# CircuitPython Weekly for November 9, 2020

Video is available here [on YouTube](https://youtu.be/AabMLtbAH2s).


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


The CircuitPython Weekly happens normally at 2pm ET/11am PT on Mondays. Check the #circuitpython channel on Discord for notices of change in time and links to past meetings. Meeting times are also available in iCal format using the following link: https://raw.githubusercontent.com/adafruit/adafruit-circuitpython-weekly-meeting/master/meeting.ical for use with standard calendar applications or in your browser: https://open-web-calendar.herokuapp.com/calendar.html?url=https://raw.githubusercontent.com/adafruit/adafruit-circuitpython-weekly-meeting/master/meeting.ical


If you want to be able to participate in the meeting by speaking, you will need to be added to the @circuitpythonistas role on Discord. Please ask any one of the moderators or admins to add you if you’d like to join.


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


Reminders: Podcast available on most services. Let us know if we’re missing some.

## 4:56 Community News

Blinka now supports 60 Single Board Computers!

As of this week, Blinka now supports 60 single board computers (SBC). Blinka allows SBCs to run most of the ~280 CircuitPython libraries.

5:28 CircuitPython 6.0.0-rc.1 released

Release candidate 1 is the second release candidate of CircuitPython 6.0.0. The CircuitPython team doesn’t know of any stability issues overall. If you find any issues with it, please [file an issue on GitHub](https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/issues/new). If no issues are found within a week or so, this version will be released as stable - [Adafruit Blog](https://blog.adafruit.com/2020/11/02/circuitpython-6-0-0-rc-1-released-adafruit-circuitpython/).

5:55 CircuitPython in Space Update

At least 4 spacecraft running CircuitPython 5.3.1 are launching in December by NASA!

6:15 The LCA2021 #swagbadge Project

A limited number of LCA2021 Swag Badge electronic badges will be produced for the on-line Linux Conference Australia, which will be distributed to conference attendees January 23-25 2021 Online, Worldwide. The LCA2021 Swag Badge is being specially developed and tailored for the conference. The board will ready for development with the latest microPython installed and features an ESP32 microcontroller and dual OLED displays - Open Hardware Conference.

6:54 Adafruit Update

Adafruit is stocked and shipping orders!

Now is the best time to get orders in for your favorite products, including holiday projects and gifts.

Adafruit parts have free, easy to follow tutorials in the [Adafruit Learning System](https://learn.adafruit.com/).

[Shop Adafruit now](https://www.adafruit.com/)

7:21 Newsletter

The CircuitPython Weekly Newsletter is a CircuitPython community-run newsletter emailed every Tuesday. The complete [archives are here](https://www.adafruitdaily.com/category/circuitpython/). It highlights the latest Python on hardware related news from around the web including CircuitPython, Python and MicroPython developments. 

To contribute your own news or project, edit next week's draft [on GitHub](https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython-weekly-newsletter/tree/gh-pages/_drafts) and [submit a pull request](https://help.github.com/articles/editing-files-in-your-repository/) with the changes. You may also tag @anne_engineer on Twitter, or email anneb@adafruit.com.

## 8:29 State of CircuitPython, Libraries and Blinka
### 8:43 Overall
* 26 pull requests merged
  * 14 authors - dhalbert, brentru, twa127, wtuemura, siddacious, bergdahl, microDev1, weblate, tannewt, dherrada, sporeball, makermelissa, FoamyGuy, WarriorOfWire
  * 9 reviewers - jerryneedell, dhalbert, kattni, brentru, ladyada, tannewt, jepler, makermelissa, FoamyGuy
* 21 closed issues by 15 people, 23 opened by 20 people
* Removed Hacktoberfest label from 0 issues.
### 9:50 Core
* 8 pull requests merged
  * 8 authors - dhalbert, wtuemura, bergdahl, microDev1, weblate, tannewt, sporeball, WarriorOfWire
  * 4 reviewers - brentru, tannewt, dhalbert, jepler
* 17 open pull requests
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3044 (Open 145 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3144 (Open 121 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3192 (Open 108 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3291 (Open 83 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3349 (Open 72 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3454 (Open 47 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3467 (Open 45 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3493 (Open 39 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3513 (Open 33 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3614 (Open 12 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3612 (Open 12 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3619 (Open 10 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3643 (Open 5 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3647 (Open 3 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3653 (Open 2 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3659 (Open 0 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/pull/3658 (Open 0 days)
* 2 closed issues by 2 people, 7 opened by 7 people
* Removed Hacktoberfest label from 0 issues.
* 326 open issues
  * https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/issues
* 7 active milestones
  * 6.0.0: 1 open issues
  * 6.x.0 - Features: 6 open issues
  * 6.x.x - Bug Fixes: 18 open issues
  * 7.0.0: 3 open issues
  * Libraries: 12 open issues
  * Long term: 279 open issues
  * Support: 3 open issues
  * 4 issues not assigned a milestone


