Introduction¶

This high level library provides objects that represent CircuitPlayground hardware.

Installation¶

This driver depends on many other libraries! Please install it by downloading the Adafruit library and driver bundle.

Usage Example¶

Using it is super simple. Simply import the cpx variable from the module and then use it.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.button_a:
        print("Temperature:", cpx.temperature)
    cpx.red_led = cpx.button_b

Contributing¶

Contributions are welcome! Please read our Code of Conduct before contributing to help this project stay welcoming.

Building locally¶

To build this library locally you’ll need to install the circuitpython-build-tools package.

python3 -m venv .env
source .env/bin/activate
pip install circuitpython-build-tools

Once installed, make sure you are in the virtual environment:

source .env/bin/activate

Then run the build:

circuitpython-build-bundles --filename_prefix adafruit-circuitpython-circuitplayground --library_location .

Sphinx documentation¶

Sphinx is used to build the documentation based on rST files and comments in the code. First, install dependencies (feel free to reuse the virtual environment from above):

python3 -m venv .env
source .env/bin/activate
pip install Sphinx sphinx-rtd-theme

Now, once you have the virtual environment activated:

cd docs
sphinx-build -E -W -b html . _build/html

This will output the documentation to docs/_build/html. Open the index.html in your browser to view them. It will also (due to -W) error out on any warning like Travis will. This is a good way to locally verify it will pass.

Table of Contents¶

Simple test¶

Ensure your device works with this simple test.

examples/acceleration_simpletest.py¶

import time
from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    x, y, z = cpx.acceleration
    print(x, y, z)

    time.sleep(0.1)

examples/pixels_simpletest.py¶

# CircuitPython demo - NeoPixel

import time
from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx


# The number of pixels in the strip
numpix = 10

def wheel(pos):
    # Input a value 0 to 255 to get a color value.
    # The colours are a transition r - g - b - back to r.
    if (pos < 0) or (pos > 255):
        return (0, 0, 0)
    if pos < 85:
        return (int(pos * 3), int(255 - (pos*3)), 0)
    elif pos < 170:
        pos -= 85
        return (int(255 - pos*3), 0, int(pos*3))
    #else:
    pos -= 170
    return (0, int(pos*3), int(255 - pos*3))

def rainbow_cycle(wait):
    for j in range(255):
        for i in range(cpx.pixels.n):
            idx = int((i * 256 / len(cpx.pixels)) + j)
            cpx.pixels[i] = wheel(idx & 255)
        cpx.pixels.show()
        time.sleep(wait)

cpx.pixels.auto_write = False
cpx.pixels.brightness = 0.3
while True:
    rainbow_cycle(0.001)    # rainbowcycle with 1ms delay per step

examples/shake_simpletest.py¶

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.shake(shake_threshold=20):
        print("Shake detected!")

examples/tapdetect_simpletest.py¶

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

# Set to check for single-taps.
cpx.detect_taps = 1
tap_count = 0

# We're looking for 2 single-taps before moving on.
while tap_count < 2:
    if cpx.tapped:
        tap_count += 1
print("Reached 2 single-taps!")

# Now switch to checking for double-taps
tap_count = 0
cpx.detect_taps = 2

# We're looking for 2 double-taps before moving on.
while tap_count < 2:
    if cpx.tapped:
        tap_count += 1
print("Reached 2 double-taps!")
print("Done.")

examples/tapdetectsimple_simpletest.py¶

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

cpx.detect_taps = 1

while True:
    if cpx.tapped:
        print("Single tap detected!")

examples/tone_simpletest.py¶

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.button_a:
        cpx.start_tone(262)
    elif cpx.button_b:
        cpx.start_tone(294)
    else:
        cpx.stop_tone()

examples/touched_simpletest.py¶

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A1:
        print('Touched pad A1')
    if cpx.touch_A2:
        print('Touched pad A2')
    if cpx.touch_A3:
        print('Touched pad A3')
    if cpx.touch_A4:
        print('Touched pad A4')
    if cpx.touch_A5:
        print('Touched pad A5')
    if cpx.touch_A6:
        print('Touched pad A6')
    if cpx.touch_A7:
        print('Touched pad A7')

`adafruit_circuitplayground.express`¶

CircuitPython driver from CircuitPlayground Express.

Author(s): Kattni Rembor, Scott Shawcroft

class adafruit_circuitplayground.express.Express[source]¶

Represents a single CircuitPlayground Express. Do not use more than one at a time.

acceleration¶

Obtain data from the x, y and z axes.

This example prints the values. Try moving the board to see how the printed values change.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    x, y, z = cpx.acceleration
    print(x, y, z)

adjust_touch_threshold(adjustment)[source]¶

Adjust the threshold needed to activate the capacitive touch pads. Higher numbers make the touch pads less sensitive.

Parameters:	adjustment (int) – The desired threshold increase

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

cpx.adjust_touch_threshold(200)

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A1:
        print('Touched pad A1')

button_a¶

True when Button A is pressed. False if not.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.button_a:
        print("Button A pressed!")

button_b¶

True when Button B is pressed. False if not.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.button_b:
        print("Button B pressed!")

detect_taps¶

Configure what type of tap is detected by cpx.tapped. Use 1 for single-tap detection and 2 for double-tap detection. This does nothing without cpx.tapped.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

cpx.detect_taps = 1
while True:
  if cpx.tapped:
    print("Single tap detected!")

light¶

The brightness of the CircuitPlayground in approximate Lux.

