Arduino Servo mounted maze controlled by 4 buttons

OK, this one is a bit less impressive than I wanted it to be.  Then I found out that really cheap servos cannot take the weight of a decent sized maze.  So, plan B was to use a small maze as a 'proof of concept'.

Using 4 buttons for up, down, left and right to move the maze to get the bead from the start to the finish.

The code (which is below) is actually quite straight forward.  Most of my time was spend gluing bits of cardbaord together to make the various bits that are needed to mount the servos and the maze itself..

In case you need recommends on cardbaord the box that the bumper packs of pampers nappies come in are ideal.  (yes I have small kids)

Below is the code.  Be aware I'm more about getting the Arduino to do something and so the code will be a bit rough around the edges.  It works but I definitely do not consider it best practise or even efficent code.
Use at your own risk.

// Balance Table for Maze
// Winkleink
// 2011

// Pin 7 Left
// Pin 6 Right

//Pin 5 Up
//Pin 4 Down

// Pin 10 Servo - Up/Down
// Pin 9 Servo - Left/Right

// Library that makes working with Servos easier
#include <Servo.h>

// Set Button variables
int bLeft = 5;  // Left Button
int bRight = 4;  // Right Button
int bUp = 7;  // Up Button
int bDown = 6;  // Down Button

// Set Servo variables
Servo servoUD;  // Servo Up/Down on Pin 10 
Servo servoLR;  // Servo Left/Right on Pin 9

//Set Servo position variables
int posUD = 100;    // variable to store the Up/Down servo position
int posLR = 100;    // variable to store the Left/Right servo position

void setup()
{
  servoUD.attach(10);    // attaches the servo on pin 10 to the servo object
  servoLR.attach(9);    // attaches the servo on pin 9 to the servo object

  pinMode(bLeft,INPUT);  // bLeft - Left Button
  pinMode(bRight,INPUT);  // bRight - Right Button
  pinMode(bUp,INPUT);  // bUp - Up Button
  pinMode(bDown,INPUT);  // bDown - Down Button
} 

void loop()
{
// Position the Serrvo
// As the initial variable are center this also centers the table when it starts
servoUD.write(posUD);
servoLR.write(posLR);
 
if (digitalRead(bLeft) == HIGH){
posLR--;
}

if (digitalRead(bRight) == HIGH){
posLR++;
}

if (digitalRead(bUp) == HIGH){
posUD--;
}

if (digitalRead(bDown) == HIGH){
posUD++;
}

delay(50);
}

Arduino Servo Catapult

Decided to put my cardboard gluing skills to a new use and tried to build a catapult.
Did the whole cutting and gluing the tower and the arm,  Mounted the servo and did the coding.

Everything worked - except the servo is too slow so the projectile (the bead) just kind of falls out.

The code is very simple.
Read a button.
Move the servo and the arm
Pause
Reset the servo and the arm

Below is the code.  Be aware I'm more about getting the Arduino to do something and so the code will be a bit rough around the edges.  It works but I definitely do not consider it best practise or even efficent code.
Use at your own risk.

// Catapult
// Read a button press on pin 4
// and Sweep the servo on pin 10

#include <Servo.h>

int button4 = 4;  // Used to start servo10
Servo myservo10;  // create servo object to control a servo on pin10

void setup()
{
myservo10.attach(10);  // attaches the servo on pin 10 to the servo object
pinMode(button4,INPUT);  // button4 used to start myservo10
myservo10.write(180); // Put servo all the say back
}

void loop()
{
  // Check if button2 has been pressed
  if (digitalRead(button4) == HIGH){

    // Fire catapult - fully
  myservo10.write(80); // Put servo all the say back

  // Pause after firing
  delay(500);

  // Reset to all the way back
  myservo10.write(180); // Put servo all the say back
  }
}

8x8 LED Matrix Scrolling Message Changing In Serial Monitor

The classic scrolling message with the ability to enter a message from the serial monitor and while it is scrolling if you enter a lowercase 'a' in the monitor it stops and you can enter a new message.

