# CircuitPython Weekly February 24th, 2020


Video of the meeting is available [on YouTube](https://youtu.be/3QtSKnuXtsY).


Join here for the chat all week: http://adafru.it/discord



The weekly happens normally at 2pm ET/11am PT on Mondays except when US holidays occur on Monday. Check the #circuitpython channel for notices of change in time and links to past episodes.


CircuitPython development is sponsored by Adafruit. Please support them by purchasing hardware from adafruit.com.


Reminders: Podcast available on most services. Let us know if we’re missing some.
## 3:45 Community News 
CircuitPython library parsing the data output of a Mitutoyo Digimatic instrument, like calipers or micrometers
https://github.com/vifino/CircuitPython-mitutoyo 


For EngineersWeek check out Digi-Key's events with Circuit Playgrounds and more!
https://twitter.com/digikey/status/1230971271275597825 
https://twitter.com/Kwalseth/status/1230927356174512129 


Morgan Stanley Makerspace Program (Circuit Playgrounds with CircuitPython and more)
https://twitter.com/MorganStanley/status/1231217016985604098 


Feather previews!
https://twitter.com/arturo182/status/1229500410664280064 
https://www.instagram.com/p/B8rpJbFHovw/?igshid=1qlgbwy8rjjkp 


HackSpace Issue 28: Python on Hardware (Drew) and more!
https://hackspace.raspberrypi.org/issues/28 
https://blog.adafruit.com/2020/02/18/live-chat-hackspace-magazine-chat-on-wednesday-feb-19th-at-1pm-et-hackspacemag-ben_everard/ 
https://hsmag.cc/adafruit 


CLUE on Hackaday
https://hackaday.com/2020/02/24/new-part-day-ooh-the-things-you-can-do-with-a-clue/ 


Good thread "what is the most intimidating part of hardware development to you, if you've ever had doubts about starting a first project with microcontrollers, etc?"
https://twitter.com/noopkat/status/1229547642343972864 


Hello world!
https://twitter.com/issackelly/status/1229459588996464640 


"soooooo simple and good"
https://twitter.com/jordansissel/status/1230349862836699136 


DRAFT is here, ships out on Tues!
https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython-weekly-newsletter/blob/gh-pages/_drafts/2020-02-25-draft.md 


## 8:00 State of CircuitPython, Libraries & Blinka
### 8:40 Overall


* 29 pull requests merged
  * 15 authors - fgallaire, maholli, nnja, FoamyGuy, tannewt, kattni, dherrada, vifino, rhooper, geekguy-wy, siddacious, mubes, caternuson, dhalbert, arturo182
  * 7 reviewers - tannewt, makermelissa, kattni, caternuson, ladyada, dhalbert, arturo182
* 21 closed issues by 10 people, 10 opened by 9 people


Overview: Closing issues to reach 5.0.0 release candidate. Very good to be down 11 closed issues. Please help us out by testing the latest and filing issues for anything you find.


Libraries continues to grow in count and contributors. Reviewing pull requests is a great way to get started.


### 11:15 Core


* 12 pull requests merged
  * 7 authors - fgallaire, maholli, mubes, tannewt, rhooper, dhalbert, arturo182
  * 4 reviewers - ladyada, dhalbert, arturo182, tannewt
* 5 open pull requests
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/2044 (Open 200 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/2054 (Open 197 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/2366 (Open 76 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/2583 (Open 19 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/2598 (Open 17 days)
* 12 closed issues by 5 people, 3 opened by 3 people
* 250 open issues
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/issues
* 8 active milestones
  * 4.x.x - Bug fixes: 0 open issues
  * 5.0.0: 2 open issues
  * 5.x.0 - Features: 5 open issues
  * 5.x.x - Bug Fixes: 13 open issues
  * 6.0.0: 26 open issues
  * Libraries: 10 open issues
  * Long term: 190 open issues
  * Support: 4 open issues
  * 0 issues not assigned a milestone


Core CircuitPython GitHub download statistics request failed.


