Raspberry PI - how to use ultrasonic rangefinder with c++ (cpp)?

1. Connect rangefinder to Raspberry PI:

Raspberry PI B+

2. Download and install PiGPIO library to use GPIO:

$ wget abyz.me.uk/rpi/pigpio/pigpio.zip
$ unzip pigpio.zip
$ cd PIGPIO
$ make
$ sudo make install
$ rm pigpio.zip
$ sudo rm -rf PIGPIO

Note: for more details read official webpage: http://abyz.me.uk/rpi/pigpio/download.html

3. Create program.cpp file:

#include <pigpio.h>
#include <iostream>
#include <time.h>

#include <stdlib.h>
#include <sys/time.h>


using namespace std;


struct timeval tv;

double getTime()
{
	gettimeofday(&tv, NULL);

	return (double)tv.tv_sec + (double)tv.tv_usec * 0.000001;
}

// https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speed_of_sound
// https://www.google.com/search?q=343+m%2Fs+to+cm%2Fs&oq=343+m%2Fs+to+cm%2Fs&aqs=chrome..69i57j6.443j0j9&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8
int coefficient = 17150; // it should be selected experimentally - it is half of speed of sound in air in cm/s

int TRIG = 23; // BCM/GPIO pin number
int ECHO = 24; // BCM/GPIO pin number

void initializePins()
{
	gpioSetMode(TRIG, PI_OUTPUT);
	gpioSetMode(ECHO, PI_INPUT);
}

bool waitValue(int value, int limit = 10000) // use 1000000 to increase measurement distance
{
	for(int i = 0; gpioRead(ECHO) == value; ++i)
	{
		if(i >= limit)
			return false;
	}

	return true;
}

double detectDistance()
{
	gpioWrite(TRIG, 0); // reset rangefinder state
	usleep(500000); // wait for reset state - use 100000 to speedup program
	gpioWrite(TRIG, 1); // hi state runs rangefinder measurement
	usleep(10); // 10 us of hi level is necessary to start measurement - depended on rangefinder model 
	gpioWrite(TRIG, 0); // prepare rangefinder for measurement

	if(waitValue(0)) // wait until lo level is achieved on echo pin
	{
		double pulseStart = getTime();

		if(waitValue(1)) // wait until hi level is achieved on echo pin - hi level duration is proportional to distance
		{
			double pulseEnd = getTime();

			double duration = pulseEnd - pulseStart;
			double distance = duration * coefficient;

			return distance;
		}
	}

	cout << "Measurement error!"; 

	// Troubleshooting:
	// - check correctness of pin connection, 
	// - check supply in case of many devices connected,
	// - check maximal supported distance by rangefinder

	return 0.0 / 0.0;
}

int main () 
{
	if(gpioInitialise() < 0)
		cout << "PIGPIO initialisation failure!" << endl; 

	else
	{
		cout << "PIGPIO initialisation success!" << endl;

		initializePins();

		for(int i = 0; i < 100; ++i) // for example: 100 measurements
		{
			double distance = detectDistance();

			cout << "Distance: " << distance << "cm" << endl;
		}

		gpioTerminate();
	}

	return 0; 
}

4. Complile program

$ gcc -o program -lpigpio -lpthread -lrt program.cpp

5. Run program

$ ./program

Note: be sure that program has execution permissions; otherwise run:

$ chmod +x program

6. For QtCreator IDE pro file configuration can be used:

TEMPLATE = app
CONFIG += console
CONFIG -= qt

LIBS += -lpigpio -lpthread -lrt

SOURCES += program.cpp