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Raspberry Pi Computer Architecture Essentials
Raspberry Pi Computer Architecture Essentials

Raspberry Pi Computer Architecture Essentials: Click here to enter text.

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Profile Icon Andrew K. Dennis Profile Icon Teemu O Pohjanlehto
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eBook Mar 2016 232 pages 1st Edition
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Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Andrew K. Dennis Profile Icon Teemu O Pohjanlehto
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€23.99 €26.99
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Half star icon 4.5 (2 Ratings)
eBook Mar 2016 232 pages 1st Edition
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€32.99
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Raspberry Pi Computer Architecture Essentials

Chapter 2. Programming on Raspbian

In this chapter we will start to examine programming on the Raspbian operating system. This will give you the chance to explore the Raspberry Pi's hardware in more detail and interact with some of its components.

The topics covered in this chapter include the following:

  • Assembly language and the assembler
  • An introduction to the C and C++ languages and their compilers
  • The Python programming language and IDLE

Each of these topics will lay the foundation for projects in future chapters. For this chapter you will need to either be logged into your Raspberry Pi via SSH or have a terminal window open.

Which programming languages?

There is a plethora of programming languages available on the Raspberry Pi, so knowing where to start can be hard. Many languages are useful for a variety of different project types, including building websites, programming hardware, and writing desktop applications.

In this book we will use Assembly, C/C++, and Python. Each of these languages provides us with methods for exploring different aspects of the Raspberry Pi.

Assembly language, being so close to the computer's hardware, will help you to explore more about computer architecture and how it is realized on the Raspberry Pi. You'll also have the benefit that some of steps needed to build your executable in Assembly carry over to C and C++.

The C/C++ languages are popular for building software for controlling external electronics hardware and in the case of C, are the language Raspbian is written in. Using the knowledge you gain about Assembly, you'll be able to start tackling C programs next...

Assembly language

The Raspberry Pi comes equipped with an ARM v7 quad core processor. Each processor has its own set of specific machine code that it understands; this machine code is represented in binary format. The machine code is different for each processor architecture, so the Raspberry Pi's ARM processor machine code will not work on an IBM or Intel CPU.

Short of writing out 32-bit binary machine code instructions, the lowest level of programming language we can find ourselves using is Assembler language, also known as Assembly language.

The computer architecture's Assembly language is usually a one-to-one mapping between itself and the underlying machine code. This is achieved through using a mnemonic. A combination of these mnemonic codes will result in an operation such as addition or subtraction.

A program written in Assembly language is compiled into machine code by the Assembler program. This program passes through the code one or more times and generates an object file...

The C and C++ languages

Even if you are new to programming you may have come across C and C++ mentioned in literature, webpages, and text books. You'll often see C/C++ written. However, it is important to realize that while C++ is based upon C they are indeed different languages, and useful in different contexts.

We are going to start by giving a brief overview of these languages and explain a bit about them. Following this we will write some experimental programs and explore how the compiler works.

Let's start by delving a bit further into C.

C – a brief introduction

The C programming language has been around since 1970s and was closely tied with the development of the Unix operating system.

In 1972, the computer scientist Dennis Ritchie started the development of C in Assembly language on the PDP-11 Unix system. As we demonstrated in the previous section, Assembly language is converted to machine code, and Ritchie's C language represented another level of abstraction...

The Python language

Software Engineer Guido van Rossum founded what would come to be known as the Python programming language in the late 1980s. Spawned from a project he was working on to develop an interpreter for a scripting language, he chose the working title Python derived from the popular British comedy series Monty Python's Flying Circus.

The official Python website can be found at https://www.python.org/.

Unlike the C language, Python is an interpreted language. This in essence means that the language's instructions are performed by an interpreter rather than compiled down to machine code.

You can read more about interpreted languages here https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Introduction_to_Programming_Languages/Interpreted_Programs.

The most widely used implementation of the Python language is known as CPython, which is written in C. This is also the implementation you will be using on the Raspbian operating system.

You can read more about this implementation at https://docs.python...

Summary

In this chapter we explored the programming languages we will be using in this book. This included Assembler, C/C++ and Python.

A guide to writing a small Assembly language program was shared, and we then assembled and linked our program.

Following this, we learned some basics of how to write a C application and how to compile and run it. Also discussed were some of the similarities between Assembly language and C when it comes to generating an executable file.

The last program we explored was Python. Here you learned to write a program that contained the same functionality as your C program in the Python IDLE.

Following this, we moved our program into a file and demonstrated how it can be run standalone.

The tasks performed over the course of this chapter will lay the foundation for future projects where we build upon these skills.

So what's next? In the next chapter we will discuss the Assembly language in more detail and start to write some interesting programs with it.

