Main:
I show examples how to read and write data to serial devices.
Python serial communication.
This article is for those who want to learn about how python can communicate with
serial data. This could be handy for many things; Bluetooth communication via COM ports
or even USB to Serial communication.
I use PySerial to communicate with my Arduino
and my BasicStamp. PySerial supports two way communications with file handles. You can read
and write strait to serial. Since pythons interpreted, fast testing, debugging, and developing
can be done to improve proto-to-production time.
You could use Pyserial to:
*send servo posistions
*physical email notification
*robotics and Wii motes
I am using it to read accelerometer data, along with analog piezo data.
Reading a value is simple.
Assuming the port had data to read.
It is a good idea to set a timeout for ports, because you might wait forever.
It is also a good idea to set a baud rate too, so you don't get any sync errors or bugs.
To do this, simple specify, and you shall receive.
You can also use readline to gather larger amounts of data.
You are required to specify a timeout on readline and readlines, else it will
give you tracebacks.
After doing a readline, you can manipulate the data better.
Assuming the serial device is sending data, this was grabbed from an accelerometer.
As you have noticed, the data is in string format. The easiest way to get around this
is to use int(). Now you can use values in conditional statements, math calculations, and graphs.
Coupled with Pygame, Tkinter, or excel has limitless potential (well almost limitless).
Assuming the device reads the value we have written to serial, a LED would light up.
I used the Arduino Duemilanove.
The Arduino platforms programming language is based on Processing.
Processing itself is based on C/C++, so programming isn't difficult.
The biggest problem I ran into while working with PySerial, doesn't have to do with the module,
it was on the Arduino. To do a readline the arduino had to send a newline character so I could
split the data.
This is the Processing code on the Arduino for the examples I've used:
This would make two LED's light up, if the x,y values are beyond
the given threshold respectively.
Now you may have a better understanding of how to communicate via serial.
It is super simple, and very powerful.
Thank you for reading,
Tech B.
Ref:
PySerial
Python
Arduino
Memsic 2125
Processing
Processing Code Examples
PySerial Code Example
This article is for those who want to learn about how python can communicate with
serial data. This could be handy for many things; Bluetooth communication via COM ports
or even USB to Serial communication.
I use PySerial to communicate with my Arduino
and my BasicStamp. PySerial supports two way communications with file handles. You can read
and write strait to serial. Since pythons interpreted, fast testing, debugging, and developing
can be done to improve proto-to-production time.
You could use Pyserial to:
*send servo posistions
*physical email notification
*robotics and Wii motes
I am using it to read accelerometer data, along with analog piezo data.
Reading a value is simple.
import serial
s = serial.Serial('COM8') #for Linux use something line serial.Serial('/dev/ttyS1')
s.read()
..
..
>>'5'
Assuming the port had data to read.
It is a good idea to set a timeout for ports, because you might wait forever.
It is also a good idea to set a baud rate too, so you don't get any sync errors or bugs.
To do this, simple specify, and you shall receive.
import serial
s = serial.Serial('COM8', baudrate=9600, timeout=3)
You can also use readline to gather larger amounts of data.
You are required to specify a timeout on readline and readlines, else it will
give you tracebacks.
After doing a readline, you can manipulate the data better.
import serial
s = serial.Serial('COM8',timeout=1)
data = s.readline()
data = data.split()
print data
['x','=','5028','y','=','2507']
Assuming the serial device is sending data, this was grabbed from an accelerometer.
As you have noticed, the data is in string format. The easiest way to get around this
is to use int(). Now you can use values in conditional statements, math calculations, and graphs.
Coupled with Pygame, Tkinter, or excel has limitless potential (well almost limitless).
import serial
s = serial.Serial('COM8', baudrate = 9600, timeout=1)
while 1:
d = s.readline()
d = d.split()
if int(d[2]) > 2700:
print "X value beyond threshold."
s.write("x")
if int(d[5]) > 2850:
print "Y value beyond threshold."
s.write("y")
Assuming the device reads the value we have written to serial, a LED would light up.
I used the Arduino Duemilanove.
The Arduino platforms programming language is based on Processing.
Processing itself is based on C/C++, so programming isn't difficult.
The biggest problem I ran into while working with PySerial, doesn't have to do with the module,
it was on the Arduino. To do a readline the arduino had to send a newline character so I could
split the data.
This is the Processing code on the Arduino for the examples I've used:
/*
Quick and dirty program for led output.
Intended for example not actual code.
*/
const int xPin = 2; // X output of the accelerometer
const int yPin = 3; // Y output of the accelerometer
const int xLed = 4; // X LED
const int yLed = 5; // Y LED
void setup() {
// initialize serial communications:
Serial.begin(9600);
// initialize the digital pins
pinMode(xPin, INPUT);
pinMode(yPin, INPUT);
pinMode(xLed, OUTPUT);
pinMode(yLed, OUTPUT);
}
void loop() {
// variables to read the pulse widths:
int pulseX, pulseY;
char sd
// gather the data
pulseX = pulseIn(xPin,HIGH);
pulseY = pulseIn(yPin,HIGH);
// write to serial so python can read it
Serial.print("X = ");
Serial.print(pulseX);
Serial.print(" Y = "); //notice the space before the Y. This is to keep Y off of X's value
//Else it would give a value error for int() function in python.
Serial.print(pulseY);
Serial.println(); //newline character to signal end of data for python
//Read data
if(Serial.available() >=2){
sd = Serial.read();
if(sd = "x"){
digitalWrite(xLed, High);
}
if(sd = "y"){
digitalWrite(yLed, High);
}
}
}
This would make two LED's light up, if the x,y values are beyond
the given threshold respectively.
Now you may have a better understanding of how to communicate via serial.
It is super simple, and very powerful.
Thank you for reading,
Tech B.
Ref:
PySerial
Python
Arduino
Memsic 2125
Processing
Processing Code Examples
PySerial Code Example
Posted by 
