

    boolean saveThis = false; // tells the sketch to save  
    
    if (timeDiff < recTime) {      
      osc.freq(freqList[0]);
      indexForFileNames=0;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*2) {
      if (indexForFileNames==0) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[1]);
      indexForFileNames=1;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*2 && timeDiff < recTime*3) {
      if (indexForFileNames==1) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[2]);
      indexForFileNames=2;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*3 && timeDiff < recTime*4) {
      if (indexForFileNames==2) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[3]);
      indexForFileNames=3;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*4 && timeDiff < recTime*5) {
      if (indexForFileNames==3) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[4]);
      indexForFileNames=4;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*5 && timeDiff < recTime*6) {
      if (indexForFileNames==4) {
        saveThis=true;
      }
      osc.freq(freqList[5]);
      indexForFileNames=5;
    } else
      startTime = millis();
    
    
    // save
    //println("RUN");
    if (saveThis && (indexForFileNames>0)) {
      saveTable(table, fileNames[indexForFileNames-1] + ".csv"); // using -1 here !!!!
      saveThis = false;
      println(indexForFileNames);

//need to move the following somewhere else
      //if(indexForFileNames == 5){
      // runApp = false;
      // exit();
      //}
        
    }
           
  }else
    text("Idle", width/2, height/2); 

}

```

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![Chrisir](https://yyz2.discourse-cdn.com/flex036/user_avatar/discourse.processing.org/chrisir/32/45_2.png) [@Chrisir](https://discourse.processing.org/u/Chrisir)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2019, 4:14pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/9 "2019-08-05T16:14:28Z")

</div>

I think it does save the first but not the last?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![plux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@plux](https://discourse.processing.org/u/plux)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2019, 4:15pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/10 "2019-08-05T16:15:54Z")

</div>

Yes that’s true, I’ve just changed the last else like this

```auto
else{
      if (indexForFileNames==5) saveThis = true;

      indexForFileNames=6;
        startTime = millis();
    }

```

and it works

---

<div class="post-metadata">

### Author: ![plux](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/91b2a8/32.png) [@plux](https://discourse.processing.org/u/plux)
#### Post date: [August 5, 2019, 4:20pm UTC](https://discourse.processing.org/t/help-with-logic-in-saving-tables/13178/11 "2019-08-05T16:20:32Z")

</div>

so my last (and working) draw() is the following. Thank you @Chrisir !!

```auto
void draw(){
  background(30);
  textSize(32);
  textAlign(CENTER, CENTER);
      
  if(runApp){
    text("Recording", width/2, height/2); 
    
    osc.amp(1);
    osc.play();

    int curTime = millis();
    int timeDiff = curTime - startTime;

    boolean saveThis = false; // tells the sketch to save  
    
    if (timeDiff < recTime) {      
      osc.freq(freqList[0]);
      indexForFileNames = 0;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime && timeDiff < recTime*2) {
      if (indexForFileNames == 0) saveThis = true;
      osc.freq(freqList[1]);
      indexForFileNames = 1;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*2 && timeDiff < recTime*3) {
      if (indexForFileNames==1) saveThis = true;
      osc.freq(freqList[2]);
      indexForFileNames = 2;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*3 && timeDiff < recTime*4) {
      if (indexForFileNames==2) saveThis = true;
      osc.freq(freqList[3]);
      indexForFileNames = 3;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*4 && timeDiff < recTime*5) {
      if (indexForFileNames == 3) saveThis = true;
      osc.freq(freqList[4]);
      indexForFileNames = 4;
    } else if (timeDiff >= recTime*5 && timeDiff < recTime*6) {
      if (indexForFileNames == 4) saveThis = true;
      osc.freq(freqList[5]);
      indexForFileNames = 5;
    } else{
      if (indexForFileNames == 5) saveThis = true;
      indexForFileNames = 6;
    }
    
    // save
    if (saveThis && (indexForFileNames > 0)) {
      saveTable(table, fileNames[indexForFileNames-1] + ".csv");
      saveThis = false;

      if(indexForFileNames == 6){
        runApp = false;
        exit();
      }
        
    }
           
  }else
    text("Idle", width/2, height/2); 

}

```