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

Sensing and sending data to online services


In this section, we shall make use of an online service called Xively; the service allows us to connect, transmit, and view data online. Xively makes use of a common protocol that is used for transferring information over HTTP called REpresentational State Transfer (REST). REST is used by many services, such as Facebook and Twitter, using various keys and access tokens to ensure data is transferred securely between authorized applications and verified sites.

You can perform most REST operations (methods such as POST, GET, SET, and so on) manually using a Python library called requests (http://docs.python-requests.org).

However, it is often easier to make use of specific libraries available for the service you intend to use. They will handle the authorization process; provide access functions; and, if the service changes, the library can be updated rather than your code.

We will use the xively-python library, which provides Python functions to allow...