To do this I created my own character set (reminds me of the olden days with my Commodore 64 - yes I am that old)

It took 3 evenings to create the character set and then 2 evening to create the code.  So, if you are looking to do something similar the code below with the character set defined may save you some time.

Below is the code.  Be aware I'm more about getting the Arduino to do something and so the code will be a bit rough around the edges.  It works but I definitely do not consider it best practise or even efficent code.
Use at your own risk.

// Control an 8x8 LED display with 2 x 74HC595 shift registers
// Using only 3 pins from the Arduino

// while condition variable
int whileVar = 0;

//Pin connected to Pin 12 of 74HC595 (Latch)
int latchPin = 8;

//Pin connected to Pin 11 of 74HC595 (Clock)
int clockPin = 12;

//Pin connected to Pin 14 of 74HC595 (Data)
int dataPin = 11;

uint8_t led[8];
uint8_t letters[672];
uint8_t currentdisplay[8];

long counter1 = 0;

// Current Character in the charMessage Array
int charMessageCurrent = 0;

// Current line in Letter
int lineLetter = 672;

//currentChar is the current character in the charMessage that is being chekced
char currentChar =32;

// Used to store the message instead of displayMessage
char charMessage[40];

// scrollMessage is array holding the message that will be displayed
uint8_t scrollMessage[480];

// Serial read Byte
int incomingByte = 0;

void setup() {

Serial.begin(9600);
 
// Seed Random Generator with noise from analog pin 0 
randomSeed(analogRead(0));
 
//set pins to output
pinMode(latchPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(clockPin, OUTPUT);
pinMode(dataPin, OUTPUT);

// Symbol [ ] space
letters[0] =  B00000000;
letters[1] =  B00000000;
letters[2] =  B00000000;
letters[3] =  B00000000;
letters[4] =  B00000000;
letters[5] =  B00000000;
letters[6] =  B00000000;
letters[7] =  B00000000;

// Symbol !
letters[8]  =  B00000000;
letters[9]  =  B00000000;
letters[10] =  B00000000;
letters[11] =  B00000000;
letters[12] =  B11110011;
letters[13] =  B00000000;
letters[14] =  B00000000;
letters[15] =  B00000000;

// Symbol "
letters[16] =  B00000000;
letters[17] =  B00000000;
letters[18] =  B00000000;
letters[19] =  B11100000;
letters[20] =  B00000000;
letters[21] =  B11100000;
letters[22] =  B00000000;
letters[23] =  B00000000;

// Symbol #
letters[24] =  B00000000;
letters[25] =  B00100100;
letters[26] =  B11111111;
letters[27] =  B00100100;
letters[28] =  B00100100;
letters[29] =  B00100100;
letters[30] =  B11111111;
letters[31] =  B00100100;

// Symbol $
letters[32] =  B00000000;
letters[33] =  B01001110;
letters[34] =  B10010001;
letters[35] =  B10010001;
letters[36] =  B11111111;
letters[37] =  B10010001;
letters[38] =  B10010001;
letters[39] =  B01100110;

// Symbol %
letters[40] =  B00000000;
letters[41] =  B10000111;
letters[42] =  B01000101;
letters[43] =  B00110111;
letters[44] =  B00011000;
letters[45] =  B11100100;
letters[46] =  B10000010;
letters[47] =  B11100001;

// Symbol &
letters[48] =  B00000000;
letters[49] =  B01100000;
letters[50] =  B10010101;
letters[51] =  B10010011;
letters[52] =  B10010101;
letters[53] =  B10011001;
letters[54] =  B01011001;
letters[55] =  B00111110;

// Symbol '
letters[56] =  B00000000;
letters[57] =  B00000000;
letters[58] =  B00000000;
letters[59] =  B11100000;
letters[60] =  B00000000;
letters[61] =  B00000000;
letters[62] =  B00000000;
letters[63] =  B00000000;

// Symbol (
letters[64] =  B00000000;
letters[65] =  B00000000;
letters[66] =  B10000001;
letters[67] =  B01000010;
letters[68] =  B00100100;
letters[69] =  B00011000;
letters[70] =  B00000000;
letters[71] =  B00000000;

