Python

How to get the Python Library

Our SMARS Python library is available from github: https://www.github.com/kevinmcaleer/smars

Log into your Raspberry pi and type the command below to get the library:

git clone https://www.github.com/kevinmcaleer/smars

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How to use the Python Library

The code you have downloaded contains several files:

SMARS_Library.py	The SMARS Python library
ScratchListener.py	The Scratch listener, used to send messages to and from Scratch
limb_setup.py	Used to set the servos to the correct position when attaching the servo horn
pinouts.md	Shows the pinout connections for the Raspberry Pi to PCA9685 Servo Driver
test.py	A simple test program, use this to test you have built the quad robot correctly

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The library uses the Adafruit PCA9685 servo driver board module, id you haven’t already install this, install it by typing the following from the raspberry pi command line:

sudo apt-get install git build-essential python-dev

cd ~

git clone https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Python_PCA9685.git

cd Adafruit_Python_PCA9685 sudo python setup.py install

if you have python3 installed:

sudo python3 setup.py install

You will need to install the following python libraries for this to work:

sudo apt-get install python-smbus sudo apt-get install i2c-tools

You will also need to enable the I2C interface using the raspberry pi configuration tool (raspi-config)

If you have Raspbian, not Occidentalis check /etc/modprobe.d/raspi-blacklist.conf and comment blacklist i2c-bcm2708 by running sudo nano /etc/modprobe.d/raspi-blacklist.conf and adding a # (if its not there).

If you’re running Wheezy or something-other-than-Occidentalis, you will need to add the following lines to /etc/modules

i2c-dev

i2c-bcm2708