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CircuitPython Weekly Meeting for April 17, 2023

Here is the notes document for next Monday’s CircuitPython Weekly meeting. It is at the normal time of 11am Pacific / 2pm Eastern here on Discord. Everyone is encouraged to attend! Please add your hug reports and status updates even if you’ll be attending the meeting - it’s super helpful! If you are unable to attend but would still like to include updates, feel free to include them in the notes and we’ll read them off during the meeting. Hope to see you there! @circuitpythonistas

Welcome to the CircuitPython Weekly meeting notes! Feel free to add your Hug Reports and Status Updates early. During the meeting, we go through them as a round robin sorted by username. If you can’t make the meeting and would still like to participate, add your notes with a “(missing meeting)” after your username and we’ll read them off for you.

Add any longer-form discussion topics or general questions you have to the “In the weeds” section.

Thanks! We hope to see you in the meeting!

Tim is hosting.

Video is available on YouTube.

Join here for the chat all week: http://adafru.it/discord.

The CircuitPython Weekly happens normally at 2pm ET/11am PT on Mondays. Check the #circuitpython channel on Discord for notices of change in time and links to past meetings. Meeting times are also available in iCal format for use with standard calendar applications and can also be viewed in your browser.

If you want to be able to participate in the meeting by speaking, you will need to be added to the @circuitpythonistas role on Discord. Please ask any one of the moderators or admins to add you if you’d like to join.

CircuitPython development is sponsored by Adafruit. Please support them by purchasing hardware from https://adafruit.com.

Reminders: Podcast available on most services. Let us know if we’re missing some.

4:24 Community News

4:30 Sony Backs Raspberry Pi With Funding and Access to AI Chips

Sony Semiconductor Solutions has announced an investment in Raspberry Pi Ltd, the for-profit arm of the Raspberry Pi empire, telegraphing hopes that it will be able to make its AITRIOS edge artificial intelligence (edge AI) platform the go-to way to boost the single-board computers' capabilities for low-power on-device machine learning. The firm raised the cash at the same $500 million valuation it was worth in a 2021 funding round. The company has become a more active player in the enterprise — in a typical year, roughly 70% of its sales now come from commercial customers embedding its products into factories or consumer devices - CNBC and Hackster.io.

5:33 PyCon US Coming Next Week: CircuitPython-Related Activities

PyCon US 2023 is coming up in Salt Lake City, Utah USA April 21 - 23 with Development Sprints April 24 - 27. Adafruit CircuitPython team members be there hosting events! Kattni Rembor and Jeff Epler will be present, along with a few well-known community members.

6:12 Python Software Foundation is Worried About Looming EU Cybersecurity Rules

The Python Software Foundation (PSF) is concerned that proposed EU cybersecurity laws will leave open source organizations and individuals unfairly liable for distributing incorrect code - The Register. "If the proposed law is enforced as currently written, the authors of open-source components might bear legal and financial responsibility for the way their components are applied in someone else's commercial product," the PSF said in a statement shared by executive director Deb Nicholson.

7:10 Project of the Week: The PYPRCA CircuitPython Calculator/Computer

PYPRCA is a Python programable calculator and CircuitPython computer. It has a dedicated numerical key block for better native input of numbers. It also has a QWERTY key set for writing programs. Functions like SIN and COS are typed out rather than using shift buttons.

It is based on a Raspberry Pi Pico. It's a bit shorter and wider than a Numworks calculator - Twitter Thread and Hackaday.io.

8:11 Newsletter Details

The CircuitPython Weekly Newsletter is a CircuitPython community-run newsletter emailed every Tuesday. The complete archives are here. It highlights the latest Python on hardware related news from around the web including CircuitPython, Python and MicroPython developments. To contribute your own news or project, edit next week's draft on GitHub and submit a pull request with the changes. You may also tag a tweet with #CircuitPython on Twitter, or email cpnews@adafruit.com.

8:57 State of CircuitPython, Libraries and Blinka

This report contains information from the previous seven days. Any changes (PRs merged, etc.) made today are not included in this report.

