Can't compile multiple files for Arduino

Question

I'm having an issue with compiling code for Arduino if the code is in multiple files. What I have been doing in the past is have a script concatenate the files in another directory and make the project there. I would like to be able to compile directly from my build folder without having to jump through hoops of making sure everything is defined in the right order, etc.

I'm using avrdude to compile from Linux command line, because the Arduino IDE doesn't work very well with my window manager. When I make with multiple files (with appropriate #include statements, I get errors of the following nature, but for all of my methods and variables.

./../lib/motor.ino:3:21: error: redefinition of ‘const long unsigned int MOVE_DELAY’
./../lib/motor.ino:3:21: error: ‘const long unsigned int MOVE_DELAY’ previously defined here

The only other place that MOVE_DELAY is used is inside the void loop() function, and it doesn't redefine it there. The code also compiles fine if concatenate it into one file and run make in that directory, but not if they are in separate files with includes.

mpflaga mpflaga · Accepted Answer · 2013-02-14T20:41:38

I believe your problem is solvable by declaring the objects with the "extern" prefix or external. For example. I often use the SdFat library, in which it is included in both my main sketch and instanced in other libraries.

/**
 * \file test.ino
 */
#include <SdFat.h>
#include <foo.h>
SdFat sd;
...

Where I also use the same object in other libraries, such as foo.h.

/**
 * \file foo.h
 */
#include <SdFat.h>
extern SdFat sd;
...

If it was not for the prefix of "extern" it would error like yours, as "sd" can not exist twice. Where the extern prefix tells the linker don't make a new instantiation, rather link to the externally instance elsewhere.

Can't compile multiple files for Arduino

1 Answers