Turtle Art to read/write USB

[tonyforster]

Another one for the wish list. It would be really cool if TA could interface via USB to devices like accelerometers and weather stations. Possibly best implemented as sample python code for the programmable block.

[walter]

The Arduino fork is a good example of this. But yes, in general, I think it is a matter of putting some sample code into tamyblock.py. We could accumulate a library of examples for popular devices.

[tonyforster]

See volumesmanager.py and HAL for possible ideas? (that's where USB gets mounted in journal?)

[tonyforster]

python block code, serial

[tonyforster]

ta code for serial io

[tonyforster]

screenshot

[tonyforster]

Three files attached, the python code reads and writes to a serial device on the USB
Tested with an Arduino running an echo program.
Need to copy the serial directory to turtleart.activity
Standard install of Pyserial fails because Sugar's Python does not have the developer tools
python setup.py install
unable to open /usr/lib/python2.6/config/Makefile (No such file or directory)
I copied the serial directory from TortugArdu  http://www.box.net/shared/bsf8tmj6al

should work wherever there is a FTDI FT232R USB to serial converter IC

more ideas at
 http://littlebirdelectronics.com/products/breakout-board-for-ft232rl-usb-to-serial
 http://www.chinwah-engineering.com/

[tonyforster]

arduino serial echo project file

[RafaelOrtiz]

One suggestion is to have or abstract the usb related code in TB's core, in order to make able for the plugins to use that, but not necessarily to have it in the plugin.

[walter]

Sorry to have taken so long with this. Will be part of v117 release.

 http://git.sugarlabs.org/turtleart/mainline/commit/0996701c39695e24fbb4992471ba5298f52a4fe6

[walter]

Fixed in v117

[tonyforster]

Thanks

Tested OK with the serial adaptor and the Arduino

It would be good if we could include in the comments, simple instructions on how to install the serial library. That's a bit beyond my skills.

Or as Rafael suggests, include the library code in TA

Still, its low priority.