* Core download stats available at https://circuitpython.org/stats


We’re very close to 6.0 stable.  After 6.0 stable, expect to see a 6.1 unstable release.  Let us know if there’s anything that should block the stable release -- discussion in the weeds.  Exciting times, thanks to everyone who has contributed to 6.0, it’s going to be a good one.
### 11:30 Libraries
* 16 pull requests merged
  * 7 authors - dhalbert, tannewt, dherrada, brentru, makermelissa, FoamyGuy, siddacious
  * 8 reviewers - jerryneedell, dhalbert, kattni, ladyada, tannewt, jepler, makermelissa, FoamyGuy
  * Merged pull requests:
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_MCP2515/pull/1 (Days open: 35)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_DHT/pull/46 (Days open: 33)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_AdafruitIO/pull/47 (Days open: 33)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Shapes/pull/27 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_miniesptool/pull/23 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_SSD1327/pull/7 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Text/pull/96 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyPortal/pull/93 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyPortal/pull/91 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests/pull/50 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests/pull/43 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests/pull/49 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ESP32SPI/pull/114 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_MatrixPortal/pull/40 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_MatrixPortal/pull/38 (Days open: 1)
    * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Slideshow/pull/24 (Days open: 1)
* 18 closed issues by 15 people, 14 opened by 14 people
* Removed Hacktoberfest label from 0 issues.
* https://circuitpython.org/contributing
  * 232 open issues
  * 9 good first issues
  * 32 open pull requests (Oldest: 672, Newest: 2)
Library updates in the last seven days:
**New Libraries**
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_TMP117](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_TMP117)
**Updated Libraries**
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_BNO055](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_BNO055)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_LIS3DH](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_LIS3DH)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_AdafruitIO](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_AdafruitIO)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Shapes](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Shapes)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_miniesptool](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_miniesptool)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_SSD1327](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_SSD1327)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Text](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Text)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyPortal](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_PyPortal)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_ESP32SPI](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ESP32SPI)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_MCP2515](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_MCP2515)
 * [Adafruit_CircuitPython_MatrixPortal](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_MatrixPortal)
 * [Adafruit_Blinka](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka)
 * [Adafruit_Python_PlatformDetect](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Python_PlatformDetect)
 * [CircuitPython_Community_Bundle](https://github.com/adafruit/CircuitPython_Community_Bundle)


We are seeing consistent numbers of PRs, and from zero to 3 new libraries a week.  It’s excellent to see things expanding and growing.  This makes it much easier for people to use CircuitPython in their project.  Contributing to the libraries are a great way to help make that happen.
### 15:56 Blinka
* 2 pull requests merged
  * 2 authors - twa127, makermelissa
  * 2 reviewers - ladyada, makermelissa
* 5 open pull requests
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Python_PureIO/pull/1 (Open 1619 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka_bleio/pull/20 (Open 46 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka_Displayio/pull/41 (Open 22 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka/pull/363 (Open 3 days)
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka_PyPortal/pull/17 (Open 2 days)
* 1 closed issues by 1 people, 2 opened by 2 people
* Removed Hacktoberfest label from 0 issues.
* 45 open issues
  * https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Blinka/issues
* PyPI Downloads in the last week: 1820
Number of supported boards: 600


We have new statistics in the Blinka section thanks to @foamyguy.  
## 17:05 Hug reports

18:07 @tannewt
* @makermelissa for the continued help with Requests and ESP32SPI
* BennyE for helping debug SSL issues.
* FoamyGuy for Show and Tell and being so helpful!
* @akbykraz for dropping by and letting us know how they had resolved an issue


