Micro-Python / Repl Setup W/Pycharm in a Linux Envirnoment

Music of the Day: Night Music for Work

• Micropython is a tiny version of Python allowing you to run a 'sub-python.'
• Sadly - No Step-Debugging yet..
• It is designed to install directly onto small MCU's such as the raspberry pi-pico, etc etc.
• The site (and a good plethora of board suppport) is available here:

MicroPython - Python for microcontrollers

MicroPython is a lean and efficient implementation of the Python 3 programming language that includes a small subset of the Python standard library and is optimised to run on microcontrollers and in constrained environments.

MicroPython

• Once you have micropython installed it will supply a 'REPL' which is effectively its own built in debugger over one of the /dev/ttyACM0 ports.

Part 1. Install micropython to the Raspberry Pi-Pico

We are working with a standard Raspberry Pi-Pico

• One can dowload the MicroPython here (select the one that is applicable)

• In linux installing your .uf2 file is a bit different. Open a terminal and type:

watch lsblk

• Before you plug in your pico

• After you plug in your pico (if no program has been installed prior)

• Mounting it is as easy as (requring sudo)

sudo mount /dev/sda1 /raspa

• If you have anything installed you will need to hold down 'bootsel' while you power it then release the button.

sudo cp RPI_PICO-20240602-v1.23.0.uf2 /raspa

Finding your MicroPython installed .uf2 system

sudo dmesg -w

When you plug it in you will see:

Step 2: Confirm Micropython REPL works.

• Install minicom

sudo apt install minicom

Manual Link Check to minicom.

sudo minicom -D /dev/ttyACM0 -b 115200

Now that we have proven our downstream to the chip we can focus on the Pycharm side.

Step 3. Adding your IDE Pycharm and Setting the Enviroment.

• Install the marketplace plugin (MicroPython)

• At this point you make a standard python project and then simply enable your micropython:

Pycharm is good in that it will install some associate packages required:

Setup some boiler code (main.py)

• Note we are free of CMakeLists.txt the CMake enviroment and that makes things simpler.

import machine
import sys
import utime

# Pin definitions
repl_button = machine.Pin(0, machine.Pin.IN, machine.Pin.PULL_UP)

# Wait for button 0 to be pressed, and then exit
while True:

    # If button 0 is pressed, drop to REPL
    if repl_button.value() == 0:
        print("Dropping to REPL")
        sys.exit()

    # Do nothing
    utime.sleep_ms(1)

Setup your Run/Debug Configuration as:

Under your Languages & Framework / Micropython set:

You may need to change your permissions:

sudo chmod 776 /dev/ttyACM0

Hit your run button, and you will see the program automatically pushed up.

Summary...

• Why go backwards after writing so many documents on the more advanced CMSIS-DAP Clion Stepping Debugger?  
• What is very handy is if you need a simple 'tool-builder' that will give you some quick bits  this is a why to do it!