// Symbol )
letters[72] =  B00000000;
letters[73] =  B00000000;
letters[74] =  B00011000;
letters[75] =  B00100100;
letters[76] =  B01000010;
letters[77] =  B10000001;
letters[78] =  B00000000;
letters[79] =  B00000000;

// Symbol *
letters[80] =  B00000000;
letters[81] =  B10010010;
letters[82] =  B01010100;
letters[83] =  B00111000;
letters[84] =  B11111111;
letters[85] =  B00111000;
letters[86] =  B01010100;
letters[87] =  B10010010;

// Symbol +
letters[88] =  B00000000;
letters[89] =  B00010000;
letters[90] =  B00010000;
letters[91] =  B00010000;
letters[92] =  B11111111;
letters[93] =  B00010000;
letters[94] =  B00010000;
letters[95] =  B00010000;

// Symbol ,
letters[96]  =  B00000000;
letters[97]  =  B00000000;
letters[98]  =  B00000000;
letters[99]  =  B00000110;
letters[100] =  B00000001;
letters[101] =  B00000000;
letters[102] =  B00000000;
letters[103] =  B00000000;

// Symbol -
letters[104] =  B00000000;
letters[105] =  B00000000;
letters[106] =  B00000000;
letters[107] =  B00010000;
letters[108] =  B00010000;
letters[109] =  B00010000;
letters[110] =  B00000000;
letters[111] =  B00000000;

// Symbol .
letters[112] =  B00000000;
letters[113] =  B00000000;
letters[114] =  B00000000;
letters[115] =  B00000011;
letters[116] =  B00000011;
letters[117] =  B00000000;
letters[118] =  B00000000;
letters[119] =  B00000000;

// Symbol /
letters[120] =  B00000000;
letters[121] =  B10000000;
letters[122] =  B01000000;
letters[123] =  B00100000;
letters[123] =  B00011000;
letters[125] =  B00000100;
letters[126] =  B00000010;
letters[127] =  B00000001;

// Number 0 - zero
letters[128] =  B00000000;
letters[129] =  B00111100;
letters[130] =  B01000010;
letters[131] =  B10100001;
letters[132] =  B10010001;
letters[133] =  B10001001;
letters[134] =  B01000010;
letters[135] =  B00111100;

// Number 1
letters[136] =  B00000000;
letters[137] =  B00000000;
letters[138] =  B00000001;
letters[139] =  B11111111;
letters[140] =  B01000001;
letters[141] =  B00100001;
letters[142] =  B00000000;
letters[143] =  B00000000;

// Number 2
letters[144] =  B00000000;
letters[145] =  B01100001;
letters[146] =  B10010001;
letters[147] =  B10001001;
letters[148] =  B10001001;
letters[149] =  B10000101;
letters[150] =  B10000011;
letters[141] =  B01100001;

// Number 3
letters[152] =  B00000000;
letters[153] =  B01111110;
letters[154] =  B10011001;
letters[155] =  B10011001;
letters[156] =  B10011001;
letters[157] =  B10000001;
letters[158] =  B10000001;
letters[159] =  B01000110;

// Number 4
letters[160] =  B00000000;
letters[161] =  B00000100;
letters[162] =  B11111111;
letters[163] =  B01000100;
letters[164] =  B00100100;
letters[165] =  B00010100;
letters[166] =  B00001100;
letters[167] =  B00000100;

// Number 5
letters[168] =  B00000000;
letters[169] =  B10001110;
letters[170] =  B10010001;
letters[171] =  B10010001;
letters[172] =  B10010001;
letters[173] =  B10010001;
letters[174] =  B10010001;
letters[175] =  B11100010;

// Number 6
letters[176] =  B00000000;
letters[177] =  B01001110;
letters[178] =  B10010001;
letters[179] =  B10010001;
letters[180] =  B10010001;
letters[181] =  B10010001;
letters[182] =  B10010001;
letters[183] =  B01111110;

// Number 7
letters[184] =  B00000000;
letters[185] =  B11100000;
letters[186] =  B10010000;
letters[187] =  B10001000;
letters[188] =  B10000111;
letters[189] =  B00000000;
letters[190] =  B00000000;
letters[191] =  B00000000;