19:32 @anecdata (lurking)
* @tannewt, @makermelissa, and everyone testing and fixing, for the push on wi-fi quality of life last week


@anneb (lurking)


@cater (lurking)


@charlesburnaford (lurking)


19:55 @danh 
* @tannewt for a long talk about the sleep and event API


20:31 @David.Glaude (lurking)
* @tannewt and @ladyada for entertaining video


@DaveP (lurking)


20:42 @dherrada (lurking)
* Group hug


20:48 @foamyguy
* @danh for all of the work on BLE libraries. This work made it a breeze to set up a Matrix Portal Pixel Art Painting demo controlled by the BLE Connect Smartphone App
* @KevinThomas for being named PyDev of the week and for sharing a great “Python for Kids” series of articles. Also for a nice ESP32-S2 basic IoT article reader tutorial.
* @marius_450 for making and sharing such neat things like the Matrix Portal maze, and displayio Shapes + led_animation library mashup anisha. Also for helping me setup a local git repo to not allow pushing. 
* @cater for a nice discussion on displayio and external displays


22:30 @hierophect
* Group hug


@jasonp (lurking)


22:40 @jepler
* Group hug


22:57 @jerryn
* @BennyE for diving into the SSL issues for eps32s2 
* Group Hug!


23:13 @kattni
* @foamyguy for updating the Feather Sense guide to have the right library folder structure in the screenshot and list
* Group hug.


24:01 @Kevin Thomas - Lurking, Text-Only
* @FoamyGuy for partnering with me to get the CircuitPython IoT Streaming Data ESP32-S2 OLED Version tutorial complete on the Metro ESP32-S2.


24:20 @MakerMelissa
* @jepler for helping point me in the right direction regarding an issue I was having with sdcardio
* @foamyguy for adding the Blinka Stats to Adabot for other related Repos
* @tannewt for working on pinpointing the cause of the Requests/ESP32SPI issues
* Group Hug


24:57 @Mark(Gamblor) [lurking/text only]
* @foamyguy for doing some tests on my bus_device to the core PR


@microDev (lurking)


@Mr. Certainly [lurking]

## 25:14 Status Updates

25:46 @tannewt
   * Merged ESP32SPI and Requests fixes. Will hopefully work better for everyone.
   * This week I’m working on a MagTag project for myself and running down issues as I find them. Will likely fix -S2 connecting to Adafruit IO.

@anecdata (lurking)


@anneb (lurking)


@cater (lurking)


@charlesburnaford (lurking)


26:40 @danh
* Working on sleep and wakeup events:
   * API design
   * ESP32-S2 implementation (head start by @microDev and @tannewt)


27:22 @David.Glaude (lurking)
* Last week
   * Upgrading most of my board to RC1
   * Controlling Unicorn Hat HD (using a this library: https://github.com/Arudinne/CircuitPython_UnicornHatHD)
* This Week
   * Starting from Thursday: play with my MagTag
   * Try to understand PixelBuf to maybe use it for Unicorn HAT HD or led-shim (https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_IS31FL3731/issues/28)
   * Try to make a CLUE timestamp keyboard encoder for this meeting.


28:02 @dherrada (lurking)
* Last week
   * Working on a few guides
* This week
   * Hopefully finishing the guides I was working on
   * Testing some PRs


28:15 @foamyguy
* Last week
   * Made a “Pixel Art Painting” demo with a Matrix Portal controlled by BLE Connect Smartphone app.
   * Learned how to set up Adabot to run it’s reports locally. Added more Blinka repos to that section of the reports. Add docs links to generated libs md file 
   * Update Feather Sense guide screenshot and library list for the newest version of lsm6ds library.
   * First time going on show and tell!
   * Learn how to build circuitpython.org locally
   * Test bus_device in core branch
   * Created SlideShow library example showing use of alignment features
   * Troubleshoot and try to fix an issue unhiding Groups and TileGrids in the core
* This Week
   * Looking into refactoring SlideShow library to play nicely with other things on the display
   * Looking into refactoring Blinka_PyPortal to optionally not import secrets directly due to naming conflict with CPython module.
   * Work on cycling through lines of text when there is more than can fit on a small screen