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Key benefits

  • Explore Raspberry Pi 2’s hardware through the Assembly, C/C++, and Python programming languages
  • Experiment with connecting electronics up to your Raspberry Pi 2 and interacting with them through software
  • Learn about the Raspberry Pi 2 architecture and Raspbian operating system through innovative projects

Description

With the release of the Raspberry Pi 2, a new series of the popular compact computer is available for you to build cheap, exciting projects and learn about programming. In this book, we explore Raspberry Pi 2’s hardware through a number of projects in a variety of programming languages. We will start by exploring the various hardware components in detail, which will provide a base for the programming projects and guide you through setting up the tools for Assembler, C/C++, and Python. We will then learn how to write multi-threaded applications and Raspberry Pi 2’s multi-core processor. Moving on, you’ll get hands on by expanding the storage options of the Raspberry Pi beyond the SD card and interacting with the graphics hardware. Furthermore, you will be introduced to the basics of sound programming while expanding upon your knowledge of Python to build a web server. Finally, you will learn to interact with the third-party microcontrollers. From writing your first Assembly Language application to programming graphics, this title guides you through the essentials.

Who is this book for?

Raspberry Pi Computer Architecture Essentials is for those who are new and those who are familiar with the Raspberry Pi. Each topic builds upon earlier ones to provide you with a guide to Raspberry Pi’s architecture. From the novice to the expert, there is something for everyone. A basic knowledge of programming and Linux would be helpful but is not required.

What you will learn

  • Set up your Raspberry Pi 2 and learn about its hardware
  • Write basic programs in Assembly Language to learn about the ARM architecture
  • Use C and C++ to interact with electronic components
  • Find out about the Python language and how to use it to build web applications
  • Interact with third-party microcontrollers
  • Experiment with graphics and audio programming
  • Expand Raspberry Pi 2's storage mechanism by using external devices
  • Discover Raspberry Pi 2's GPIO pins and how to interact with them

Product Details

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Publication date : Mar 22, 2016
Length: 232 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781784398606
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Raspberry Pi
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Product Details

Publication date : Mar 22, 2016
Length: 232 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781784398606
Vendor :
Raspberry Pi
Languages :

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Table of Contents

12 Chapters
1. Introduction to the Raspberry Pi's Architecture and Setup Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Programming on Raspbian Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Low-Level Development with Assembly Language Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. Multithreaded Applications with C/C++ Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. Expanding on Storage Options Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Low-Level Graphics Programming Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Exploring the Raspberry Pi's GPIO Pins Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Exploring Sound with the Raspberry Pi 2 Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Building a Web Server Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. Integrating with Third-Party Microcontrollers Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
11. Final Project Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon

Customer reviews

Rating distribution
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Edward Snajder Apr 25, 2016
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon 5
Raspberry Pi Architecture Essentials is a great read for those interested in getting a taste of lower-level programming, right down to Assembly Language on the ARM Processor. This book would be ideal for someone already familiar with using and configuring a Raspberry Pi, and is searching for a highly-technical overview of programming with the Pi from Assembly to Python, programming graphics and sound, and integrating with the GPIO bus. It even touches on a few server-level tasks like running an NFS share or a Web Server.The initial chapters provide introductions to Assembly Language, C\C++ and Python, providing simple sample programs to give the reader an idea of the complexity of using each language as well as the features and options available. The intermediate portion of the book covers some Linux Server Administrative tasks like building and running a web server or NFS share, and also covers programming low-level graphics and sound. The final part of the book introduces the GPIO bus with examples of integrating the Raspberry Pi with circuits and micro controllers. Finally, it wraps up with a project that ties a lot of previous chapters together, leaving the reader with a diverse tease into many of the things you can do with a Raspberry Pi.As someone with prior experience to a lot of these topics, I found it a nice re-visit to a modern Assembly Language, and it was fun to toy around with C again, though it doesn't dive too deep into any particular technology, so it you are after a specific application on the Raspberry Pi, this might not be the book for you. It is also not for the true novice - while it does provide links to installation, and is very clear and well-written, the topics covered are definitely for the more advanced user. If you are the type of person that likes to try a few different things to see what they like, then you should really enjoy this book.While an Arduino and some other additional hardware is required for the later chapters (listed in the Preface), most of the book can be tackled with just a Raspberry Pi and its standard components.I enjoyed being the Technical Reviewer for this book, and think this book will be enjoyed by Readers already playing with a Raspberry Pi, that are looking for ways to do more interesting things with it.
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Amazon Customer Jan 29, 2018
Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Full star icon Empty star icon 4
I'm using this as a supplement in my Sophomore Architecture class.It has good introductory material, but I would like it to take the information more in-depth.I'd also like to see some ideas for challenge exercises -- how to take the information to a higher level.We are using Pi3 with it and everything seems to work fine.
Amazon Verified review Amazon
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