Arduino/build/shared/ArduinoSerialPlotterProtocol.md

SerialPlotter protocol

One message can consist of multiply parts. One part can consist of one label, one label and a value or only a value.

End of message symbol	\n
Part separator symbols	' '(space), '\t'(tab), ','(comma)
Label-value separator symbol	:

Valid messages are

Labels and value messages:

Label : Value					\n
Label 1 : Value 1	\t	Label 2 : Value 2			\n
Label 1 : Value 1	\t	Label 2 : Value 2	...	Label n : Value n	\n

Label only messages

Label:					\n
Label 1 :	\t	Label 2 :			\n
Label 1 :	\t	Label 2	...	Label n:	\n

There is a special case, the CSV header style.

Label 1	\t	Label 2	...	Label n	\n

But in this format, labels consisting of only numbers are not recognised as labels.
It is safer to just use the normal label only message.

Value only messages Value

This is not recommended if you using a board with USB to UART converter. Because when the label is sent, before you had the SerialPlotter opened, then the label/labels get/gets never set.

Value 1	\t	Value 2			\n
Value 1	\t	Value 2	...	Value n	\n

Examples

Single Trace without label

This example plots on line on serial plotter without setting a label

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  int sensorValue1 = analogRead(A0);
  
  Serial.println(sensorValue1);

  delay(100);
}

The output looks like this

10\n
11\n
12\n
13\n
14\n

Single Trace with label

This example sends the label once in the setup routine. Afterwards only the value is send.

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  Serial.println("Label 1:");
}

void loop() {
  int sensorValue1 = analogRead(A0);
  
  Serial.println(sensorValue1);

  delay(100);
}

The output looks like this

Label 1:\n
10\n
11\n
12\n
13\n
14\n

Single Trace with label send every time

This example sends the label every time together with the value.

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

void loop() {
  int sensorValue1 = analogRead(A0);
  
  Serial.print("Label 1:"); Serial.println(sensorValue1);

  delay(100);
}

The output looks like this

Label 1:10\n
Label 1:11\n
Label 1:12\n
Label 1:13\n
Label 1:14\n

Two Traces with label send every time

This example sends two values together with the labels.

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
}

float avg = 0;

void loop() {
  int sensorValue1 = analogRead(A0);
  
  // send lable and value seperated by ':'
  Serial.print("Value:"); Serial.print(sensorValue1);


  avg = (avg * 4 + analogRead(A0)) / 5.0;
  // send part devider '\t'
  Serial.print("\t");      
  // send the second lable and value
  Serial.print("AVG5:"); Serial.println(avg);


  delay(100);
}

The output looks like this

Value:377	AVG5:431.01
Value:338	AVG5:408.81
Value:392	AVG5:395.85
Value:583	AVG5:427.28
Value:221	AVG5:383.42
Value:195	AVG5:343.74
Value:202	AVG5:314.19
Value:209	AVG5:292.15