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Home > IoT & Hardware > Single Board Computers > Raspberry Pi cookbook for Python programmers
Raspberry Pi cookbook for Python programmers
Raspberry Pi cookbook for Python programmers

Raspberry Pi cookbook for Python programmers: The Raspberry Pi Cookbook has over 50 tailor-made recipes for programmers to get the most out of Raspberry Pi using Python to unleash its huge potential.

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eBook Apr 2014 402 pages 1st Edition
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Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.8 (13 Ratings)
eBook Apr 2014 402 pages 1st Edition
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Raspberry Pi cookbook for Python programmers

Chapter 2. Starting with Python Strings, Files, and Menus

In this chapter, we will cover:

  • Working with text and strings

  • Using files and handling errors

  • Creating a boot-up menu

  • Creating a self-defining menu

Introduction

In this chapter, we shall jump into using Python to perform some basic encryption by scrambling letters. This will introduce some basic string manipulation, user input, progressing on to creating reusable modules, and finally graphical user interfaces.

To follow, we shall create some useful Python scripts that can be added to run as the Raspberry Pi boots or as an easy-to-run command that will provide quick shortcuts to common or frequently used commands. Taking this further, we shall make use of threading to run multiple tasks and introduce classes to define multiple objects.

Since it is traditional to start any programming exercise with a Hello World example, we shall kick off with that now.

Create the hellopi.py file using nano as follows:

nano -c hellopi.py

Within our hellopi.py file, add the following code:

#!/usr/bin/python
#hellopi.py
print ("Hello Raspberry Pi")

When done, save and exit (Ctrl + X, Y, and Enter). To run the file, use the following command:

python3 hellopi...

Working with text and strings

A good starting point with Python is to get to grips with basic text handling and strings. A string is a block of characters stored together as a value. As you will see, they can be viewed as a simple list of characters.

We will create a script to obtain the user's input, use string manipulation to switch around the letters, and print out a coded version of the message. We then extend this example by demonstrating how encoded messages can be passed between parties without revealing the encoding methods, while also showing how we can reuse sections of code within other Python modules.

Getting ready

You can use most text editors to write Python code. They can be used directly on the Raspberry Pi or remotely through VNC or SSH.

The following are a few text editors that are available with the Raspberry Pi:

  • nano: This text editor is available from the terminal and includes syntax highlighting and line numbers (with the -c option). Refer to the following screenshot:

    The...

Using files and handling errors

In addition to easy string handling, Python allows you to read, edit, and create files easily. So, by building upon the previous scripts, we can make use of our encryptText() function to encode whole files.

Since reading and writing to files can be quite dependent on factors that are outside of the direct control of the script, such as if the file we are trying to open exists or if the filesystem has space to store a new file, we will also take a look at how to handle exceptions and protect operations that may result in errors.

Getting ready

The following script will allow you to specify a file through the command line, which will be read and encoded to produce an output file. Create a small text file named infile.txt and save it so that we can test the script. It should include a short message like the following:

This is a short message to test our file encryption program.

How to do it…

Create the fileencrypt.py script using the following code:

#!/usr/bin/python3...

Creating a boot-up menu

We shall now apply the methods introduced in the previous scripts and reapply them to create a menu that we can customize to present a range of quick-to-run commands and programs.

How to do it…

Create the menu.py script using the following code:

#!/usr/bin/python3
#menu.py
from subprocess import call

filename="menu.ini"
DESC=0
KEY=1
CMD=2

print ("Start Menu:")
try:
  with open(filename) as f:
    menufile = f.readlines()
except IOError:
  print ("Unable to open %s" % (filename))
for item in menufile:
  line = item.split(',')
  print ("(%s):%s" % (line[KEY],line[DESC]))
#Get user input
running = True
while(running):
  user_input = input()
  #Check input, and execute command
  for item in menufile:
    line = item.split(',')
    if (user_input == line[KEY]):
      print ("Command: " + line[CMD])
      #call the script
      #e.g. call(["ls", "-l"])
      commands = line[CMD].rstrip().split()
      print (commands)
      running = False
      #Only run command is one...

Creating a self-defining menu

While the previous menu is very useful for defining the most common commands and functions we may use when running the Raspberry Pi, we will often change what we are doing or develop scripts to automate complex tasks.

To avoid the need to continuously update and edit the menu.ini file, we can create a menu that can list installed scripts and dynamically build a menu from it. Refer to the following screenshot:

A menu of all the Python scripts in the current directory

How to do it…

Create the menuadv.py script using the following code:

#!/usr/bin/python3
#menuadv.py
import os
from subprocess import call

SCRIPT_DIR="." #Use current directory
SCRIPT_NAME=os.path.basename(__file__)

print ("Start Menu:")
scripts=[]
item_num=1
for files in os.listdir(SCRIPT_DIR):
  if files.endswith(".py"):
    if files != SCRIPT_NAME:
      print ("%s:%s"%(item_num,files))
      scripts.append(files)
      item_num+=1
running = True
while (running):
  print ("Enter script number to run...
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Product Details

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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Apr 16, 2014
Length: 402 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781849696630
Category :
IoT & Hardware
Languages :
Python
Concepts :
Single Board Computers
Tools :
Raspberry Pi

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Product Details

Publication date : Apr 16, 2014
Length: 402 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781849696630
Category :
IoT & Hardware
Languages :
Python
Concepts :
Single Board Computers
Tools :
Raspberry Pi

