[Wireless Room Temperature Monitoring System] Program the Arduino Pro Mini through USB Serial FT232RL Module

First step to work on an Arduino Pro Mini project is to actually manage to program the processor in order to have it behave the way you want.

The wiring :

From FT232RL to Arduino Pro Mini the wiring is done as following :

      FT232RL > Arduino

• DTR > DTR
• RX > TXD
• TX > RXD
• VCC > VCC
• CTS > GND
• GND > GND

Then the FT232RL is connected to my Macbook Pro through USB Mini

The software / computer :

Install all the necessary drivers to allow the mac to use the FT232RL USB Serial : http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm (version 2.2.18 for Mac OS X)

Install the Arduino software : http://arduino.cc/en/pmwiki.php?n=main/software

At first i couldn't have a successful connection between the computer and the Arduino but after some trial and error here are the different settings/selections within the software :

Tools > Board > Arduino Pro or Pro Mini (5V, 16Mhz) w/ ATmega328

Tools > Serial Port > /dec/cu.usbserial-A50285BI (which i assume is the reference of my FT232RL)

Tools > Programmer > Arduino as ISP

I threw in a small blinking led program to test if the code went through :

// the setup function runs once when you press reset or power the board
void setup() {
  // initialize digital pin 13 as an output.
  pinMode(13, OUTPUT);
}
// the loop function runs over and over again forever
void loop() {
  digitalWrite(13, HIGH);   // turn the LED on (HIGH is the voltage level)
  delay(50);              // wait for a second
  digitalWrite(13, LOW);    // turn the LED off by making the voltage LOW
  delay(50);              // wait for a second
}

code source : arduino software example library

After verify the code, i then upload the sketch to my Arduino Pro Mini, here is the result :

And, bim the light is blinking fast ! Upload successful