05. Compiling and sending GRBL on Arduino

Now that we are done with Arduino basic installation, I need to move into GRBL compilation and upload it into Arduino.

As per https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Compiling-Grbl, I take the following steps:

1. Download the Grbl source code (v0.9i)

• On GRBL Git page: https://github.com/grbl/grbl
• Click the "Download ZIP" button on the lower right side of the home page.
• Once downloaded, unzip it and you'll have a folder called GRBL-Master or something similar.

2. Load Grbl into the Arduino IDE as a Library.

• Launch the Arduino IDE on the PC.
• On Arduino IDE menu, click "Sketch", then "Include Library", then "Add .ZIP Library..." (note that this still works with a folder / prior to IDE version 1.6.2 this will be Import Library..., and click Add Library...).
• Select the Grbl folder inside the grbl-master folder when asked to select a library folder you'd like to add. The correct folder only contains the source files and an example directory.
• It may take a few seconds for the Arduino IDE to import it.

3. Open the GrblUpload Arduino example.

• Click the File down-down menu, navigate to Examples->Grbl, and select GrblUpload.

4. Compile and upload Grbl to your Arduino.

• Connect your Arduino Uno to your computer.
• Make sure your board is set to the Arduino Uno in the Tool->Board menu and the serial port is selected correctly in Tool->Serial Port.
• Click the Upload, and Grbl should compile and flash to your Arduino! (Flashing with a programmer also works by using the Upload Using Programmer menu command.)

5. To check that these steps are performed correctly, I can start using GBRL on my Arduino from my Arduino IDE on my PC, as explained here: https://github.com/grbl/grbl/wiki/Using-Grbl

So I take the following steps:

• In Arduino IDE, under Tools, I select "Serial monitor": a window pops up
• I change baud rate to 115200: I get GBRL following message "gbrl 0.9i ['$' for help]"

Good ! It working fine so far.

• I also change the "No line ending" drop-down menu to "Carriage return".
• I enter "$" and then click "send": I get few lines of help description:

Great !!