Need help with calculator logic

Question

I am trying to build a calculator with an Arduino, an LCD display, and a keypad. Getting inputs from the keypad is not the issue. Before I can add, subtract, multiply, or divide any two numbers, I want to make sure the calculator registered the given number. I am trying to program it (so far) so that I type in a number and press enter (the @ sign I assigned to my keypad) and the LCD prints out that number. As you will see, I attempted to devise a logic mechanism for the Arduino to recognize the typed number.

I thought since as you type more numbers the value of the first number typed increases by 10 fold each time (if you start by pressing 4 then if you press another number such as 5 following it, that 4 will become 40, and 400 if another number is pressed, etc...) I could multiply that number (and every following number) by 10, 100, 100, etc...

But it doesn't work and I need help so that the number can be collected by the Arduino.

Here's my attempt at it:

    #include <LiquidCrystal.h>
    #include "Arduino.h"
    #include "Keypad.h"

    int count = 0;
    int row = 0;
    int column = 0;

    //const int buzzer = 0;

    int value1;
    int value2 = 0;

    int spot1 = 0;
    int spot2 = 0;
    int spot3 = 0;
    int spot4 = 0;
    int spot5 = 0;
    int spot6 = 0;
    int spot7 = 0;
    int spot8 = 0;

    LiquidCrystal lcd(1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 );

    const byte ROWS = 4; //four rows
    const byte COLS = 3; //three columns
    char keys[ROWS][COLS] = {
      {'1','2','3'},
      {'4','5','6'},
      {'7','8','9'},
      {'%','0','@'}
    };
    byte rowPins[ROWS] = {10, 9, 8, 7}; //connect to the row pinouts of the 
    keypad
    byte colPins[COLS] = {13, 12, 11}; //connect to the column pinouts of 
    the keypad
    Keypad keypad = Keypad( makeKeymap(keys), rowPins, colPins, ROWS, COLS 
    );

    void setup() {
      //pinMode(buzzer, OUTPUT);
      lcd.begin(16,2);
      lcd.print("---Calculator---");
      delay(2000);
      lcd.clear();
      lcd.print("Value1: ");
      lcd.blink();

    }

    void loop() {
char key = keypad.getKey();

if(key != NO_KEY){
  lcd.print(key);
  if(key != '%' && key != '@'){
    count++;
  }
  else if(count == 1){
    spot1 = key;
  }
  else if(count == 2){
    spot2 = key;
  }
  else if(count == 3){
    spot3 = key;
  }
  else if(count == 4){
    spot4 = key;
  }
  else if(count == 5){
    spot5=key;
  }
  else if(count == 6){
    spot6=key;
  }
  else if(count == 7){
    spot7=key;
  }
  else if(count == 8){
    spot8=key;
  }

  if(key=='@'){
    if(count == 1){
      value1 = spot1;
    }
    else if(count == 2){
      value1 = (spot1*10)+(spot2);
    }
    else if(count == 3){
      value1 = (spot1*100)+(spot2*10)+spot3;
    }
    if(count == 4){
      value1 = (spot1*1000)+(spot2*100)+(spot3*10)+spot4;
    }
    if(count == 5){
      value1 = (spot1*10000)+(spot2*1000)+(spot3*100)+(spot4*10)+spot5;
    }
    if(count == 6){
      value1 = (spot1*100000)+(spot2*10000)+(spot3*1000)+(spot4*100)+(spot5*10)+spot6;
    }
    if(count == 7){
    }
    if(count == 8){
    }
    lcd.print(value1);
  }












  if(key  == '%'){
    count = 0;
    lcd.clear();
    lcd.print("Value1: ");
    lcd.blink();
  }
}

}

PS: If you know any better way to accomplish this goal, I would love to hear it.

Answer 1

If your keypad setup results in '%' and '@' arriving correctly, then it probably also results in the characters '0', '1', ... '9' arriving when number keys are pressed, rather than digit values 0, 1, ... 9 arriving.

Be that as it may, there's a far simpler approach to building value1 which does not use a big set of spot values like your method does. Here is an illustration of it.

// ... Before number input, zero out a number-accumulator variable
long int nin = 0;

do {
  key = keypad.getKey();
  if (key != NO_KEY) {
    lcd.print(key);
    // As number keys are pressed, add them to tail of number
    if (key >= '0' && '9' >= key) {
      nin = 10*nin + (key & 0xF);   // Get low 4 bits of key
    }
  }
  if (key == '@') {
    lcd.print("Value = ");
    lcd.print(nin);
    // ... do whatever else with value
    // ... then get ready for next value
    nin = 0;
  }
} while (1);

Answer 2

if(key != '%' && key != '@'){
  count++;
}
else if(count == 1){
  spot1 = key;
}
else if(count == 2){
  spot2 = key;
}

You've got a problem here. If key isn't '%' and isn't '@' then you increase count but since all the rest are else if to that then it skips over all of them and never actually puts the digit int the spot.