// Number 8
letters[192] =  B00000000;
letters[193] =  B01100110;
letters[194] =  B10011001;
letters[195] =  B10011001;
letters[196] =  B10011001;
letters[197] =  B10011001;
letters[198] =  B10011001;
letters[199] =  B01100110;

// Number 9
letters[200] =  B00000000;
letters[201] =  B01111110;
letters[202] =  B10001001;
letters[203] =  B10001001;
letters[204] =  B10001001;
letters[205] =  B10001001;
letters[206] =  B10001001;
letters[207] =  B01110010;

// Symbol :
letters[208] =  B00000000;
letters[209] =  B00000000;
letters[210] =  B00000000;
letters[211] =  B00000000;
letters[212] =  B01100110;
letters[213] =  B00000000;
letters[214] =  B00000000;
letters[215] =  B00000000;

// Symbol ;
letters[216] =  B00000000;
letters[217] =  B00000000;
letters[218] =  B00000000;
letters[219] =  B00000000;
letters[220] =  B01100110;
letters[221] =  B00000001;
letters[222] =  B00000000;
letters[223] =  B00000000;

// Symbol <
letters[224] =  B00000000;
letters[225] =  B00000000;
letters[226] =  B00000000;
letters[227] =  B10000010;
letters[228] =  B01000100;
letters[229] =  B00101000;
letters[230] =  B00010000;
letters[231] =  B00000000;

// Symbol =
letters[232] =  B00000000;
letters[233] =  B00000000;
letters[234] =  B00000000;
letters[235] =  B00100100;
letters[236] =  B00100100;
letters[237] =  B00100100;
letters[238] =  B00100100;
letters[239] =  B00000000;

// Symbol >
letters[240] =  B00000000;
letters[241] =  B00000000;
letters[242] =  B00010000;
letters[243] =  B00101000;
letters[244] =  B01000100;
letters[245] =  B10000010;
letters[246] =  B00000000;
letters[247] =  B00000000;

// Symbol ?
letters[248] =  B00000000;
letters[249] =  B00000000;
letters[250] =  B01100000;
letters[251] =  B10010000;
letters[252] =  B10001101;
letters[253] =  B10000000;
letters[254] =  B01100000;
letters[255] =  B00000000;

// Symbol @
letters[256] =  B00000000;
letters[257] =  B01111000;
letters[258] =  B10100101;
letters[259] =  B10100101;
letters[260] =  B10100101;
letters[261] =  B10011001;
letters[262] =  B10000001;
letters[263] =  B01011110;

// Letter A
letters[264] = B00000000;
letters[265] = B00111111;
letters[266] = B01001000;
letters[267] = B10001000;
letters[268] = B10001000;
letters[269] = B10001000;
letters[270] = B01001000;
letters[271] = B00111111;

// Letter B
letters[272]  = B00000000;
letters[273]  = B01110110;
letters[274] = B10001001;
letters[275] = B10001001;
letters[276] = B10001001;
letters[277] = B10001001;
letters[278] = B10001001;
letters[279] = B11111111;

// Letter C
letters[280] = B00000000;
letters[281] = B00100100;
letters[282] = B01000010;
letters[283] = B10000001;
letters[284] = B10000001;
letters[285] = B10000001;
letters[286] = B01000010;
letters[287] = B00111100;

// Letter D
letters[288] = B00000000;
letters[289] = B00111100;
letters[290] = B01000010;
letters[291] = B10000001;
letters[292] = B10000001;
letters[293] = B10000001;
letters[294] = B10000001;
letters[295] = B11111111;

// Letter E
letters[296] = B00000000;
letters[297] = B10000001;
letters[298] = B10000001;
letters[299] = B10010001;
letters[300] = B10010001;
letters[301] = B10010001;
letters[302] = B10010001;
letters[303] = B11111111;


// Letter F
letters[304] = B00000000;
letters[305] = B10000000;
letters[306] = B10000000;
letters[307] = B10010000;
letters[308] = B10010000;
letters[309] = B10010000;
letters[310] = B10010000;
letters[311] = B11111111;

