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Learning Beaglebone Python Programming
Learning Beaglebone Python Programming

Learning Beaglebone Python Programming: Unleash the potential of BeagleBone using Python

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Profile Icon Alexander C Hiam
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$43.99
Paperback Jul 2015 196 pages 1st Edition
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Arrow left icon
Profile Icon Alexander C Hiam
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Paperback Jul 2015 196 pages 1st Edition
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Learning Beaglebone Python Programming

Chapter 2. Getting Started

In this chapter, we will go through the initial steps to get your BeagleBone Black set up. By the end of it, you should be ready to write your first Python program. We will cover the following topics:

  • Logging in to your BeagleBone
  • Connecting to the Internet
  • Updating and installing software
  • The basics of the PyBBIO and Adafruit_BBIO libraries

Initial setup

If you've never turned on your BeagleBone Black, there will be a bit of initial setup required. You should follow the most up-to-date official instructions found at http://beagleboard.org/getting-started, but to summarize, here are the steps:

  1. Install the network-over-USB drivers for your PC's operating system.
  2. Plug in the USB cable between your PC and BeagleBone Black.
  3. Open Chrome or Firefox and navigate to http://192.168.7.2 (Internet Explorer is not fully supported and might not work properly).

If all goes well, you should see a message on the web page served up by the BeagleBone indicating that it has successfully connected to the USB network:

Initial setup

If you scroll down a little, you'll see a runnable Bonescript example, as in the following screenshot:

Initial setup

If you press the run button you should see the four LEDs next to the Ethernet connector on your BeagleBone light up for 2 seconds and then return to their normal function of indicating system and network activity. What...

Updating your Debian image

The GNU/Linux distributions for platforms such as the BeagleBone are typically provided as ISO images, which are single file copies of the flash memory with the distribution installed. BeagleBone images are flashed onto a microSD card that the BeagleBone can then boot from. It is important to update the Debian image on your BeagleBone to ensure that it has all the most up-to-date software and drivers, which can range from important security fixes to the latest and greatest features. First, grab the latest BeagleBone Black Debian image from http://beagleboard.org/latest-images. You should now have a .img.xz file, which is an ISO image with XZ compression.

Before the image can be flashed from a Windows PC, you'll have to decompress it. Install 7-Zip (http://www.7-zip.org/), which will let you decompress the file from the context menu by right-clicking on it.

Updating your Debian image

You can install Win32 Disk Imager (http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/) to flash the decompressed...

Connecting to your BeagleBone

If you're running your BeagleBone with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse connected, you can use it like a standard desktop install of Debian. This book assumes you are running your BeagleBone headless (without a monitor). In that case, we will need a way to remotely connect to it.

The Cloud9 IDE

The BeagleBone Debian images include an instance of the Cloud9 IDE (https://c9.io) running on port 3000. To access it, simply navigate to your BeagleBone Black's IP address with the port appended after a colon, that is, http://192.168.7.2:3000. If it's your first time using Cloud9, you'll see the welcome screen, which lets you customize the look and feel:

The Cloud9 IDE

The left panel lets you organize, create, and delete files in your Cloud9 workspace. When you open a file for editing, it is shown in the center panel, and the lower panel holds a Bash shell and a Javascript REPL. Files and terminal instances can be opened in both the center and bottom panels. Bash instances...

Connecting to the Internet

Your BeagleBone Black won't be able to access the Internet with the default network-over-USB configuration, but there are a couple ways that you can connect your BeagleBone to the Internet.

Ethernet

The simplest option is to connect the BeagleBone to your network using an Ethernet cable between your BeagleBone and your router or a network switch. When the BeagleBone Black boots with an Ethernet connection, it will use DHCP to automatically request an IP address and register on your network.

Once you have your BeagleBone registered on your network, you'll be able to log in to your router's interface from your web browser (usually found at http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.2.1) and find out the IP address that was assigned to your BeagleBone. Refer to your router's manual for more information. The current BeagleBone Black Debian images are configured to use the hostname beaglebone, so it should be pretty easy to find in your router's client...

Using the serial console

If you are unable to use a network connection to your BeagleBone Black; for instance, if your network is too slow for Cloud9 or you can't find the BeagleBone's IP address, there is still hope! The BeagleBone Black includes a 6-pin male connector; labeled J1, right next to the P9 expansion header (we'll learn more about the P8 and P9 expansion headers soon!). You'll need a USB to 3.3 V TTL serial converter, for example, from Adafruit http://www.adafruit.com/products/70 or Logic Supply http://www.logicsupply.com/components/beaglebone/accessories/ls-ttl3vt. You'll need to download and install the FTDI virtual COM port driver for your operating system from http://www.ftdichip.com/Drivers/VCP.htm, then plug the connector into the J1 header such that the black wire lines up with the header's pin 1 indicator, as shown in the following screenshot:

Using the serial console

You can then use your favorite serial port terminal emulator, such as PuTTY or CoolTerm (http:...

