Book Image

Raspberry Pi for Python Programmers Cookbook - Second Edition

Book Image

Raspberry Pi for Python Programmers Cookbook - Second Edition

Overview of this book

Raspberry Pi cookbook for Python Programmers is a practical guide for getting the most out of this little computer. This book begins by guiding you through setting up the Raspberry Pi, performing tasks using Python 3 and introduces the first steps to interface with electronics. As you work through each chapter you will build up your skills and knowledge and apply them as you progress throughout the book, delving further and further into the unique abilities and features of the Raspberry Pi. Later, you will learn how to automate tasks by accessing files, build applications using the popular Tkinter library and create games by controlling graphics on screen. You will harness the power of the built-in graphics processor by using Pi3D to generate your own high quality 3D graphics and environments. Connect directly to the Raspberry Pi’s hardware pins to control electronics from switching on LEDs and responding to push buttons right through to driving motors and servos. Learn how to monitor sensors to gather real life data and to use it to control other devices, and view the results over the Internet. Apply what you have learnt by creating your own Pi-Rover or Pi-Hexipod robots. Finally, we will explore using many of the purpose built add-ons available for the Raspberry Pi, as well as interfacing with common household devices in new ways.
Table of Contents (18 chapters)
Raspberry Pi for Python Programmers Cookbook - Second Edition
Credits
About the Author
About the Reviewer
www.PacktPub.com
Preface
Hardware and Software List
Index

Reading analog data using an analog-to-digital converter


The I2CTools (used in the previous section) are very useful for debugging I2C devices on the command line, but they are not practical for use within Python, as they would be slow and require significant overhead to use. Fortunately, there are several Python libraries that provide I2C support, allowing efficient use of I2C to communicate with connected devices and provide easy operation.

We will use such a library to create our own Python module that will allow us to quickly and easily obtain data from the ADC device and use it in our programs. The module is designed in such a way that other hardware or data sources may be put in its place without impacting the remaining examples.

Getting ready

To use the I2C bus using Python 3, we will use Gordon Henderson's wiringPi2 (see http://wiringpi.com/ for more details).

The easiest way to install wiringPi2 is by using PIP for Python 3. PIP is a package manager for Python that works in a similar...