This code will be incorporated into the Driving Lessons in due course but in the meantime here is some Python code that will work with your Pi-Car.
- How to get the code onto your Raspberry Pi and run it
To select the code and use it:
- Visit this page on your Raspberry Pi with the browser
- Move your cursor over the code segments below and in the top right corner a <> should appear.
- Click on it and a new window should open with all the code in it.
- Select it all with the mouse or click CTR + A.
- Copy it by clicking CTR + C or right click and select copy.
- Minimize the browser to reveal the desktop.
- Open up a command prompt by double clicking on the LX terminal on the desktop.
- Open a text editor using a command like ‘nano PiCarTest.py’
- Paste the clipboard into the text file by right clicking and choosing paste.
- Save the file (in nano CTR + X, then type ‘y’ then press enter).
You can then run with the command:
sudo python PiCarTest.py
- Example Python code
Here is a file which has variables, constants, while loops, if else and procedures (you may know them as methods or functions). There are also some comments! :
#!/usr/bin/env python """ Must be run as root - sudo python PicarsFunctions.py """ import time, datetime, RPi.GPIO as GPIO FORWARD=12 BACK=11 LEFT=13 RIGHT=15 TURBO=7 GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BOARD) #Remember to setup the GPIO pin as input or output GPIO.setup(FORWARD, GPIO.OUT) GPIO.setup(BACK, GPIO.OUT) GPIO.setup(LEFT, GPIO.OUT) GPIO.setup(RIGHT, GPIO.OUT) def print_time(): #prints out the time now in a format we like #print "Time before statement is run" print datetime.datetime.now() def forwards_on(): #turns the forwards pin on print "About to turn forwards pin on" print_time() #turn back off as well backwards_off() GPIO.output(FORWARD,1) def forwards_off(): #turns the forwards pin off print "About to turn forwards pin off" print_time() GPIO.output(FORWARD,0) def backwards_on(): #turns backwards pin on print "About to turn the backwards pin on" print_time() #turn forwards off as well forwards_off() GPIO.output(BACK,1) def backwards_off(): #turns backwards pin off print "About to turn the backwards pin off" print_time() GPIO.output(BACK,0) def left_on(): #turns the left pin on print "About to turn the left pin on" print_time() #turn right off as well right_off() GPIO.output(LEFT,1) def left_off(): #turns the left pin off print "About to turn the left pin off" print_time() GPIO.output(LEFT,0) def right_on(): #turns the right pin on print "About to turn the right pin on" print_time() #turn left off as well left_off() GPIO.output(RIGHT,1) def right_off(): #turns the right pin off print "About tot turn the right pin off" print_time() GPIO.output(RIGHT,0) def choose_dir(dirWanted=LEFT): if dirWanted == LEFT: right_off() left_on() else: left_off() right_on() def straighten(): print "About to straighten" print_time() left_off() right_off() def slalom(startSideDir=RIGHT,startDir=FORWARD,turns=4, interval=0.1): #does a slalom by default starting right and doing it 4 times with an interval of 0.1 i = 0 #need to determine which way we should be going with the direction if startDir == FORWARD: print "Going to move forwards in the slalom" print_time() forwards_on() else: print "Going to move backwards in the slalom" print_time() backwards_on() #now do the turns while i < turns: print "about to slalom to = ", startSideDir choose_dir(startSideDir) print "Left direction", LEFT print "Right direction", RIGHT print_time() if i == 0: #the first turn should only be half the amount time.sleep(interval/2) else: time.sleep(interval) #toggle direction for next time if startSideDir == RIGHT: startSideDir = LEFT else: startSideDir = RIGHT i = i + 1 #at the end straighten the wheels straighten() def all_off(): #turns all of the pins off - always call at the end to save battery 🙂 GPIO.output(FORWARD,0) GPIO.output(BACK,0) GPIO.output(LEFT,0) GPIO.output(RIGHT,0) def cleanup(): #cleans up the GPIO pins GPIO.cleanup() def sleep(sleepTime=1): time.sleep(sleepTime) def main(): try: forwards_on() # sleep(0.6) # right_on() sleep(0.5) #all_off() slalom(LEFT,FORWARD,400,0.5) sleep(0.5) all_off() sleep(0.5) #time.sleep(0.4) #backwards_on() #time.sleep(1) slalom(LEFT,BACK,4,0.5) sleep(0.5) #forwards_on() #time.sleep(1) #right_on() #time.sleep(0.5) #right_off() #time.sleep(0.5) #left_on() #time.sleep(0.5) #left_off() #time.sleep(0.5) #forwards_off() #time.sleep(0.5) #backwards_on() #time.sleep(1) all_off() cleanup() except KeyboardInterrupt: cleanup() if __name__ == "__main__": main()
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