raspi-tools: Raspberry Pi Utility Library

raspi-tools is a Python library that simplifies working with GPS modules, GPIO pins, and other Raspberry Pi functionalities. It includes components to manage GPS data, interact with GPIO pins, and more.

Features

1. GPS Module (GPSManager)

   • Fetch GPS data using gpsd.
   • Save GPS data to a database (TinyDB).
   • Retrieve the last known GPS location.

2. GPIO Module (BoardLED)

   • Control Raspberry Pi’s built-in board LED.
   • Flash, turn on, or turn off the LED.

Installation

1. Prerequisites

Hardware Setup:

• A Raspberry Pi with a GPS module (e.g. Neo6 GPS) connected to the UART port.

System Dependencies:

• Install gpsd and related tools:

  sudo apt update
  sudo apt install gpsd gpsd-clients python3-gps -y
  

Configure gpsd:

1. Open the gpsd configuration file:

   sudo nano /etc/default/gpsd
   

2. Update the following fields:

   DEVICES="/dev/serial0"
   GPSD_OPTIONS="-n"
   

3. Restart gpsd:

   sudo systemctl restart gpsd
   

Verify GPS Functionality:

1. Test with cgps:

   cgps -s
   

2. Check the gpsd service status:

   sudo systemctl status gpsd
   

2. Library Installation

Install from PyPI:

pip install raspi-tools

Install from Source:

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone <repository_url>
   cd raspi-tools
   

2. Build and install:

   python3 -m build
   pip install dist/raspi_tools-1.0.0.tar.gz
   

Usage

1. GPSManager

Fetch and Save GPS Data

from raspi_tools import GPSManager

# Initialize GPSManager
gps_manager = GPSManager()

# Fetch and save GPS data
gps_manager.run()

Retrieve Last Known Location

# Get the last saved GPS data
last_data = gps_manager.get_last_gps_data()

if last_data:
    print(f"Latitude: {last_data.latitude}")
    print(f"Longitude: {last_data.longitude}")
else:
    print("No GPS data available.")

2. BoardLED

Control Raspberry Pi Board LED

from raspi_tools import BoardLED

# Initialize the LED manager
led = BoardLED()

# Turn the LED on
led.on()

# Turn the LED off
led.off()

# Flash the LED 5 times
led.flash(times=5, interval=0.2)

Advanced Configuration

GPSManager Initialization

You can specify custom paths or configurations for GPS data storage:

gps_manager = GPSManager(db_path="/custom/path/gps_data.json", gpio_pin=20, timeout=300)

BoardLED Initialization

Customize LED operations for different GPIO pins or external LEDs:

led = BoardLED(pin=21)
led.flash(times=3, interval=1.0)

FAQs

1. Why is my GPS not providing data?

• Ensure the GPS module is properly connected to the UART port.
• Verify gpsd is running:

  sudo systemctl status gpsd
  

• Test GPS functionality with:

  cgps -s
  

2. How do I clear GPS data from the database?

To clear all stored GPS data:

from tinydb import TinyDB
db = TinyDB('/path/to/gps_data.json')
db.truncate()

Troubleshooting

1. GPIO Errors:

   • If you encounter GPIO not allocated, ensure proper cleanup:

     import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
     GPIO.cleanup()
     

2. GPS Fix Timeout:

   • Increase the timeout when fetching GPS data:

     gps_manager = GPSManager(timeout=600)
     gps_manager.run()
     

3. Permissions Issues:

   • Ensure the script is run with appropriate permissions:

     sudo python3 your_script.py
     

Contributing

1. Fork the repository.
2. Create a new feature branch:

   git checkout -b feature-name
   

3. Make your changes and commit:

   git commit -m "Description of changes"
   

4. Push to the branch and open a pull request.

License

This project is licensed under the MIT License.