Easiest programming language for controlling gpio pins

[fan]

I got a pi and I want to start having fun with gpio pins, but there is one problem I am so lost in all of these programming languages. I know a little of c (printf,scanf,do,while,if....) but I am so lost righ now. Can you guys link me some tutorial and give me some tips. Basically all I want is to control (power) some LED diodes , transistor and releys with that program. My goal is to make a program that runs by itself (turning gpio pins on every few hours).

[B.Goode]

http://wiringpi.com

[joan]

http://elinux.org/RPi_GPIO_Code_Samples

My feeling is that a Python based solution may be your easiest.

[flatmax]

The absolute simplest way to alter gpio pins ... at least for first exploration is just in a terminal ... like so ... will send 1 and 0 to gpio11 ...
open a terminal and change to super user with sudo -i and then :
echo 11 > /sys/class/gpio/export
echo out > /sys/class/gpio/gpio11/direction
echo 1 > /sys/class/gpio/gpio11/value
echo 0 > /sys/class/gpio/gpio11/value

Matt

[derekiwi]

Hi Flatmax,

I am also a total newbie to Pi, Linux etc. I started with RPi.GPIO, and it is easy to use and learn. I was going to attach a sample for you but the forum does not let me, so pasted in below.. Currently having a look at wiringPi - seems just as easy and documentation is better. But I would start with RPi.GPIO.

RPi.GPIO should be installed on your Raspberry already if you are using Rasbian and have the latest version. Otherwise ....
https://sourceforge.net/p/raspberry-gpi ... i/install/ (note that you do not need Mercurial)

http://wiringpi.com/

Cheers, Derek

#!/usr/bin/env python
#
import time
import sys
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
#
# gpio may still open from last session if abnormally exited
GPIO.setwarnings(False)
#
# set to defining by header pins, instead of BCM
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BOARD)
#
print ("System Setup.")
print (GPIO.RPI_INFO)
#
# set up gpio ehader pin 35 (BCM and GPIO 19) as output
TestPin = 35
GPIO.setup (TestPin, GPIO.OUT)
#
print ("Main loop start....")
#
#############################
# Main loop
#############################
#
try:
while True:
# toggle the pin each loop
GPIO.output(TestPin, True)
time.sleep(0.25)
GPIO.output(TestPin, False)
time.sleep(0.25)
#
# press Ctl-c to exit
except KeyboardInterrupt:
GPIO.cleanup()
print ("Cleaned up. Bye.")
sys.exit(0)
#
##############################

[kusti8]

Hi Flatmax,

I am also a total newbie to Pi, Linux etc. I started with RPi.GPIO, and it is easy to use and learn. I was going to attach a sample for you but the forum does not let me, so pasted in below.. Currently having a look at wiringPi - seems just as easy and documentation is better. But I would start with RPi.GPIO.

RPi.GPIO should be installed on your Raspberry already if you are using Rasbian and have the latest version. Otherwise ....
https://sourceforge.net/p/raspberry-gpi ... i/install/ (note that you do not need Mercurial)

http://wiringpi.com/

Cheers, Derek

Code: Select all

#!/usr/bin/env python
# 
import time
import sys
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
#
# gpio may still open from last session if abnormally exited
GPIO.setwarnings(False)
#
# set to defining by header pins, instead of BCM
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BOARD)
#
print ("System Setup.")
print (GPIO.RPI_INFO)
#
# set up gpio ehader pin 35 (BCM and GPIO 19) as output
TestPin = 35
GPIO.setup (TestPin, GPIO.OUT)
#
print ("Main loop start....")
#
#############################
# Main loop
#############################
#
try:
    while True:
        # toggle the pin each loop
        GPIO.output(TestPin, True)
        time.sleep(0.25)
        GPIO.output(TestPin, False)
        time.sleep(0.25)
#
# press Ctl-c to exit
except KeyboardInterrupt:
    GPIO.cleanup()
    print ("Cleaned up. Bye.")
    sys.exit(0)
#

Put your code in code brackets, so that indentation is kept. Fixed for you.

[timrowledge]

Scratch. It's already loaded, it has examples, there is documentation.

[recantha2]

Python, using the GPIO Zero library would seem to be appropriate.

from gpiozero import LED

red = LED(4)
red.on()

[R61zt]

I'd recommend python for what you are doing.

[ben_nuttall]

Python, using the GPIO Zero library would seem to be appropriate.

from gpiozero import LED

red = LED(4)
red.on()

GPIO Zero was designed to be the easiest way of programming GPIO devices. It's pre-installed with Raspbian and easy to get started. Just open IDLE (preferably Python 3) and type commands like the above!

See the GPIO Zero documentation for more information, particularly the recipes page for lots of examples of everyday project starter code.

Also see the Foundation's Physical computing with Python resource

[fan]

Thanks guys for your help , without you I wouldn't know what to do. I will try gpio zero and then move to pyton or some c solution. Thanks