### 13:05 Libraries


* 17 pull requests merged
  * 10 authors - nnja, FoamyGuy, tannewt, kattni, dherrada, vifino, geekguy-wy, siddacious, caternuson, dhalbert
  * 6 reviewers - tannewt, caternuson, makermelissa, ladyada, kattni, dhalbert
  * Merged pull requests:
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_HT16K33/pull/60 (Days open: 6)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BLE_Eddystone/pull/1 (Days open: 4)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyBadger/pull/20 (Days open: 4)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_CLUE/pull/14 (Days open: 3)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Text/pull/35 (Days open: 3)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_HT16K33/pull/64 (Days open: 2)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Thermal_Printer/pull/10 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_CLUE/pull/17 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BusDevice/pull/45 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BLE/pull/70 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BLE/pull/69 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyBadger/pull/23 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ADT7410/pull/8 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Bundle/pull/224 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Bundle/pull/229 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Bundle/pull/230 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/CircuitPython_Community_Bundle/pull/33 (Days open: 1)
* 9 closed issues by 6 people, 7 opened by 7 people
* https://circuitpython.org/contributing
  * 143 open issues
  * 26 open pull requests (Oldest: 413, Newest: 1)
Library updates in the last seven days:
**New Libraries**
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_LPS2X](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_LPS2X)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_BLE_Eddystone](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BLE_Eddystone)
**Updated Libraries**
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_LIS2MDL](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_LIS2MDL)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_Fingerprint](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Fingerprint)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_Gizmo](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Gizmo)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_LSM303DLH_Mag](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_LSM303DLH_Mag)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_BluefruitConnect](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BluefruitConnect)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_MPU6050](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_MPU6050)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_ADS1x15](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ADS1x15)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyPortal](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyPortal)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_LSM303_Accel](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_LSM303_Accel)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_RGB_Display](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_RGB_Display)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_MCP230xx](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_MCP230xx)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_CLUE](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_CLUE)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_HT16K33](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_HT16K33)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Text](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Text)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_BusDevice](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BusDevice)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_BLE](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BLE)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyBadger](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyBadger)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_ADT7410](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ADT7410)
 * [Adafruit_Blinka](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka)
 * [CircuitPython_Community_Bundle](https://github.com/adafruit/CircuitPython_Community_Bundle)


### 14:30 Blinka


* 1 pull requests merged
  * 1 authors - tannewt
  * 3 reviewers - makermelissa, ladyada, tannewt
* 2 open pull requests
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka/pull/247 (Open 18 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka/pull/255 (Open 1 days)
* 1 closed issues by 1 people, 1 opened by 1 people
* 33 open issues
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka/issues
* PyPI Downloads in the last week: 2284
Number of supported boards: 38


## 15:30 Hug Reports
16:30 @kattni
* @EdKeyes for helping out all over the place on Discord
* @geekguy for testing PyBadger for me
* @JohnPark for testing PyBadger for me so I could finally get the refactor PR merged
* @MakerMelissa for testing my PyBadger refactor throughout the process, for help with simplifying code and making some displayio code work, and unblocking me last week
* @krayola for helping me with writing some code and getting me past the final issues I was having


17:53 @MakerMelissa
* @cater for reviewing my Arduino EPD PR
* @foamyguy for helping test the PyBadger PR which made it easier for me
* Group Hug, especially to those who are patiently waiting for me to get to reviewing their PRs still.


@Mr. Certainly (lurking)


18:30 @mscosti
* Group hug
* @Danh for 5.0.0 RC


18:47 @siddacious - text only, please read
* @cgrover for helping with a mosfet question
* @danh for looking into a I2C bug that proved to be either working as intended or a rather severe corner case


19:05 @tannewt
* Danh for shepherding 5.0.0 to release candidate and squashing bugs.
* Foamyguy for prototyping the ble quilt example.
* Ladyada for trying out the Raspberry Pi bridge for Broadcast Net
* Mesa177 (Alaa) for the initial Arabic translation.


@v923z (lurking)


20:43 @AndrewTribble (missing meeting)
* Group hug


@anecdata (lurking)


@Anne B (lurking)


@cater (lurking)


20:56 @CGrover (lurking)
* Group hug


@charlesburnaford (lurking)


21:08 @CodeNSolder (lurking)
* @JP : for BLE videos 
* Group hug for everyone 


21:18 @danh
* @foamyguy, @geekguy, for helping out in discord
* Group hug for everyone I am forgetting for helping in discord


22:00 @dglaude (text only)
* @danh for support on the BLE_Heart_Rate library
* Group hug for everyone else


22:13 @Duewester (lurking)
* @foamyguy once again for the TLC with my Clue this time.