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Table of Contents

10 Chapters
Getting Started with a Raspberry Pi Computer Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Getting Started with a Raspberry Pi Computer
Introduction
Connecting the Raspberry Pi
Using NOOBS to set up your Raspberry Pi SD card
Networking and connecting your Raspberry Pi to the Internet via the LAN connector
Configuring your network manually
Networking directly to a laptop or computer
Networking and connecting your Raspberry Pi to the Internet via a USB Wi-Fi dongle
Connecting to the Internet through a proxy server
Connecting remotely to the Raspberry Pi over the network using VNC
Connecting remotely to the Raspberry Pi over the network using SSH (and X11 Forwarding)
Sharing the home folder of the Raspberry Pi with SMB
Keeping the Raspberry Pi up to date
Starting with Python Strings, Files, and Menus Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Starting with Python Strings, Files, and Menus
Introduction
Working with text and strings
Using files and handling errors
Creating a boot-up menu
Creating a self-defining menu
Using Python for Automation and Productivity Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Using Python for Automation and Productivity
Introduction
Using Tkinter to create graphical user interfaces
Creating a graphical application Start menu
Displaying photo information in an application
Organizing your photos automatically
Creating Games and Graphics Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Creating Games and Graphics
Introduction
Using IDLE3 to debug your programs
Drawing lines using a mouse on Tkinter Canvas
Creating a bat and ball game
Creating an overhead scrolling game
Creating 3D Graphics Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Creating 3D Graphics
Introduction
Starting with 3D coordinates and vertices
Creating and importing 3D models
Creating a 3D world to roam in
Building 3D maps and mazes
Using Python to Drive Hardware Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Using Python to Drive Hardware
Introduction
Controlling an LED
Responding to a button
A controlled shutdown button
The GPIO keypad input
Multiplexed color LEDs
Sense and Display Real-world Data Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Sense and Display Real-world Data
Introduction
Using devices with the IC bus
Reading analog data using an analog-to-digital converter
Logging and plotting data
Extending the Raspberry Pi GPIO with an I/O expander
Sensing and sending data to online services
Creating Projects with the Raspberry Pi Camera Module Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Creating Projects with the Raspberry Pi Camera Module
Introduction
Getting started with the Raspberry Pi camera module
Using the camera with Python
Generating a time-lapse video
Creating a stop frame animation
Making a QR code reader
Building Robots Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Building Robots
Introduction
Building a Rover-Pi robot with forward driving motors
Using advanced motor control
Building a six-legged Pi-Bug robot
Avoiding objects and obstacles
Getting a sense of direction
Interfacing with Technology Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Interfacing with Technology
Introduction
Automating your home with remote sockets
Using SPI to control an LED matrix
Communicating using a serial interface
Controlling the Raspberry Pi over Bluetooth
Controlling USB devices

Customer reviews

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Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.8
(13 Ratings)
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4 star 23.1%
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Niel Jul 29, 2015
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Finally! Hands down one of my most important raspberry pi books.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
colin bolton Dec 04, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Good beginers reference
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Client d'Amazon Oct 12, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Top material
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Daniel Feb 16, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
One of the best books on Raspberry Pi projects. Some very different projects of value to users. i.e good program on a camera module GUI - to preview and take a photo with a shutter button. ) I am using this with a multi camera system on a microscope and self view. The downloaded script for the projects makes it easy to use.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
Alexandru Emilian Susu Jul 30, 2014
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
This is by far the best book I read on Raspberry Pi, presenting a lot of interesting projects ranging from creating 3D games, publishing in the cloud sensory data, using camera to view at a remote site, building robots controlled by RPi, controlling a LED matrix to display words, and so on. This book requires I would say one a beginner's level knowledge of electronics, which even I have. And I guess that people that are better in electronics would appreciate the simpler programming alternative offered by Python and the many programming resources available on the Internet. Some concrete comments on the chapter: - regarding Chapter 10, I know somebody who worked on a similar project with an LED matrix for an industrial clock (see details at http://www.omega-it.ro/products/smartclock/SmartClock.pdf); - regarding Chapter 7, myself I was interested in publishing sensor data with RPi and I was very glad to see an extensive chapter on how to collect data and how to publish them on online services like Xively, etc, in order to view them later. Note there is also another project, DaisyPi, available at http://daisypi.ro/, which creates an extensive sensing device out of RPi. There are a few other interesting applications I didn't see in the book and I am very much interested in getting more info on: - transforming your TV in a SmartTV I found it a great value-added extension, only by buying the ~70 Euros RPi device. See http://www.robofun.ro/raspberry-pi-si-componente/kit-smarttv-raspberry-pi for more information. - using an USB TV Tuner with RPi in order to capture signal from a professional analogue surveillance camera (or to watch TV channels on a TV to which RPi is connected to.) Aside from that, I am happy to see Python becoming more and more of a RAD (Rapid Application Dev) systems language. On a side note, there is also the "Mobile Python" book (http://www.amazon.com/Mobile-Python-prototyping-applications-platform/dp/0470515058) which is really great, and one of the first. And the list can continue. I was already familiar with books on Open Hardware platforms, like Arduino. While Arduino uses a microcontroller (making it more low power than RPi and able to use analogue sensors, etc), RPi is basically a small computer (embedded platform) based on an ARM processor able to run Linux, connect to the Internet, capture a camera stream and process it, etc. There are other open boards these days: Olimex Olinuxino (which is more industrial and even if it claims to be even more open platform that RPi it lacks the many users and resources RPi has on the Internet), Intel Galileo, etc.
Amazon Verified review Amazon

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