Visual Studio Code Extension for Arduino is now open sourced

We are glad to share the news that the Visual Studio Code Extension for Arduino has been open sourced on GitHub.com at https://github.com/Microsoft/vscode-arduino!

The Arduino extension fully embraces the Arduino developer community and is almost fully compatible and consistent with the official Arduino IDE. On top of it, we added the most sought-after features, such as IntelliSense, Auto code completion, and on-device debugging for supported boards.

Here is a list of the core functionalities:

• IntelliSense and syntax highlighting for Arduino sketches
• Verify and upload your sketches in Visual Studio Code
• Built-in board and library manager
• Built-in example list
• Built-in serial monitor
• Snippets for sketches
• Automatic Arduino project scaffolding
• Command Palette (F1) integration of frequently used commands (e.g. Verify, Upload…)
• New Integrated Arduino Debugging

For Arduino extension users, you can directly download and install the extension from Visual Studio Code Marketplace at: https://aka.ms/arduino.

source: blogs.msdn.microsoft.com

Python run on Raspberry Pi (and PC running Ubuntu) to plot serial data from ESP8266/NodeMCU

Last post show a simple program run on ESP8266/NodeMCU to read Analog Input and send to Serial. And display the data on Raspberry Pi 3 using Arduino IDE Serial Plotted. This post show a Python example run on Raspberry Pi 3/Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL, to plot the serial data graphically using matplotlib library.

pyserialplot.py

import numpy as np
import matplotlib as mpl
import matplotlib.pyplot as plt
import matplotlib.animation as animation
import serial
import platform

print("Python version: " + platform.python_version())
print("matplotlib version: " + mpl.__version__)

fig, ax = plt.subplots()
line, = ax.plot(np.random.rand(10))
ax.set_ylim(0, 1030)
xdata, ydata = [0]*100, [0]*100
SerialIn = serial.Serial("/dev/ttyUSB0",9600)

def update(data):
    line.set_ydata(data)
    return line,

def run(data):
    global xdata, ydata
    x,y = data
    if (x == 0):
        xdata = [0]*100
        ydata = [0]*100
    del xdata[0]
    del ydata[0]
    xdata.append(x)
    ydata.append(y)
    line.set_data(xdata, ydata)
    return line,

def data_gen():
    x = 9
    while True:
        if (x >= 9):
            x = 0
        else:
            x += 0.1
            
        try:
            inRaw = SerialIn.readline()
            inInt = int(inRaw)
        except:
            inInt = 0
            
        yield x, inInt

ani = animation.FuncAnimation(fig, run, data_gen, interval=0, blit=True)
plt.show()

This python example can be run on both Python 2 and 3. To run this on Raspberry Pi/Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL, matplotlib library is need.

For Python 2:
$ sudo apt-get install python-matplotlib

For Python 3:
$ sudo apt-get install python3-matplotlib

In the following code, we have to get the port connected.
SerialIn = serial.Serial("/dev/ttyUSB0",9600)

In Raspberry Pi/Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL, it is /dev/ttyUSB0 normal. We can check it with:
$ ls /dev/ttyUSB0*

---

Run on Ubuntu:

The Python script work on PC/Ubuntu also. This video show running on Ubuntu 17.04/Payton 3.6 (actually behind Windows 10/VirtualBox).


In order to run with newest Python 3.6 on Ubuntu 17.04, you have to install Python 3.6 and corresponding IDLE and pip.

And install packages using command:
$ sudo python3.6 -m pip install numpy
$ sudo python3.6 -m pip install matplotlib
$ sudo python3.6 -m pip install pyserial

---

About Saving graph of matplotlib:

Suppose I can click the Save button on matplotlib navigation toolbar to save the graph to file (reference: matplotlib - Interactive navigation).

But when I test it on Raspberry Pi with matplotlib 1.4.2, it is not work.

When test it on PC running Ubuntu 17.04/Python 3.6 with matplotlib 2.0.2, I can save the graph. But the navigation toolbar disappear after saved.

ESP8266/NodeMCU read Analog Input and send to Raspberry Pi via Serial/USB

This example of ESP8266/NodeMCU read input from A0, and output to Serial. The receiving side is a Raspberry Pi 3 running Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL and Arduino IDE installed, the result is display graphically using Arduino IDE's Serial Plotter. All job done on Raspberry Pi 3. ESP8266/NodeMCU connect to the Raspberry Pi 3 with USB.


To run the whole in Raspberry Pi, you have to:
- Install Arduino IDE on Raspberry Pi/Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL
- Add Arduino core for ESP8266 to Arduino IDE

The simple program run on ESP8266/NodeMCU, ESP8266_AnalogIn_SerialOut.ino. (Suppose it work on other Arduino also, such as Uno.)

const int analogIn = A0;
int analogVal = 0;
bool led = 1;

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);
  pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT);
}

void loop() {

  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, led);
  led = !led; 
  analogVal = analogRead(analogIn);
  Serial.println(analogVal);
  delay(500);
}

Next:
- A Python example run on Raspberry Pi 3/Raspbian Jessie with PIXEL, to plot the serial data graphically using matplotlib library.