linux-setup
This guide offers resources for installing the Arduino IDE and troubleshooting issues on Linux systems.
No Driver Required
Fortunately for Linux users the microcontroller driver is almost certainly built into your Linux distribution. This means it should be recognized immediately after plugging it in. If not, we'll discuss some solutions in the troubleshooting section below.
Downloading the IDE
In order to send coding instructions to the microcontroller you will need to download the open-source Integrated Development Environment (IDE). You can find the latest version at the arduino.cc downloads page:
Installing the IDE
To install simply extract the package to your desired location and run the install script from a terminal. If you are new to installing Linux packages you can check out this helpful guide at the Arduino Website.
Selecting the Microcontroller from the IDE
With your microcontroller connected by USB, select Tools > Port > /dev/ttyUSB*
If you are unable to select the microcontroller port, see below.
Troubleshooting
If you receive the following error while trying to upload a sketch after selecting the serial port:
avrdude: ser_open(): can't open device "/dev/ttyUSB0": Permission denied
Try opening a terminal and entering:
sudo chmod 666 /dev/ttyUSB0
This allows all users on your system to read and write to the device.
Similarly, if you receive an error like this while trying to upload after selecting the serial port:
Error opening serial port...
Try the "Please Read" section of the Arduino Linux Guide for a possible solution.Try opening a terminal and entering:
In the event your system is completely unable to communicate with the microcontroller, you can try this Linux CH340 Driver (8 KB) but it is recommended that you upgrade your Linux distribution to get the 'built-in' one.
If you have any questions, suggestions, or encounter any issues not covered here, please send them our way at support@makexchange.com
