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Python

Python – remove oldest files in a directory, only a defined count of them remains

Post author By Henry Koch
Post date 2. October 2015
2 Comments on Python – remove oldest files in a directory, only a defined count of them remains

By experimenting with the Pi camera and PIR at may Raspberry Pi were quickly many images written to the SD card.

In order to get some control, the following Python Script is a good basis.
There is the possibility to specify a directory and the maximum number of files stored in it.

Exceeds the number of files the defined value, older files are deleted.

In my case, I always keep a maximum of 1000 images in the folder.

Sample code:

#!/usr/bin/python
 
import os
 
path = "/home/pi/pictures/"
max_Files = 1000
 
def sorted_ls(path):
    mtime = lambda f: os.stat(os.path.join(path, f)).st_mtime
    return list(sorted(os.listdir(path), key=mtime))
 
del_list = sorted_ls(path)[0:(len(sorted_ls(path))-max_Files)]
 
for dfile in del_list:
    os.remove(path + dfile)

Tags Code, Programmieren, Python, Raspberry Pi

Stirling Engine

Solar Low Temperature Stirling Engine

Post author By Henry Koch
Post date 6. February 2015
No Comments on Solar Low Temperature Stirling Engine

A very interesting project to build in the student of grade 7/8 a Stirling engine for watering your school garden.
All this is supported with many images, PDF files and an easily understandable theory.
An ideal project for more school gardens and a nice resource for personal knowledge base.

… 12 students of the Montessori High School have done something very special. They want to water their school garden with innovative technology. In cooperation with the Stirling Institute of Technology a non-profit company from Potsdam will to be built a solar low temperature Stirling engine. The invention is based on the patent of the Institute with the no. 100 16 707.

http://s-tip.org/html/for_mont.htm#studienarbeit

Tags alternative energy, education, tinkering, calculation, energy, Schmidt Theorie, Stirling Engine, education

Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi – setting up WIFI via the command line

Post author By Henry Koch
Post date 27. January 2015

Link to a official instruction manual, how you can setup access to your home wifi, in few and well understandable steps.
http://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/configuration/wireless/wireless-cli.md

The WIFI stick was detected from my linux automatically without problems.

Maybe a little bit better is the following explanation:
http://weworkweplay.com/play/automatically-connect-a-raspberry-pi-to-a-wifi-network/

Tags Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi – homemade level converter for serial communication rs232 3.3 volts to 5 volts TTL for AVR microcontroller

Post author By Henry Koch
Post date 2. November 2014
No Comments on Raspberry Pi – homemade level converter for serial communication rs232 3.3 volts to 5 volts TTL for AVR microcontroller

I found that the Raspberry Pi serial interface rs232, described in a older post by myself, was too bulky.

Pi and AVR should be connected through a less amount of wires.

So I’ve searched the best hints to solder a cheap and uncomplicated level converter, that can directly be connected between the GPIO of the Pi and the rx/tx pins of the microcontroller.

On the German website http://www.elektronik-kompendium.de/sites/praxis/bausatz_pegelwandler-mit-transistoren.htm I found a useful circuit with transistors and resistors that I had in my toolbox. (something similar but also matching parts)

The following images are showing my circuit diagram and the test setup.

The first test worked flawlessly both in the direction to the Pi and in the direction to AVR microcontroller.

The third picture shows the circuit diagram used and the fourth image the development on breadboard. Now I can connect my test board and the Pi over normal jumper cable to have hanging around without various additional boards.

Tags ATMega8, ATMEL, AVR, Raspberry Pi, RS232, Serielle Schnittstelle

programming

(Deutsch) Eclipse – Programmierumgebung dunkel machen

Post author By Henry Koch
Post date 21. September 2013
1 Comment on (Deutsch) Eclipse – Programmierumgebung dunkel machen

Sorry, this entry is only available in German.

Tags Programmieren

Raspberry Pi

Raspberry Pi – using the serial interface (RS232)

Post author By Henry Koch
Post date 20. September 2013
6 Comments on Raspberry Pi – using the serial interface (RS232)

The Raspberry Pi is equipped with many interfaces.
And the possibilities can rise more than exponentially by using of the USB port.
But to communicate with AVR microcontrollers is the best suited way by using a serial interface.
Of course, the Raspberry Pi A has a serial interface, but unfortunately merely as pins on the GPIO connector.

The required pins, could be connected theoretically directly to the microcontroller eg. ATMega8.
But that would require that the microcontroller operates at 3.3 volts.
My Pollin evaluation board works with 5 volts, but is made with a complete RS232 interface for communication with PC or other equipment.
The easiest way would it be, when the Pi would have an RS232 interface like a PC with the same connectors and signal levels.
By Googling I’ve found the website Serial Port Add On.
The described Serial Port to TTL Digital Converter Module there, I’ve bought at Ebay.

GPIO Header Pins

2	4	6	8	10	12	14	16	18	20	22	24	26
1	3	5	7	9	11	13	15	17	19	21	23	25
1= 3.3V, 9= GND, 8= TX, 10= RX

The jumper cables to connect to the Raspberry Pi were included in the delivery.
I’ve connected the module with the Pi, as shown in the picture below.

To get the serial interface up and running, are some changes in/etc/inittab and /boot/cmdline.txt necessary.

/etc/inittab

comment line: ‘T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyAMA0 115200 vt100’

#Spawn a getty on Raspberry Pi serial line
#T0:23:respawn:/sbin/getty -L ttyAMA0 115200 vt100

/boot/cmdline.txt

delete of: dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 ~~console=ttyAMA0,115200 kgdboc=ttyAMA0,115200~~ console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline rootwait

dwc_otg.lpm_enable=0 console=tty1 root=/dev/mmcblk0p2 rootfstype=ext4 elevator=deadline rootwait

pictures of my PI inclusive ‘serial device’

RaspberryPI_mit_serieller_Schnittstelle_VS

RaspberryPI_GPIO_serielle_Schnittstelle1_VS

RaspberryPI_GPIO_serielle_Schnittstelle2_VS

RaspberryPI_GPIO_serielle_Schnittstelle3_VS

RaspberryPI_GPIO_serielle_Schnittstelle4_VS

Video, for Demonstration

The video is already on my ‘Hello World Example’ in the ATMega8 area of my website in use.

For that I’ve written a little perl script. Surely it is possible to use programs like minicom, but I dont wanted to spend the time to familiarize myself with a new tool.
The script was written faster and from my perspective it’s much more flexible for further use and for experiments.