Try covering the sensor next to the eye to see it change.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx
import time

while True:
    print("Lux:", cpx.light)
    time.sleep(1)

pixels¶

Sequence like object representing the ten NeoPixels around the outside of the CircuitPlayground. Each pixel is at a certain index in the sequence as labeled below. Colors can be RGB hex like 0x110000 for red where each two digits are a color (0xRRGGBB) or a tuple like (17, 0, 0) where (R, G, B). Set the global brightness using any number from 0 to 1 to represent a percentage, i.e. 0.3 sets global brightness to 30%.

See neopixel.NeoPixel for more info.

Here is an example that sets the first pixel green and the second red.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

cpx.pixels.brightness = 0.3
cpx.pixels[0] = 0x003000
cpx.pixels[9] = (30, 0, 0)

# Wait forever. CTRL-C to quit.
while True:
    pass

play_file(file_name)[source]¶

Play a .wav file using the onboard speaker.

Parameters:	file_name – The name of your .wav file in quotation marks including .wav

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.button_a:
        cpx.play_file("laugh.wav")
    elif cpx.button_b:
        cpx.play_file("rimshot.wav")

play_tone(frequency, duration)[source]¶

Produce a tone using the speaker. Try changing frequency to change the pitch of the tone.

Parameters:	frequency (int) – The frequency of the tone in Hz duration (float) – The duration of the tone in seconds

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

cpx.play_tone(440, 1)

red_led¶

The red led next to the USB plug marked D13.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx
import time

while True:
    cpx.red_led = True
    time.sleep(1)
    cpx.red_led = False
    time.sleep(1)

shake(shake_threshold=30)[source]¶

Detect when device is shaken.

Parameters:	shake_threshold (int) – The threshold shake must exceed to return true (Default: 30)

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.shake():
        print("Shake detected!")

Decreasing shake_threshold increases shake sensitivity, i.e. the code will return a shake detected more easily with a lower shake_threshold. Increasing it causes the opposite. shake_threshold requires a minimum value of 10 - 10 is the value when the board is not moving, therefore anything less than 10 will erroneously report a constant shake detected.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.shake(shake_threshold=20):
        print("Shake detected more easily than before!")

start_tone(frequency)[source]¶

Produce a tone using the speaker. Try changing frequency to change the pitch of the tone.

Parameters:	frequency (int) – The frequency of the tone in Hz

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.button_a:
        cpx.start_tone(262)
    elif cpx.button_b:
        cpx.start_tone(294)
    else:
        cpx.stop_tone()

stop_tone()[source]¶

Use with start_tone to stop the tone produced.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.button_a:
        cpx.start_tone(262)
    elif cpx.button_b:
        cpx.start_tone(294)
    else:
        cpx.stop_tone()

switch¶

True when the switch is to the left next to the music notes. False when it is to the right towards the ear.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx
import time

while True:
    print("Slide switch:", cpx.switch)
    time.sleep(1)

tapped¶

True once after a detecting a tap. Requires cpx.detect_taps.

Tap the CPX once for a single-tap, or quickly tap twice for a double-tap.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

cpx.detect_taps = 1

while True:
    if cpx.tapped:
        print("Single tap detected!")

To use single and double tap together, you must have a delay between them. It will not function properly without it. This example uses both by counting a specified number of each type of tap before moving on in the code.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

# Set to check for single-taps.
cpx.detect_taps = 1
tap_count = 0

# We're looking for 2 single-taps before moving on.
while tap_count < 2:
    if cpx.tapped:
        tap_count += 1
print("Reached 2 single-taps!")

# Now switch to checking for double-taps
tap_count = 0
cpx.detect_taps = 2

# We're looking for 2 double-taps before moving on.
while tap_count < 2:
    if cpx.tapped:
       tap_count += 1
print("Reached 2 double-taps!")
print("Done.")

temperature¶

The temperature of the CircuitPlayground in Celsius.

Converting this to Farenheit is easy!

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx
import time

while True:
    temperature_c = cpx.temperature
    temperature_f = temperature_c * 1.8 + 32
    print("Temperature celsius:", temperature_c)
    print("Temperature fahrenheit:", temperature_f)
    time.sleep(1)

touch_A1¶

Detect touch on capacitive touch pad A1.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A1:
        print('Touched pad A1')

touch_A2¶

Detect touch on capacitive touch pad A2.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A2:
        print('Touched pad A2')

touch_A3¶

Detect touch on capacitive touch pad A3.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A3:
        print('Touched pad A3')

touch_A4¶

Detect touch on capacitive touch pad A4.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A4:
        print('Touched pad A4')

touch_A5¶

Detect touch on capacitive touch pad A5.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A5:
        print('Touched pad A5')

touch_A6¶

Detect touch on capacitive touch pad A6.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A6:
        print('Touched pad A6')

touch_A7¶

Detect touch on capacitive touch pad A7.

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx

while True:
    if cpx.touch_A7:
        print('Touched pad A7')

class adafruit_circuitplayground.express.Photocell(pin)[source]¶

Simple driver for analog photocell on the CircuitPlayground Express.

light¶: Light level in SI Lux.

adafruit_circuitplayground.express.cpx = <adafruit_circuitplayground.express.Express object>¶

Object that is automatically created on import.

To use, simply import it from the module:

from adafruit_circuitplayground.express import cpx