SparkFun Forums 

Where electronics enthusiasts find answers.

For the discussion of Arduino related topics.
By brooksdr
#200055
Hi,
I have read your articles about Arduino on Chromebook and "click and drag" block-based visual programming environment alternatives to the "standard" Arduino IDE. For all of these alternatives, what are the options/limitations for addressing I2C or SPI hardware that requires the installation of device-specific software libraries (the .cpp and .h files that are installed in the IDE libraries folder)? Does the Chromebook web-based IDE really automatically provide all the libraries you need? (I would be amazed if that were true!) How do you install libraries in the block-based environments; that is, can you create your own "blocks" that access the required libraries?
The Chromebook question is the most important. Users of Mac or Windows systems can always use the downloadable IDE, but Chromebook users don't have this option. For anyone interested in using Arduinos for environmental monitoring applications in the classroom and for individual student projects, as I am, it is essential to be able to access the libraries required for many environmental sensors. Even something as simple as DHTxx T/RH sensors aren't usable without a library.