9:23 Overall

  • 24 pull requests merged
    • 17 authors - mmontol, xstook, flom84, BlitzCityDIY, andibing, stonehippo, stevengilbertoksi, todbot, anthonytw, DJDevon3, ladyada, applecuckoo, isacben, jposada202020, bill88t, tekktrik, FoamyGuy
    • 10 reviewers - tannewt, jedgarpark, gamblor21, microdev1, jepler, makermelissa, BlitzCityDIY, tekktrik, dhalbert, FoamyGuy
  • 23 closed issues by 10 people, 16 opened by 14 people

10:47 Core

13:02 Libraries

15:42 Library PyPI Weekly Download Stats

  • Total Library Stats
    • 102476 PyPI downloads over 310 libraries
  • Top 10 Libraries by PyPI Downloads
    • Adafruit CircuitPython BusDevice (adafruit-circuitpython-busdevice): 6322
    • Adafruit CircuitPython Requests (adafruit-circuitpython-requests): 5428
    • Adafruit CircuitPython Register (adafruit-circuitpython-register): 1812
    • Adafruit CircuitPython NeoPixel (adafruit-circuitpython-neopixel): 1458
    • Adafruit CircuitPython Motor (adafruit-circuitpython-motor): 1092
    • Adafruit CircuitPython Display Text (adafruit-circuitpython-display-text): 926
    • Adafruit CircuitPython PCA9685 (adafruit-circuitpython-pca9685): 878
    • Adafruit CircuitPython DHT (adafruit-circuitpython-dht): 865
    • Adafruit CircuitPython MiniMQTT (adafruit-circuitpython-minimqtt): 851
    • Adafruit CircuitPython Seesaw (adafruit-circuitpython-seesaw): 809

Library updates in the last seven days:

16:30 Blinka

17:41 Hug reports

18:11 @foamyguy

  • @Neradoc for a tip about an MIT licenced project https://tabler-icons.io/ while I was looking for some icons to use in a project. Not only thousands of icons that are free to use, but also a full front end web template with many great looking example pages to build from.
  • @Jepler for working on synthio and @todbot + JP for testing out the early versions. Excited to play with this
  • @tannewt for working on DVI support and @MarkGamblor for trying it out
  • Group hug

19:14 @CGrover (not attending)

  • Group hug for the team and community
  • @PaulCutler for the reawakened CircuitPython podcast. Hurrah!

19:29 @danh

  • @flom84 for gcc 13 fixes
  • @applecuckoo for doc fix
  • @isacben for web workflow name setting in settings.toml
  • @RetiredWizard for fixes and testing
  • SiLabs folks for new chip family port

20:23 @david.glaude (not present)

  • John Park for promoting Wiichuck community library and the uDraw Tablet in CircuitPython Parsec
  • @jepler, @todbot and John Park for the work on synthio and the envelope (still learning midi and synth, but I fell the interest in this, even if it require an biffy mcu).
  • @Neradoc for the network stack stuff he is working on: universal API, websocket, … I know it will be useful to all.
  • Paul Cutler for new episode(s)

21:29 @DJDevon3

  • @Kattni for documentation and leadership in the discord helpers channel. She’s continually updating and revising things to make helpers more efficient.
  • @Neradoc for guiding me through using display_shapes with DisplayIO. I completely misunderstood the way group appends worked and now have a much better grasp of hiding or showing UI elements.
  • @Anecdata & @Hopkapi for helping troubleshoot a problem with the Feather S3’s on board battery monitor throwing an OSError during read failures. They gave excellent advice for using try/except and power modes to filter the issue and improve performance. At approximately 10-12 hours between failures it’s going to take a while to solve. Your advice put me on the right track.
  • @CircuitPythonDevelopers for fixing a Wifi related hard fault bug on the S3. My weather station project is back up and running thanks to all the S3 updates since the 8.0 launch.

23:19 @kattni

  • Phil and Limor for coordinating signing two Adabot lunch boxes for me to put together two kits to donate to the PyLadies auction at PyCon 2023
  • Everyone who has been helping me with PyCon preparation
  • @jepler I’m looking forward to seeing you later this week!
  • @tekktrik same!
  • @foamyguy for writing fantastic badge code for me
  • @CGrover for slimming down the Improved Thermal Camera software for my badge
  • @Neradoc for helping me sort out button debounce without using keypad in a way that doesn’t max out the Circuit Playground Express
  • So sorry to those I missed, it’s been nonstop in the last week.
  • Group hug!

