Tag: Thonny IDE

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Variables and Data Types in MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico

Variables and data types are fundamental concepts in programming. In MicroPython, just like in any programming language, variables are used to store data values and data types define the kind of data that can be stored.

In this tutorial, we will explore variables and data types in MicroPython on Raspberry Pi Pico.

Variables in MicroPython

Variables in MicroPython are used to store data values such as numbers, strings, and boolean values. A variable is simply a named reference to a value.

To create a variable, you simply assign a value to a name using the equals sign (=). For example:

x = 5

In this case, the variable x is assigned the value of 5.

You can also assign values to multiple variables at once, like this:

x, y, z = 5, "Hello", True

This assigns the value of 5 to the variable x, the string “Hello” to the variable y, and the boolean value True to the variable z.

Further Explanation

x, y, z = 5, “Hello”, True is a way of assigning values to multiple variables at once in Python. In this case, the values 5, “Hello”, and True are assigned to the variables x, y, and z respectively.

This syntax is known as “tuple unpacking”. The values on the right-hand side of the equals sign are packed into a tuple, which is then unpacked and assigned to the variables on the left-hand side.

Essentially, it’s the same as writing:

my_tuple = (5, "Hello", True)
x = my_tuple[0]
y = my_tuple[1]
z = my_tuple[2]

But using tuple unpacking is a more concise and readable way to assign values to multiple variables at once.

Data Types in MicroPython

MicroPython has several built-in data types that define the kind of data that can be stored in a variable. These include:

  • Integer: whole numbers, such as 5 or -3.
  • Float: decimal numbers, such as 3.14 or -2.5.
  • String: a sequence of characters, such as “Hello” or “123”.
  • Boolean: a value that is either True or False.
  • List: a collection of values, such as [1, 2, 3] or [“apple”, “banana”, “orange”].
  • Tuple: a collection of values, like a list, but cannot be modified once created, such as (1, 2, 3) or (“apple”, “banana”, “orange”).
  • Dictionary: a collection of key-value pairs, such as {“name”: “John”, “age”: 30}.

To determine the data type of a variable, you can use the type() function, like this:

This will output <class ‘int’>, indicating that x is an integer.

x = 5
print(type(x))  # Output: <class 'int'>
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How to Read internal temperature sensor of Raspberry Pi Pico using Thonny IDE

The internal temperature sensor of RP2040 is read using micropython. The Thonny IDE is used in Windows environment.

The temperature sensor is connected to Channel number 4 of the ADC.

But since this is a rather small implementation using Thonny IDE, it does most of the interfacing related code in the background.

Code

import machine
import time

"""
Function Name: Read internal temperature sensor
Description: This function reads the internal temperature sensor of RP2040 chip.
             The temperature sensor measures the Vbe voltage of a biased bipolar diode,
             connected to the fifth ADC channel (AINSEL=4).
"""
def read_internal_temperature_sensor():
    tsi = machine.ADC(machine.ADC.CORE_TEMP)
    temp = tsi.read_u16() * (3.3 / (65535))
    temp = 27 - (temp - 0.706)/0.001721
    return temp

while True:
    #reads the temprature and prints it
    print("Temperature: ", read_internal_temperature_sensor())
    #Create a dealy of 1 second
    time.sleep(1)
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How to setup Raspberry Pi Pico using Thonny IDE on windows and Blink onboard LED

First you have to install micropython on your raspberry pi pico board.
Follow the steps shown in the video.

To blink the onboard LED you can follow these steps:

  1. Connect your Raspberry Pi Pico to your Windows computer using a micro USB cable.
  2. Open Thonny IDE on your Windows computer.
  3. Click on the “File” menu and select “New”.
  4. In the new window, enter the following code:
import machine
import time

led_onboard = machine.Pin(25, machine.Pin.OUT)

while True:
    led_onboard.toggle()
    time.sleep(1)
  1. Save the file with a meaningful name and the “.py” extension.
  2. Click on the “Run” menu and select “Run current script” or press the “F5” key.
  3. Thonny IDE will run the code and the onboard LED of Raspberry Pi Pico will start blinking at a frequency of 1 second.

That’s it! You have successfully blinked the onboard LED of Raspberry Pi Pico using Thonny IDE on Windows.