diff --git a/.gitignore b/.gitignore
index f6d8cc1..a669a77 100644
--- a/.gitignore
+++ b/.gitignore
@@ -1,3 +1,5 @@
+.cache/
 .ccls-cache/
+.clangd
 build/
 compile_commands.json
diff --git a/Core/Src/main.cpp b/Core/Src/main.cpp
index 8bd0b38..352ae31 100644
--- a/Core/Src/main.cpp
+++ b/Core/Src/main.cpp
@@ -9,7 +9,8 @@
   * Copyright (c) 2025 STMicroelectronics.
   * All rights reserved.
   *
-  * This software is licensed under terms that can be found in the LICENSE file * in the root directory of this software component.
+  * This software is licensed under terms that can be found in the LICENSE file
+  * in the root directory of this software component.
   * If no LICENSE file comes with this software, it is provided AS-IS.
   *
   ******************************************************************************
@@ -21,9 +22,10 @@ extern "C" {
 
 /* Private includes ----------------------------------------------------------*/
 /* USER CODE BEGIN Includes */
-#include <stdio.h>
+//#include <stdio.h>
 } // end extern "C"
-
+#include <cstdio>
+#include <cstring>
 /* USER CODE END Includes */
 
 /* Private typedef -----------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -33,7 +35,7 @@ extern "C" {
 
 /* Private define ------------------------------------------------------------*/
 /* USER CODE BEGIN PD */
-#define Print2UART1 int __io_putchar(int data)
+#define Print2UART1 int __io_putchar(int data) // prints to serial monitor
 //float duty = 58.52 // (((2396*4096)*65534)/65534)*100
 //int duty = 59;
 float duty = 58.52;
@@ -59,11 +61,13 @@ float volts;
 /* USER CODE END PV */
 
 /* Private function prototypes -----------------------------------------------*/
+extern "C" {
 void SystemClock_Config(void);
 static void MX_GPIO_Init(void);
 static void MX_ADC1_Init(void);
 static void MX_TIM1_Init(void);
 static void MX_USART1_UART_Init(void);
+}
 /* USER CODE BEGIN PFP */
 
 /* USER CODE END PFP */
@@ -82,7 +86,6 @@ main(void)
 {
 
   /* USER CODE BEGIN 1 */
-
   /* USER CODE END 1 */
 
   /* MCU Configuration--------------------------------------------------------*/
@@ -115,14 +118,14 @@ main(void)
   while (1)
   {
     HAL_ADC_Start(&hadc1);
-    HAL_ADC_PollForConversion(&hadc1, 100);
+    HAL_ADC_PollForConversion(&hadc1, 100); //poll ADC1 periph, timeout 100ms
 
-    rawValue = (float)HAL_ADC_GetValue(&hadc1);
+    rawValue = HAL_ADC_GetValue(&hadc1);
 
     HAL_Delay(500);
 
     //volts = rawValue; // TODO change this to an actual conversion
-    volts = rawValue / duty;
+    volts = (float)rawValue / duty;
 
     //printf("The value is %hu volts.\r\n", volts);
     printf("The value is %f volts.\r\n", volts);
@@ -131,6 +134,7 @@ main(void)
 
     __HAL_TIM_SET_COMPARE(&htim1, TIM_CHANNEL_1, duty); // TODO dude what is going on
                                                         // rawValue/4096*65545
+                                                        // i think it works now?
     HAL_Delay(100);
     /* USER CODE END WHILE */
 
@@ -367,6 +371,7 @@ static void MX_GPIO_Init(void)
 }
 
 /* USER CODE BEGIN 4 */
+/*
 int
 __io_putchar(int ch)
 {
@@ -375,6 +380,15 @@ __io_putchar(int ch)
   //return ch;
   return (int)NULL;
 }
+*/
+
+extern "C" int
+__io_putchar(int ch)
+{
+  uint8_t c = ch; // we just want 1 byte
+  HAL_UART_Transmit(&huart1, &c, 1, HAL_MAX_DELAY);
+  return ch;
+}
 
 /* USER CODE END 4 */
 
@@ -406,3 +420,4 @@ void assert_failed(uint8_t *file, uint32_t line)
   /* USER CODE END 6 */
 }
 #endif /* USE_FULL_ASSERT */
+