// Letter G
letters[312] = B00000000;
letters[313] = B00101100;
letters[314] = B01001010;
letters[315] = B10001001;
letters[316] = B10000001;
letters[317] = B10000001;
letters[318] = B01000010;
letters[319] = B00111100;

// Letter H
letters[320] = B00000000;
letters[321] = B11111111;
letters[322] = B00001000;
letters[323] = B00001000;
letters[324] = B00001000;
letters[325] = B00001000;
letters[326] = B00001000;
letters[327] = B11111111;

// Letter I
letters[328] = B00000000;
letters[329] = B00000000;
letters[330] = B10000001;
letters[331] = B10000001;
letters[332] = B11111111;
letters[333] = B10000001;
letters[334] = B10000001;
letters[335] = B00000000;

// Letter J
letters[336] = B00000000;
letters[337] = B10000000;
letters[338] = B10000000;
letters[339] = B11111100;
letters[340] = B10000010;
letters[341] = B10000001;
letters[342] = B10000001;
letters[343] = B10000010;

// Letter K
letters[344] = B00000000;
letters[345] = B10000001;
letters[346] = B01000010;
letters[347] = B00100100;
letters[348] = B00011000;
letters[349] = B00001000;
letters[350] = B00000100;
letters[351] = B11111111;

// Letter L
letters[352] = B00000000;
letters[353] = B00000001;
letters[354] = B00000001;
letters[355] = B00000001;
letters[356] = B00000001;
letters[357] = B00000001;
letters[358] = B00000001;
letters[359] = B11111111;

// Letter M
letters[360] =  B00000000;
letters[361] =  B01111111;
letters[362] =  B10000000;
letters[363] =  B10000000;
letters[364] = B01110000;
letters[365] = B10000000;
letters[366] = B10000000;
letters[367] = B01111111;

// Letter N
letters[368] =  B00000000;
letters[369] =  B11111111;
letters[370] =  B00000010;
letters[371] =  B00000100;
letters[372] =  B00011000;
letters[373] =  B00100000;
letters[374] =  B01000000;
letters[375] =  B11111111;

// Letter 0
letters[376] =  B00000000;
letters[377] =  B00111100;
letters[378] =  B01000010;
letters[379] =  B10000001;
letters[380] =  B10000001;
letters[381] =  B10000001;
letters[382] =  B01000010;
letters[383] =  B00111100;

// Letter P
letters[384] =  B00000000;
letters[385] =  B00110000;
letters[386] =  B01001000;
letters[387] =  B10000100;
letters[388] =  B10000100;
letters[389] =  B10000100;
letters[390] =  B10000100;
letters[391] =  B11111111;

// Letter Q
letters[392] =  B00000000;
letters[393] =  B00111101;
letters[394] =  B01000010;
letters[395] =  B10000101;
letters[396] =  B10001001;
letters[397] =  B10000001;
letters[398] =  B01000010;
letters[399] =  B00111100;

// Letter R
letters[400] =  B00000000;
letters[401] =  B00110001;
letters[402] =  B01001010;
letters[403] =  B10000100;
letters[404] =  B10000100;
letters[405] =  B10000100;
letters[406] =  B10000100;
letters[407] =  B11111111;

// Letter S
letters[408] =  B00000000;
letters[409] =  B01001110;
letters[410] =  B10010001;
letters[411] =  B10010001;
letters[412] =  B10010001;
letters[413] =  B10010001;
letters[414] =  B10010001;
letters[415] =  B01100110;

// Letter T
letters[416] =  B00000000;
letters[417] =  B10000000;
letters[418] =  B10000000;
letters[419] =  B10000000;
letters[420] =  B11111111;
letters[421] =  B10000000;
letters[422] =  B10000000;
letters[423] =  B10000000;

// Letter U
letters[424] =  B00000000;
letters[425] =  B11111100;
letters[426] =  B00000010;
letters[427] =  B00000001;
letters[428] =  B00000001;
letters[429] =  B00000001;
letters[430] =  B00000010;
letters[431] =  B11111100;