22:28 @foamyguy
* @tannewt for reviewing and merging a PR for the requests library I worked on over the weekend. And letting me pick his brain a bit on BLE stuff.
* @danh for testing a cap sense issue I was having with my CLUE
* @danh for pointing me towards a usb Device Cleanup Tool that helped me fix a driver issue that I started having with an Edge Badge
* @marius_450 for the work on the turtle library


22:16 @geekguy (text only)
* @kattni for letting me test and poke at her code.
* Group hug for everyone because you are all AWESOME!


23:34 @hierophect
* Group hug


@JacobT (lurking)


@jasonp (lurking)


23:56 @jepler (missing meeting)
* Group hug


24:05 @jerryn
* Group hug


## 24:20 Status Updates


25:00 @kattni
* Last week:
   * Wrote up a guide page for a simple slideshow example for CLUE.
   * Finished a complete refactor on PyBadger to include CLUE and make it expandable to future boards
   * Started working on badge example for CLUE - by expanding on the current specific “Hello my name is”-style badge. This turned into porting some of the code from the CLUE library into PyBadger to make a super customisable badge, which I began testing on PyGamer because the smaller display needed to be made to work before moving on to the CLUE display.
   * Got the custom badge function working how I wanted it to on PyGamer
   * Today:
      * Tested custom badge function on PyBadge - works as it should
      * Moved onto CLUE and was able to create a basic custom badge on CLUE as well
* This week:
   * Add the ability to use a bitmap as the background for the custom badge
   * Finish CLUE badge example - add QR code or other functionality using the buttons to change modes.
   * Write guide page or full guide for CLUE badge example
   * Update schematics on GitHub and in guide for Feather HUZZAH ESP8266
   * Update Adafruit Community Code of Conduct across the libraries


29:27 @MakerMelissa
* Last Week:
   * Reviewed/Merged in some waiting PRs
   * Created an arduino fix for the EPD Gizmo to work on CPX
   * Worked mostly on familiarizing myself with Web Bluetooth and adapting a web application to make use of it to connect to a Circuit Playground Bluefruit.
   * Tested out Kattni’s PyBadger PR and verified it worked well
* This Week:
   * Work on and possibly Finish up Web Bluetooth Dashboard Application to see various sensors on the CPB and CLUE


@Mr. Certainly (lurking)


30:29 @mscosti
* Last few weeks:
   * Been working a lot on my DIY Microsoft Surface Dial project with the CPB
   * After printing many many test prints and revisions, I finally got the 3D model designed in a state that is functional and I’m “mostly” happy with :)
* Upcoming:
   * Test project out with the 5.0 RC
   * Planning on pulling out my magnetometer based encoder code over to a separate library. Hopefully it should work most magnetometers as long as X,Y,Z data is available in the same interface.
   * Separate project repo for fusion 360 cad files + project specific source code


31:37 @ntoll (async/afk)
* I spent Friday at Lego with Tufts folk (who @danh knows) for a Lego hack day with lots of MicroPython/CircuitPython things going on with the Lego Spike device. Just wanted to let you folks know that it went well, it was very friendly and plenty of UK maker-y types at the event were CircuitPython enthusiasts. Nice one..! :-) 


32:05 @siddacious (text only, please read)
* last week: 
   * Published both LPS2X libraries
   * finished tester code for the LPS2X
   * Added LPS2X to SensorLab
   * Wrote Arduino and CP drivers for HTS221
   * Wrote tester code for HTS221
   * Worked on two add ons for the Open Hardware summit badge, should be sending them out today or tomorrow
* This week:
   * Guides for the HTS221 and LPS25
   * Starting bringup, testing and libraries for either the Si1133 or ICM20948
   * Sending OHS boards to fab
   * Working on code for the OHS badge


32:58 @tannewt
* Turned off the BLE file service in prep for 5.0.0
* Focusing on BroadcastNet. Redid the raspberry pi scanning and it got much more reliable. It’s been running all weekend. :-)
* This week I’ll be wrapping it up before I head to Colorado on Thursday for a weekend wedding. Will be out Friday and visiting SparkFun and maybe Great Scott Gadgets on Thursday.
* May also tackle the USB/Mac crash that I reproed over the weekend.


