I am doing a pretty simple arduino project that uses a Parallax Ping Ultrasonic Sensor to increment a counter when an object moves past the desired distance. (object leaves, counter goes up, object comes back, this loops forever). My problem is now that every time i run this.. the serial monitor just shows me Count: 1 over and over again and does not increment. Any help would be appreciated!

example of what i want the Serial Monitor to write: Count:0 Count:1 Count:2 ....

What it is currently doing: Count:0 Count:0 Count:0

code : http://pastebin.com/pPBGv7uz

I am doing a pretty simple arduino project that uses a Parallax Ping Ultrasonic Sensor to increment a counter when an object moves past the desired distance. (object leaves, counter goes up, object comes back, this loops forever). My problem is now that every time i run this.. the serial monitor just shows me Count: 1 over and over again and does not increment. Any help would be appreciated!

example of what i want the Serial Monitor to write: Count:0 Count:1 Count:2 ....

What it is currently doing: Count:0 Count:0 Count:0

const int pingPin = 7;
 
void setup() {
  // initialize serial communication:
  Serial.begin(9600);
}
 
void loop()
{
  // establish variables for duration of the ping,
  // and the distance result in inches and centimeters:
  long duration, inches, cm, count;
 
  // The PING))) is triggered by a HIGH pulse of 2 or more microseconds.
  // Give a short LOW pulse beforehand to ensure a clean HIGH pulse:
  pinMode(pingPin, OUTPUT);
  digitalWrite(pingPin, LOW);
  delayMicroseconds(2);
  digitalWrite(pingPin, HIGH);
  delayMicroseconds(5);
  digitalWrite(pingPin, LOW);
 
  // The same pin is used to read the signal from the PING))): a HIGH
  // pulse whose duration is the time (in microseconds) from the sending
  // of the ping to the reception of its echo off of an object.
  pinMode(pingPin, INPUT);
  duration = pulseIn(pingPin, HIGH);
 
    // convert the time into a distance
  inches = microsecondsToInches(duration);
  cm = microsecondsToCentimeters(duration);
// count = 1;
 
 if (inches > 5)
{
  Serial.print("Count: ");
  Serial.print(count);
  Serial.print('\n');
  delay(1000);
        count++;
 
}
 
}
 
 
long microsecondsToInches(long microseconds)
{
  return microseconds / 74 / 2;
}
 
long microsecondsToCentimeters(long microseconds)
{
 
  return microseconds / 29 / 2;
}