Initial setup


If you've never turned on your BeagleBone Black, there will be a bit of initial setup required. You should follow the most up-to-date official instructions found at http://beagleboard.org/getting-started, but to summarize, here are the steps:

  1. Install the network-over-USB drivers for your PC's operating system.

  2. Plug in the USB cable between your PC and BeagleBone Black.

  3. Open Chrome or Firefox and navigate to http://192.168.7.2 (Internet Explorer is not fully supported and might not work properly).

If all goes well, you should see a message on the web page served up by the BeagleBone indicating that it has successfully connected to the USB network:

If you scroll down a little, you'll see a runnable Bonescript example, as in the following screenshot:

If you press the run button you should see the four LEDs next to the Ethernet connector on your BeagleBone light up for 2 seconds and then return to their normal function of indicating system and network activity. What's happening here...

Updating your Debian image


The GNU/Linux distributions for platforms such as the BeagleBone are typically provided as ISO images, which are single file copies of the flash memory with the distribution installed. BeagleBone images are flashed onto a microSD card that the BeagleBone can then boot from. It is important to update the Debian image on your BeagleBone to ensure that it has all the most up-to-date software and drivers, which can range from important security fixes to the latest and greatest features. First, grab the latest BeagleBone Black Debian image from http://beagleboard.org/latest-images. You should now have a .img.xz file, which is an ISO image with XZ compression.

Before the image can be flashed from a Windows PC, you'll have to decompress it. Install 7-Zip (http://www.7-zip.org/), which will let you decompress the file from the context menu by right-clicking on it.

You can install Win32 Disk Imager (http://sourceforge.net/projects/win32diskimager/) to flash the decompressed...

Connecting to your BeagleBone


If you're running your BeagleBone with a monitor, keyboard, and mouse connected, you can use it like a standard desktop install of Debian. This book assumes you are running your BeagleBone headless (without a monitor). In that case, we will need a way to remotely connect to it.

The Cloud9 IDE

The BeagleBone Debian images include an instance of the Cloud9 IDE (https://c9.io) running on port 3000. To access it, simply navigate to your BeagleBone Black's IP address with the port appended after a colon, that is, http://192.168.7.2:3000. If it's your first time using Cloud9, you'll see the welcome screen, which lets you customize the look and feel:

The left panel lets you organize, create, and delete files in your Cloud9 workspace. When you open a file for editing, it is shown in the center panel, and the lower panel holds a Bash shell and a Javascript REPL. Files and terminal instances can be opened in both the center and bottom panels. Bash instances start in the...

Connecting to the Internet


Your BeagleBone Black won't be able to access the Internet with the default network-over-USB configuration, but there are a couple ways that you can connect your BeagleBone to the Internet.

Ethernet

The simplest option is to connect the BeagleBone to your network using an Ethernet cable between your BeagleBone and your router or a network switch. When the BeagleBone Black boots with an Ethernet connection, it will use DHCP to automatically request an IP address and register on your network.

Once you have your BeagleBone registered on your network, you'll be able to log in to your router's interface from your web browser (usually found at http://192.168.1.1 or http://192.168.2.1) and find out the IP address that was assigned to your BeagleBone. Refer to your router's manual for more information. The current BeagleBone Black Debian images are configured to use the hostname beaglebone, so it should be pretty easy to find in your router's client list. If you are using...

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Description

If you have experience with the Python language and are interested in getting started with electronics, then BeagleBone Black is the perfect platform for you and this book will provide you with the information you need.

Who is this book for?

If you have experience with the Python language and are interested in getting started with electronics, then BeagleBone Black is the perfect platform for you and this book will provide you with the information you need.
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Publication date, Length, Edition, Language, ISBN-13
Publication date : Jul 14, 2015
Length: 196 pages
Edition : 1st
Language : English
ISBN-13 : 9781784399702
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Length: 196 pages
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ISBN-13 : 9781784399702
Vendor :
BeagleBoard.org
Category :
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Tools :

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Table of Contents

13 Chapters
1. Before We Begin Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
2. Getting Started Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
3. Digital Outputs Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
4. PWM and ADC Subsystems Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
5. User Input Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
6. Program Output Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
7. Serial Communication Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
8. Interfacing with External Devices Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
9. Using the Network Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
10. A Practical Example Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
A. The BeagleBone Black Pinout Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
B. Disabling HDMI Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
Index Chevron down icon Chevron up icon
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