// Letter V
letters[432] =  B00000000;
letters[433] =  B11111000;
letters[434] =  B00000100;
letters[435] =  B00000010;
letters[436] =  B00000001;
letters[437] =  B00000010;
letters[438] =  B00000100;
letters[439] =  B11111000;

// Letter W
letters[440] =  B00000000;
letters[441] =  B11111110;
letters[442] =  B00000001;
letters[443] =  B00000001;
letters[444] =  B00001110;
letters[445] =  B00000001;
letters[446] =  B00000001;
letters[447] =  B11111110;

// Letter X
letters[448] =  B00000000;
letters[449] =  B10000001;
letters[450] =  B01000010;
letters[451] =  B00100100;
letters[452] =  B00011000;
letters[453] =  B00100100;
letters[454] =  B01000010;
letters[455] =  B10000001;

// Letter Y
letters[456] =  B00000000;
letters[457] =  B10000000;
letters[458] =  B01000000;
letters[459] =  B00100000;
letters[460] =  B00011111;
letters[461] =  B00100000;
letters[462] =  B01000000;
letters[463] =  B10000000;

// Letter Z
letters[464] =  B00000000;
letters[465] =  B10000001;
letters[466] =  B11000001;
letters[467] =  B10100001;
letters[468] =  B10010001;
letters[469] =  B10001001;
letters[470] =  B10000101;
letters[471] =  B10000011;

// Symbol !
letters[472] =  B00000000;
letters[473] =  B00000000;
letters[474] =  B00000000;
letters[475] =  B00000000;
letters[476] =  B11110011;
letters[477] =  B00000000;
letters[478] =  B00000000;
letters[479] =  B00000000;

// Symbol "
letters[480] =  B00000000;
letters[481] =  B00000000;
letters[482] =  B00000000;
letters[483] =  B11100000;
letters[484] =  B00000000;
letters[485] =  B11100000;
letters[486] =  B00000000;
letters[487] =  B00000000;

// Symbol #
letters[488] =  B00000000;
letters[489] =  B00100100;
letters[490] =  B11111111;
letters[491] =  B00100100;
letters[492] =  B00100100;
letters[493] =  B00100100;
letters[494] =  B11111111;
letters[495] =  B00100100;

// Symbol $
letters[496] =  B00000000;
letters[497] =  B01001110;
letters[498] =  B10010001;
letters[499] =  B10010001;
letters[500] =  B11111111;
letters[501] =  B10010001;
letters[502] =  B10010001;
letters[503] =  B01100110;

// Symbol %
letters[504] =  B00000000;
letters[505] =  B00000000;
letters[506] =  B01000110;
letters[507] =  B00110000;
letters[508] =  B00011000;
letters[509] =  B00000100;
letters[510] =  B01100010;
letters[511] =  B00000001;

// Symbol &
letters[512] =  B00000000;
letters[513] =  B00000000;
letters[514] =  B00000101;
letters[515] =  B01000010;
letters[516] =  B10100101;
letters[517] =  B10101001;
letters[518] =  B01010001;
letters[519] =  B00101110;

// Symbol '
letters[520] =  B00000000;
letters[521] =  B00000000;
letters[522] =  B00000000;
letters[523] =  B11100000;
letters[524] =  B00000000;
letters[525] =  B00000000;
letters[526] =  B00000000;
letters[527] =  B00000000;

// Symbol (
letters[528] =  B00000000;
letters[529] =  B00000000;
letters[530] =  B10000001;
letters[531] =  B01000010;
letters[532] =  B00100100;
letters[533] =  B00011000;
letters[534] =  B00000000;
letters[535] =  B00000000;

// Symbol )
letters[536] =  B00000000;
letters[537] =  B00000000;
letters[538] =  B00011000;
letters[539] =  B00100100;
letters[540] =  B01000010;
letters[541] =  B10000001;
letters[542] =  B00000000;
letters[543] =  B00000000;

// Symbol *
letters[544] =  B00000000;
letters[545] =  B10010010;
letters[546] =  B01010100;
letters[547] =  B00111000;
letters[548] =  B11111111;
letters[549] =  B00111000;
letters[550] =  B01010100;
letters[551] =  B10010010;