@v923z (lurking)


37:06 @AndrewTribble (missing meeting)
* Last Week:
   * Got a suit of test boards and sensors
   * Spent the later half of the week trying to find out if there is support for an I2S Microphone
   * Played with some of the examples for eInk displays and the HT16K33 with 1x4 14 segments
* This Week:
   * Continue working on I2S input (if possible)
   * Check out turning the graphing utility into a library


@anecdata (lurking)


@Anne B (lurking)


@cater (lurking)


@CGrover (lurking)


38:10 @charlesburnaford
* Just received a replacement module for drawbar system, figure out how to wire it in, then set to demo B3 emulation.


38:40 @CodeNSolder(lurking)
* Last week:
   * Nothing new, dealing with back pain 
   * Will be finalising PyCon circuitpython poster presentation project


38:55 @danh
* More bug squashing for 5.0.0 RC:
   * Fixed os.stat() for non-longint builds.
   * Implemented signed `to_bytes()`.
   * Completed nRF neopixel_write buffer handling PR. Thanks @rhooper for doing most of this.
   * Enabled _bleio adapter when _bleio is imported, ensuring it will be turned on.
* Did a lot of forum support late last week and over the weekend, which is a good way of seeing what the new common issues are.
* To do:
   * Release 5.0.0 release candidate when we finish off the last blockers.
   * Lots of miscellaneous.
   * Post 5.0.0 GA release
      * Work on a number of bootloader issues.
      * coordinate working on low power with other CircuitPython core developers.


42:30 @dglaude (text only)
* Last week
   * Made a CLUE reading color and transmitting in BLE (as POC for a #Pycon2020 badge app): https://twitter.com/DavidGlaude/status/1231738102693220354?s=20
   * Ordered Bit:2:Pi that convert from Micro:Bit to Raspberry Pi pinout https://4tronix.co.uk/blog/?p=1568
* Next week(s)
   * (Long term) Drive Raspberry Pi HAT/pHAT/Bonnet from a CLUE (with Bit:2:Pi)
   * (Maybe) improve the CLUE badge concept (proximity + display top 3 received advertisement on screen)


@duewester (lurking)


43:15 @foamyguy
* Last week
   * Finished up NeoTrellis M4 synth example and got PR created
   * Played with the requests library over the weekend submitting POST data to google spreadsheets
   * Played with marius’s turtle graphics improvements on CPX and CLUE
   * Assembled my 16x8 LED Matrix feather wing and started learning about the HT16k33 library
* Next week
   * Polish up and submit PyGamer / PyBadge example
   * BLE patchwork demo for CLUE and CPB+Gizmo
   * Maybe working on a text library for the 16x8 matrix


44:50 @geekguy (text only)
* I am working on another change to the HT16K33 7x14 alphanumeric displayanimations. It consists of passing a list of lists for the bitmasks so any or all displays can have different animations concurrently. The way things work will be triggered by how the bitmasks are passed in (a single list or a list of lists).
* I will also be continuing to poke at my PyGamer so I can continue learning how to use it.  I will start writing applications for it, like a wireless remote control for machines.


45:39 @hierophect
* Last week:
   * Had flu real bad
   * Got started on PulseOut 
   * Worked on Zephyr tutorial
* This week
   * Work more on PulseOut, PulseIn
   * Plan RotaryIO
   * Get started on F7/H7 groundwork


@JacobT (lurking)


@jasonp (lurking)


47:02 @jerryn
* Last week - not much CP activity
   * Slowly recovering from being away - catching up
      * 10 minute faucet repair took 7 hours yesterday! 
         * Two trips to HW store and the new faucet works great!
   * Finally deployed my raspberry pi - “birdcam” - bluebird house
      * Solar powered. Raspberry pi zerow. Has IR camera and LEDs.
      * Testing how well the solar power/battery capacity works. 
      * waiting for birds to find it. - probably next month.
* Next week
   * Back to work on RFM69/9x …
      * May need to separate CP vs RPI/Blinka work
         * Somewhat different issues
   * Too many toys...


## 48:35 In the Weeds
49:00 Jerryn - guidance on “breaking changes’ - trade off in adding extra code to preserve backward compatibility. For RFM9x considering changes to how the RadioHead headers are  used. Very few users seem to be using this feature anyway. OK to break/fix? Want to use more properties (getters/setters). More similar to RadioHead.


51:52 Carter - BLE Learn Guide in the works? Similar to displayio guide.
## 1:08:41 Wrap-up
