smr99 / pybricksdev

pybricksdev: Python Package with Pybricks developer tools

Pybricks tools & interface library

This is a package with tools for Pybricks developers. For regular users we recommend the Pybricks Code web IDE.

This package contains both command line tools and a library to call equivalent operations from within a Python script.

Installation

Requirements:

• pyenv: Used to locally install another version of Python without touching your system Python.
• poetry: Used to download and install all Python dependencies with the right versions.

Installation steps:

git clone https://github.com/pybricks/pybricksdev.git
cd pybricksdev
pyenv install 3.8.2 # You can skip this if you already have Python >=3.8.2
poetry install

Linux USB:

On Linux, udev rules are needed to allow access via USB. The pybricksdev command line tool contains a function to generate the required rules. Run the following:

poetry run pybricksdev udev | sudo tee /etc/udev/rules.d/99-pybricksdev.rules

Flashing Pybricks MicroPython firmware

Make sure the hub is off. Press and keep holding the hub button, and run:

poetry run pybricksdev flash ../pybricks-micropython/bricks/technichub/build/firmware.zip

Replace the example path with the path to the firmware archive. Decrease the delay d between data packages for faster transfer. Increase the delay if it fails.

You may release the button once the progress bar first appears.

The SPIKE Prime Hub and MINDSTORMS Robot Inventor Hub do not have a Bluetooth bootloader. It is recommended to install Pybricks using a Python script that runs on the hub. You can also flash the firmware manually using DFU.

Running Pybricks MicroPython programs

This compiles a MicroPython script and sends it to a hub with Pybricks firmware.

poetry run pybricksdev run --help

#
# ble connection examples:
#

# Run a one-liner on a Pybricks hub
poetry run pybricksdev run ble 'Pybricks Hub' 'print("Hello!"); print("world!");'

# Run script on the first device we find called Pybricks hub
poetry run pybricksdev run ble 'Pybricks Hub' demo/shortdemo.py

# Run script on 90:84:2B:4A:2B:75, skipping search
poetry run pybricksdev run ble 90:84:2B:4A:2B:75 demo/shortdemo.py

#
# Other connection examples:
#

# Run script on ev3dev at 192.168.0.102
poetry run pybricksdev run ssh 192.168.0.102 demo/shortdemo.py

# Run script on primehub at
poetry run pybricksdev run usb "Pybricks Hub" demo/shortdemo.py

Compiling Pybricks MicroPython programs without running

This can be used to compile programs. Instead of also running them as above, it just prints the output on the screen instead.

poetry run pybricksdev compile demo/shortdemo.py

poetry run pybricksdev compile "print('Hello!'); print('world!');"

This is mainly intended for developers who want to quickly inspect the contents of the .mpy file. To get the actual file, just use mpy-cross directly. We have used this tool in the past to test bare minimum MicroPython ports that have neither a builtin compiler or any form of I/O yet. You can paste the generated const uint8_t script[] directly ito your C code.