// Symbol +
letters[552] =  B00000000;
letters[553] =  B00010000;
letters[554] =  B00010000;
letters[555] =  B00010000;
letters[556] =  B11111111;
letters[557] =  B00010000;
letters[558] =  B00010000;
letters[559] =  B00010000;

// Symbol '
letters[560] =  B00000000;
letters[561] =  B00000000;
letters[562] =  B00000000;
letters[563] =  B11000000;
letters[564] =  B00100000;
letters[565] =  B00000000;
letters[566] =  B00000000;
letters[567] =  B00000000;

// Symbol -
letters[568] =  B00000000;
letters[569] =  B00000000;
letters[570] =  B00000000;
letters[571] =  B00010000;
letters[572] =  B00010000;
letters[573] =  B00010000;
letters[574] =  B00000000;
letters[575] =  B00000000;

// Symbol .
letters[576] =  B00000000;
letters[577] =  B00000000;
letters[578] =  B00000000;
letters[579] =  B00000011;
letters[580] =  B00000011;
letters[581] =  B00000000;
letters[582] =  B00000000;
letters[583] =  B00000000;

// Symbol /
letters[584] =  B00000000;
letters[585] =  B10000000;
letters[586] =  B01000000;
letters[587] =  B00100000;
letters[588] =  B00011000;
letters[589] =  B00000100;
letters[590] =  B00000010;
letters[591] =  B00000001;

// Number 0 - zero
letters[592] =  B00000000;
letters[593] =  B00111100;
letters[594] =  B01000010;
letters[595] =  B10100001;
letters[596] =  B10010001;
letters[597] =  B10001001;
letters[598] =  B01000010;
letters[599] =  B00111100;

// Number 1
letters[600] =  B00000000;
letters[601] =  B00000000;
letters[602] =  B00000001;
letters[603] =  B11111111;
letters[604] =  B01000001;
letters[605] =  B00100001;
letters[606] =  B00000000;
letters[607] =  B00000000;

// Number 2
letters[608] =  B00000000;
letters[609] =  B01100001;
letters[610] =  B10010001;
letters[611] =  B10001001;
letters[612] =  B10001001;
letters[613] =  B10000101;
letters[614] =  B10000011;
letters[615] =  B01100001;

// Number 3
letters[616] =  B00000000;
letters[617] =  B01111110;
letters[618] =  B10011001;
letters[619] =  B10011001;
letters[620] =  B10011001;
letters[621] =  B10000001;
letters[622] =  B10000001;
letters[623] =  B01000110;

// Number 4
letters[624] =  B00000000;
letters[625] =  B00000100;
letters[626] =  B11111111;
letters[627] =  B01000100;
letters[628] =  B00100100;
letters[629] =  B00010100;
letters[630] =  B00001100;
letters[631] =  B00000100;

// Number 5
letters[632] =  B00000000;
letters[633] =  B10001110;
letters[634] =  B10010001;
letters[635] =  B10010001;
letters[636] =  B10010001;
letters[637] =  B10010001;
letters[638] =  B10010001;
letters[639] =  B11100010;

// Number 6
letters[640] =  B00000000;
letters[641] =  B01001110;
letters[642] =  B10010001;
letters[643] =  B10010001;
letters[644] =  B10010001;
letters[645] =  B10010001;
letters[646] =  B10010001;
letters[647] =  B01111110;

// Number 7
letters[648] =  B00000000;
letters[649] =  B11100000;
letters[650] =  B10010000;
letters[651] =  B10001000;
letters[652] =  B10000111;
letters[653] =  B00000000;
letters[654] =  B00000000;
letters[655] =  B00000000;

// Number 8
letters[656] =  B00000000;
letters[657] =  B01100110;
letters[658] =  B10011001;
letters[659] =  B10011001;
letters[660] =  B10011001;
letters[661] =  B10011001;
letters[662] =  B10011001;
letters[663] =  B01100110;

