Terry King asked 3 years ago
Hi Sara and Rui,
First, many thanks for your excellent work and authoring; I have enjoyed most all your books.
I’m using your ESP32 MicroPython course with uPyCraft1.1 to develop materials for elementary/middleschool students who have started learning Python with a University Of Vermont / 4H Extension program which uses the online “Trinket” system. There will be about 150 students this semester.
I am concerned about the status of uPyCraft. Apparently the latest version is 1.1 and looking on GitHub etc and the DfRobot site it seems nothing has been done to update it in 3 years.
Can you tell us anything about the status? IsThere a future or is it now unsupported?
I need to create a “bridge” between the online-only Python learning environment (EX: Trinket) and the microcomputer world of Physical Computing with Sensors and Actuators as a follow-on for SOME of the students.
We will base this on ESP32 and Python with possible links to Block Languages and “C”. I am working with people at UVM, plus one of my sons who has many years of microcontroller experience, and another engineer from Nigeria with experience. I have written a lot of online Arduino stuff on http://ArduinoInfo.Info and we have had the ESP32 – Arduino-IDE stuff working for some time.
All That … is prelude to asking you for advice!
What, in your opinion, is the best development environment we can use with beginners, supporting Python and ESP32? We will need to put together a package that students can download and install the Circuit MicroPython firmware and get a ESP32 running and download and test student code. This will have to support both Windows and Mac as students will be in both camps..
Any suggestions you may have would be very appreciated!
Regards, Terry King, Barry King…In The Woods In Vermont and Kufy Ebong in Scotland
The one who dies with the most Parts LOSES! WHAT DO YOU NEED??
Sara Santos Staff answered 3 years ago
Hi.
I’m currently updating our MicroPython eBook, and my first IDE recommendation now is Mu Editor.
It is simple to use, intuitive, and works pretty well so far.
Try it out:https://codewith.mu/
It has a tool to flash micropython firmware, so you don’t have to do it using the terminal and esptool, and it automatically detects the boards, you don’t need to select any com port or something.
The eBook will be updated soon, and I’ll create a tutorial about Mu Editor for the blog too.
Regards,
Sara
Terry King answered 3 years ago
Hi Sara,
Wow! Glad I Asked 🙂
I’ll take a look/Try at Mu Editor.
I’d be happy to help with this in any way I can.. Let me know if I can try / test stuff..
I can pretend to be 12 years old and know just a little Python.
Regards, Terry
Terry King answered 3 years ago
Hi Sara.
WOW Again! I am REALLY Glad I Asked 🙂 🙂
I have Mu Editor running well. It is SO much better than the Others… AND I see lots of work being done, with roadmap for early 2022 post-beta release. Confidence restored. Inhale.
Running on WIN10 64Bit . The Install is VERY easy. No separate Python install.
The “Tidy” button fixed all my 2-space indents from uPyCraft code I wrote.
The “Check” button works well and points nicely to errors with real information. No more incomprehensible Arduino compile errors..
It found my ESP32 on com4 with no help from me.
I reflashed the latest ESP Firmware and a couple of my test codes ran fine.. NOTE: The
https://micropython.org/download site is difficult to navigate. I’d make a recent .bin easily available to users.
I have LED/Button/Pot/Touch connected on a ESP32 “Sensor Shield” using easy 3-pin “servo pinout” cables. It looks like this: Esp32 – ArduinoInfo (mywikis.net) (and was partly my idea… 🙂
Please tell me if I can help in some way with getting this out and documented..
THANKS!
Regards, Terry
Sara Santos Staff answered 3 years ago
Hi.
Great.
I’m glad Mu Editor is working fine for you.
I’m currently updating the eBook with new instructions to use Mu Editor.
If you find some bug and how to fix it with Mu Editor, please share, so that I can add that info to the troubleshooting section.
Regards,
Sara