33:11 @hierophect
* Last week:
   * UDP-IP research and testbenches
   * Reviews
* This week
   * Hopefully UDP but better
   * Speeding up Neopixel
   * Bug backlog
* Personal
   * SPI Peripheral & SteamVR


@jasonp (lurking)


35:02 @jepler
* Last week: canio guide (hopefully live soon), Arduino-CAN library
   * Verified that with the upcoming Feather CAN you can use two CAN bus interfaces simultaneously -- one using the builtin transceiver, one with an external transceiver
* This week: Back to esp32s2 audioout
* Fun stuff: New 3D printer!  I bought into all the marketing and got an Original Prusa.  More build area than my previous printer, better build surface & auto bed leveling were the main points


36:36 @jerryn
* Nothing significant to report.
* I have been dragged “kicking and screaming” out of retirement temporarily. Hopefully not for too long and only half-time but it cuts into play-time...




37:11 @kattni
* Last week:
   * Published Metro ESP32-S2 guide
   * Tested install instructions in Metro guide and found quirks/issues so Limor could update instructions to be better.
   * Wrote up a page explaining the pin naming in CircuitPython including a fancy pin diagram.
   * Created 6 fritzing objects.
   * Added to the Downloads page in the BMP3xx guide to include BMP390.
   * Found a bug in the back silk on the 128x64 OLED FeatherWing (button labels on pins are backwards, e.g. ABC, should be CBA)
   * Add BMP390 STEMMA QT fritzing diagrams to BMP3xx guide
* This week:
   * MAGTAG guide.
   * New guide on how to pick which CircuitPython board is right for you.


42:05 @Kevin Thomas - Lurking, Text-Only
* Last week:
   * Created a new micro:bit V2 tutorial on how to modify a C library
      * Taught how to add a library function called microbit.temperature_f() to which when called in the Python REPL would read the board’s internal temperature sensor and convert it to Farenheight and return that value to the user
   * Partnered with @FoamyGuy to create a CircuitPython IoT Streaming Data ESP32-S2 OLED Version tutorial in addition to a REPL version for the Metro ESP32-S2
* This week:
   * Developing a more in-depth tutorial for how to create a custom C library for the new micro:bit V2 in preparation for their launch
      * Develop a custom music theory C library that will be callable in the Python REPL to where the user can pass in a note such as 'c' and it will return all of the chords in the c major scale.  
      * There will be a minor key conversion function as well for all of the notes from a to g including all of the relative sharps and flats.


43:11 @MakerMelissa
* Last Week:
   * Added 8 new Blinka boards to circuitpython.org
   * Worked with @tannewt to get some Requests/Esp32SPI bugs squashed
   * Updated PyPortal library to handle HTTP errors better
   * Ported PyPortal library improvements to MatrixPortal library
   * Added 2.9” Tri-Color FeatherWing to eInk breakouts and FeatherWings guide
* This Week:
   * Working on writing a MagTag library


44:04 @Mark(Gamblor) [lurking/text only]
* Want to move bus_device in the core out of draft PR. Think it is ready

44:16 @microDev (text-only)
   * Finished the RotaryIO and CountIO implementation for the esp32-s2.
   * This week I’m working on implementing camera module for esp32-s2. 
   * Also I plan to upgrade the current camera module implementation to a more mature camio api.


@Mr. Certainly [lurking]

## 44:47 In The Weeds
45:21 @foamyguy, @carter
Displayio based examples for RGB Matrices and other external displays. Many new users are getting introduced to CircuitPython and displayio using Matrix Portal and RGB Matrix devices now. Much of the existing example code uses board.DISPLAY which won’t work on that device.
Proposal is to create a guide page that details how to set up various different external displays and matrices. Then in the example code consistently use something like this:

```
# use built in display (PyPortal, PyGamer, PyBadge, CLUE, etc.)
# see guide for setting up external displays (TFT / OLED breakouts, RGB matrices, etc.)
display = board.DISPLAY
```

Linking to the guide page mentioned above. Encouraging people to use a display variable like this instead of board.DISPLAY directly throughout their code will make it easier to swap the code to different types of displays. 


51:40 @danh
   * Are we ready for 6.0.0 final? One new 6.0.0 issue re grayscale oled.
   * @jepler: https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/issues/3649 weird esp32s2 crash I ran into, replicated by someone else
## 1:04:47 Wrap-Up