// Number 9
letters[664] =  B00000000;
letters[665] =  B01111110;
letters[666] =  B10001001;
letters[667] =  B10001001;
letters[668] =  B10001001;
letters[669] =  B10001001;
letters[670] =  B10001001;
letters[671] =  B01110010;


for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++){
  led[i] = letters[i];
  currentdisplay[i] = letters[i];
  }
}

void loop() {

// Clear the screen before starting
for (int i=448; i <456; i++){
  led[i-448] = letters[i];
  currentdisplay[i-448] = letters[i];;
}
screenUpdate();

// Reseting variables
whileVar = 0;
counter1 = 0;
charMessageCurrent = 0;
lineLetter = 672;
currentChar =32;

//  Start Reading the Serial Data

while (whileVar ==0){
screenUpdate();
 
// send data only when you receive data:
    if (Serial.available() > 0) {
        // read the incoming byte:
        incomingByte = Serial.read();

                // If the byte read is an 'a' stop, otherwise add the byte to the string
                if (incomingByte ==97){
                whileVar =1;
                }
                else
                {
                charMessage[charMessageCurrent] = incomingByte;
                charMessageCurrent++;
                } 
        }
}

// End Reading Serial Data 
 

// prints charMessage
Serial.write("charMessage is: ");

for (int i=0; i<charMessageCurrent; i++){
Serial.write(charMessage[i]);
}
Serial.println("");

// Making the first 8 Bytes - character a space
for(int i =0; i <8; i++){
  scrollMessage[i] = B00000000;
}
// Move counter1 to 8 so that the space stays in place
counter1=8; 
 
for (int i=0; i < charMessageCurrent; i++){
currentChar = charMessage[i];

for (int x=7; x >= 0; x--){
  scrollMessage[counter1] = letters[((currentChar-32)*8)+x];
  counter1++;
  }
}
// End Sorting out the message for scrolling

// Clear the screen before starting
for (int i=0; i <8 ; i++){
  led[i] = B00000000;
  currentdisplay[i] = B00000000;;
}
screenUpdate();

// Reseting current1 to 0 as it is used for the delay in the code below
counter1=0;

// Resetting whileVar so it can be used again
whileVar=0;

while (whileVar ==0)
{
// Check if I enter just an a - lower case a to exit the system
    if (Serial.available() > 0) {
        // read the incoming byte:
        incomingByte = Serial.read();

                // If the byte read is an 'a' stop, otherwise add the byte to the string
                if (incomingByte ==97){
                whileVar =1;
                }
        }  
// counter1 used for delay in animation
counter1++;

// set the LEDs
screenUpdate();

// Loop for the action - counter1 used for the delay in scrolling
if (counter1 >= 25) {
counter1 = 0;
lineLetter++;

if (lineLetter >(((charMessageCurrent)*8)+7)){
  lineLetter = 0;
  }
// Do scrolling

for (int i = 8; i > 0; i--){
  led[i] = currentdisplay[i-1];
  }
led[0] = scrollMessage[lineLetter];

for (int i=0; i <8; i++){
  currentdisplay[i] = led[i];
  }

}

}

}

void screenUpdate() {
uint8_t row = B00000001;

for (byte k = 0; k < 9; k++) {
// Open up the latch ready to receive data
digitalWrite(latchPin, LOW);
shiftIt(~row );
shiftIt(led[k] ); // LED array

// Close the latch, sending the data in the registers out to the matrix
digitalWrite(latchPin, HIGH);
row = row << 1;
  }
}

void shiftIt(byte dataOut) {
// Shift out 8 bits LSB first,
// on rising edge of clock

boolean pinState;

//clear shift register read for sending data
digitalWrite(dataPin, LOW);

// for each bit in dataOut send out a bit
for (int i=0; i<8; i++) {

  //set clockPin to LOW prior to sending bit
digitalWrite(clockPin, LOW);

// if the value of DataOut and (logical AND) a bitmask
// are true, set pinState to 1 (HIGH)
if ( dataOut & (1<<i) ) {
pinState = HIGH;
}
else {
  pinState = LOW;
}

//sets dataPin to HIGH or LOW depending on pinState
digitalWrite(dataPin, pinState);

//send bit out on rising edge of clock
digitalWrite(clockPin, HIGH);
digitalWrite(dataPin, LOW);
}

//stop shifting
digitalWrite(clockPin, LOW);
}