Blog Home

New library folder (and compilation process) in Arduino 0017.

David MellisAugust 15th, 2009

As of Arduino 0017, you can install contributed libraries into the libraries sub-directory of your sketchbook directory. Moving libraries outside of the Arduino application directory means that the libraries will stay installed when you upgrade to a new release of the Arduino software. It also means that, on the Mac, you don’t need to search around inside the new Arduino.app to install a library.

Before installing your first library, you’ll need to create the libraries directory. Then, simply unzip the library into it. When you restart Arduino, the library should appear in the Sketch > Import Library menu. Any examples for the library should show up in the Files > Examples menu.

Your sketchbook is typically stored in a directory called Arduino in your documents directory. The exact location is shown in the preferences dialog in the Arduino software.

Extra note for developers and Linux users: In Arduino 0017, libraries are no longer pre-compiled when you make a selection from the board menu. Instead, they are compiled with your sketch, like the Arduino core. This means that you don’t need to delete .o files when making changes to a library’s source code. It also means that Arduino shouldn’t write to any files in its application directory, making it easier to install on Linux. Plus, there’s no more delay when switching boards.

Categories:Software

11 Responses to “New library folder (and compilation process) in Arduino 0017.”

  1. Marcel Says:

    Thanks for clarifying that. I was a bit puzzled when I download just the v17 app with no libraries etc.
    [m]

  2. daniel Says:

    This new version is perfect! Keep the great job arduinors 😛

  3. MacLo Says:

    I have a problem:
    I want add a library to 0017, but i dont understand how must do!!
    Where i must add the library? In a directory named “libreries”, but where??
    The library is “FrequencyTimer2”.

    Thanks guy!

  4. Dennis Clark Says:

    One problem that I see is that I no longer have visibility to the hardware folder where the bootloaders are kept and the setup files for burning them. I do a lot of my own boards and upgrade them to Arduino, but without those files and configurations I can’t burn new chips with the bootloaders.

    Thanks,
    DLC

  5. robbie Says:

    Just go to your sketchbook folder in Documents and create a folder named “Libraries” add the Library you need there and then re-open Arduino 0017 and it will show up in “import library” but your sketch should work automatically!

  6. Tom Says:

    I’m trying to add “TimerOne”. Using MAc G4, OS 10.4.11, Arduino 0017.
    Can’t find the “Sketchbook” folder, or the libraries folder.

  7. billbillt Says:

    I want to install this but I have no “sketchbook folder” nor a “Documents” folder to be found in Arduino 0018. Can anyone tell be where to find these things??
    Thanks!

  8. s upson Says:

    First, my email address is s.s.upson@gmail.com. Your message parser doesn’t think it’s real so I had to give it a fake one.

    Could someone please post a step-by-step process to use in order to look a published sketch file for the Arduino?

    I am trying to look at the code in last year’s Interactive Matter article on the AD7746. There are two files, one with a dash in the filename (which isn’t allowed?) and no extension, and the other with a .pde extension. I cannot open either file.

    For one thing, when I downloade the software it seems to think that my sketch folder is the Temp file where the zip file was downloaded to my computer. Why does it think that, and can I change it somehow to look in the Documents directory where it has already created a Arduino folder?

    I’m completely lost.

  9. dcuartielles Says:

    Hej, follow these steps:

    1 – create a blank file within Arduino’s IDE
    2 – copy the code from whatever website you are talking about (you should know Interactive Matter is NOT our blog 🙂 (I say it with a smile)
    3 – once you have pasted the code in the IDE, you can go to “File -> Save As” and give it whatever name you want, don’t change the folder shown by default

    The new file will now show up in “File -> Sketchbook” with the name you gave to it.

  10. PrairiePoet Says:

    For Mac users, go to your Applications folder, right click on the Arduino.app and select “Show Package Contents”. Then navigate through that to find the Library folder.

    I added to that and it worked fine and shows up in the Import Library menu selection.

  11. doniprasetyo331 Says:

    Then navigate through that to find the Library folder.

Leave a Reply

You must be logged in with your Arduino account to post a comment.