25:58 @MakerMelissa

  • @Kriechi for all your contributions to the CircuitPython Code Editor
  • @alexcorvis84 for testing out some possible i2smic script fixes in several different configurations
  • @Danh for leading the effort to make the Blinka Documentation better
  • @kattni and @jepler and anyone else attending PyCon this year
  • Group Hug

26:45 @mark[gamblor21] (missing)

  • @tannewt for the preliminary DVI support that I experimented with this weekend

27:00 @michalpokusa (text only)

  • @danh, @anecdata, @Neradoc, @dejhipu for discussion about adafruit_httpserver and security concerns related to accessing parent directories

27:19 @Paul Cutler

  • @jepler, @todbot, and John Park for working on synthio
  • Liz for her MIDI Learn Guides, especially Midi for Makers - I learned a ton this weekend

27:40 @todbot (text only)

  • @jepler for synthio work, even during vacation. It’s so fun! Works on rp2040!
  • @tekktrik, @Neradoc, and @tannewt for teaching me about const()

28:06 @tannewt

  • @thess for the web workflow testing and improvements.
  • @Kriechi and @MakerMelissa for code editor improvements
  • @silabs-BelaV and @silabs-ChatNguyen for the silabs xg24 port PR.
  • @todbot and jp for testing Jeff’s synthio envelope improvements
  • @kattni and @jepler for representing us at pycon

29:28 @tekktrik (missing meeting)

  • @neradoc for helping me understand how imports work with regards to RAM
  • @todbot for raising an interesting conversation that helped me better understand how const() works
  • Group hug!

Status Updates

30:20 @foamyguy

  • Worked on enhancements for the pybadger conference badge app and snake game that it launches.
  • Displayio ListSelect library formally released and added to the community bundle.
  • Making a weatherstation / IoT server that runs on a Raspberry Pi. It will collect data from local sensors connected to the Pi, as well as remote sensors connected to other microcontrollers communicating via network. Once collected the data will be able to be shown on pretty dashboards. Intentionally trying to make it support a bit more generic use-cases than the one I have in mind so that others may be able to re-purpose or learn from it.
  • Found an issue reading from a Si7021 sensor with Raspberry Pi. Troubleshooting the root cause and attempting find an acceptable fix or workaround.

32:34 @CGrover (not attending)

  • The Precision VCO project is working nicely now after experiencing some weird DAC behavior when using both ItsyBitsy M4 DACs (A0, A1). When A0 was instantiated, the output voltage would slowly drift from 0 to 3.3v then hold at 3.3v until the value was set in the code. If A1 was subsequently initialized, A0 would again slowly drift from its newly set value to saturate at 3.3v. The workaround is to set A0’s value in code just after instantiating A1. It’s not ideal since A0 creates a pop when it suddenly changes value. Filed an issue.
  • In the process of testing the M4 DACs and looking for other (more available) MCU options, I noticed that the ESP32-S2 TFT’s A0 DAC truncates and reverses values below mid-point. The A1 DAC works as expected. Will do additional testing before filing an issue. The photo is of a simultaneous sweep of A0 (top yellow) and A1 (bottom blue) from 0 to 65535.

34:15 @danh

  • Tested BNO085, and it acts up like BNO055 on the same chips. Added Learn Guide alerts and FAQ entry. Eventual plan is to try to handle some of this in the libraries, but for now, we’re covered by warnings.
  • I proposed some clarifications to Blinka-based guides. Carter and I will work on some rewrites.
  • Scott and I triaged 8.1.0 and 8.x.x issues list. Assigned some issues to core team members as appropriate. Other issues closed or moved to 9.0.0 or Long Term.
  • Get back to reviewing gneverov’s asyncio changes soon.

36:03 @david.glaude (not present)

  • Not much so far…
  • Acquisition (not yet supported in CP): Feather DVI, Feather USB Host and … Intellikey Adaptive keyboard.

36:30 @DJDevon3

  • Submitted a PR example for sequential chaining of 4 13x9 Matrix Backpacks.
  • Submitted a request to add tuple I2C address support to the IS31FL3741 library. I’d like to get 4 working together as 1 horizontal matrix… kind of like chaining 7-segment backpacks. My hands are tied for further progress without tuple address support.
  • Designed & 3D printed part of a hinged breadboard wire storage box. My first 45 degree print. The rest of it should be finished printing by tomorrow. Each part is 30 hours of printing.
  • Started exploring a mini RC robotics project combining a toy RC tank (with rotating turret) and FPV camera system. I’m hoping to use it as a cheap & fun way to inspect inside the plumbing drains under my house encased in a slab of concrete.
  • Designed a 3D printed workbench lamp housing that combines a fume extractor, lamp, and webcam mount into 1 unified part. I’m still working on the electronics and hoping to control it with Circuit Python.
  •  * I have yet to print it or combine the electronics. If anyone wants to take a shot at it first the STL files are available on Printables. There’s an internal circular vacuum cavity that you don’t want infill to get into so it’s a difficult thing to print.
  • Thanks to the 8.0 updates I was able to renew my weather station TFT project on the Feather S3 without it crashing every couple of minutes. Added a low & high pressure system popup using DisplayIO that serves as a rudimentary storm warning system.

38:50 @fede2 (text only) * Coding a music instrument pedal that uses AI to un-mix any song into it’s component instruments, and then uses blinka and seesaw rotary encoders to let you mix it however you’d like. Perfect for practicing a song, or just to have fun and replace your favorite guitar/drum/bass player or a singer. Waiting for qt-sd card, and some m7 boards, as they take some time to make their way to Costa Rica, to develop another version with cheaper hardware (this one uses a Pi4). Video, github * Trying to port Blinka to a MangoPi (~$20 riscv64 board), but I’m still having trouble getting I2C working in all available linux distros.

40:02 @kattni * The last page in the RFM69 guide is in moderation - it adds a simple radio demo to the guide, which is what most folks want to do with this board anyway. * Starting RFM95 guide. * PyCon prep today. * Off beginning tomorrow, and leaving for PyCon early on Wednesday. Returning to work 1 May. * Giving a talk at the Education Summit before the conference, at 11am on Thursday 20 April. I’m attempting to record it, no promises, but fingers crossed. * Hosting Open Spaces each day 21-23 April during the PyCon conference proper. * Hosting Sprints for the first three days, 24-26 April. * If you’ll be there, come find us!

43:12 @MakerMelissa * I was out sick last week, so missed the meeting * Finished up my ChatGPT Bear guide and showed it on Show and Tell * Helped Anne out with an Animated Gifs project * Fixed the ST7789 displays script not compiling on Raspberry Pi drivers by not compiling them when it’s not necessary * Currently working on a project that I’m collabing with Erin St. Blaine * After, I may try and fix some more of the Raspberry Pi Scripts * Will be out next week because I’m moving

44:05 @mark[gamblor21] (missing) * Tried out the DVI support to some success, I’m willing to do more testing if required * DVI support and general memory usage had me thinking about OnDiskGif palette support so on my radar when time permits.

44:30 @Paul Cutler * Last week: recorded two podcast episodes for May with Danh and Ben Shockley, who created the Minifig boards * Spent the weekend researching synths and MIDI and researching how I might run my podcast on 100% open source software * This week: I ordered all the parts to build the PicoStepSeq by @todbot and hope to build it this week

45:06 @tannewt * Polishing up DVI support for PR. Having some trouble re-initing the display code. This introduces complexity around the second core loading code or data from flash at any point. Need to put it all in RAM. Will use the MPU to prevent core1 from loading anything from flash after it is init. * Triaged bugs with Dan and have a couple smaller tasks to do after DVI PR is out. * Need to PR iMX RT changes too.

46:48 @tekktrik (missing meeting) * Last week * Took care of some PR reviews for a few different libraries * Resumed work on the library RAM consumption CI checks * This week * Out for Patriot’s Day / Boston Marathon Monday today! * Heading to PyCon on Wednesday, excited to see everyone else attending! * Will try to present the aforementioned CI checks after getting after PyCon since I plan to help out with the sprints during the next meeting time, but I’m really excited for the current plan, which would allow for future checks to be integrated easily.

In The Weeds

Wrap-Up