How to use the GPIO lines

Python examples

A simple module called acmepins is available on GitHub to manage the GPIO lines using the sysfs method.

As shown in the following examples with this module is possible to manage the GPIO states using directly the board pin names or the Atmel chip pin names or the GPIO Kernel IDs.

• Acqua A5
• Aria G25
• Arietta G25
• Fox Board G20

An output example: a Blinking led

This example will blink a led wired to a output line

from acmepins import GPIO
from time import sleep

#FOX Board G20 example
led = GPIO('J7.3','OUTPUT') 

#Aria G25 example
#led = GPIO('W9','OUTPUT') 

#Arietta G25 example
#led = GPIO('J4.29','OUTPUT') 

#Acqua A5 example
#led = GPIO('J3.32','OUTPUT') 

while True:
    led.on()
    sleep(1)
    led.off()
    sleep(1)

An input example: Reading a push button

there are two ways o read a GPIO input state:

• Checking inside a loop the input state (polling mode)
• Setting a callback function for any input state change (event mode)

Polling mode

from acmepins import GPIO
from time import sleep

#FOX Board G20 example
Button=GPIO('J7.5','INPUT')

#Aria G25 example
#Button=GPIO('W15','INPUT')

#Arietta G25 example
#Button=GPIO('J4.28','INPUT')

#Acqua A5 example
#Button=GPIO('J3.33','INPUT')

i=0
while True:
    sleep(1)
    i+=1
    print i
    if Button.digitalRead()==0:
        print "Pressed"
        while Button.digitalRead()==0:
            pass   

Event mode

from acmepins import GPIO
from time import sleep

def event_handler():
    print "Input changed"

#FOX Board G20 example
Button=GPIO('J7.5','INPUT')

#Aria G25 example
#Button=GPIO('W15','INPUT')

#Arietta G25 example
#Button=GPIO('J4.28','INPUT')

#Acqua A5 example
#Button=GPIO('J3.33','INPUT')

Button.set_edge("both",event_handler)

i=0
while True:
    print i
    i=i+1
    sleep(0.5)

One of three conditions can be checked:

• falling: the callback function is called when the signal goes from 1 to 0 (Not available on FOX G20)
• rising: the callback function is called when the signal goes from 0 to 1 (Not available on FOX G20)
• both: the callback function is called on any status change

C examples

gpiolib.c is a simple library to manage the gpio via sysfs in C.

Output example

#define GPIO_IN  1
#define GPIO_OUT 0

gpioexport(80);
gpiosetdir(80,GPIO_OUT);
for (;;) {
    gpiosetbits(80);
    gpioclearbits(80);
}

Input example

#define GPIO_IN  1
#define GPIO_OUT 0

gpioexport(80);
for (;;) {
    printf("%d\n",gpiogetbits(84));
}

The gpiolib.c library is available on Github.

Using the D.Gilbert gpio utils

An in-deep explanation on how the GPIO lines work and how to manage them faster is available on:

• Aria G25 GPIO notes by Dougg Gilbert
• FOX Board G20 GPIO notes by Dougg Gilbert

This is a small group of Linux utilities for the Atmel AT91SAM9G25 and AT91SAM9G20 microcontroller units (MCUs). The utilities target The Aria G25 and the FoxG20 boards from Acme Systems and will most likely work on other boards based on the same MCUs. Some of the utilities have the same names as those from the earlier FoxLX board from Acme System; that board was based on the Etrax LX processor from Axis communications.

These utilities mainly work with individual GPIO lines and may be extended to other protocols that can be implemented by "bit banging" GPIO lines. These include I2C (a.k.a. TWI), "one wire" (known as "w1" by the Linux kernel) from Dallas Semiconductor (now Maxim), and the two wire protocol for the SHT-71 .

• Gpio utils README

Compile and build the utilities

Download on your board the latest utilities version from the D.Gilbert web server

~# wget http://sg.danny.cz/foxg20/ag25g20_utils-0.97r14.tgz

Uncompress the .tgz file

~# tar xvzf ag25g20_utils-0.97r14.tgz

Compile and install them

~# cd ag25g20_utils-0.97r14
~/ag25g20_utils-0.97r14# make
~/ag25g20_utils-0.97r14# make install

Using the utilities

Refer to the original README file to learn how to use these utilities

• readme.txt

Following is a list of quick examples:

Show the command list

~# g25gpio_status -h               

Get the PIO attributes on given GPIO line

~# g25gpio_status -a -p A
PA0:
  PIO status: 0 (peripheral ACTIVE)
  PIO output status: 0 (line pure input)
  input filter status: 0 (glitch filter DISabled)
  output data status: 0
  pin data status: 0
  interrupt mask: 0 (DISabled)
  multi driver status: 0 (pin driven high and low)
  pad pull-up status: 0 (ENabled)
  peripheral A function [sr1:0, sr2:0]
  input filter slow clock status: 0 (master-fast)
  pad pull down status: 1 (DISabled)
  additional interrupt modes mask: 0 (Both edges)
  edge/level status: 0 (edge detection)
  fall/rise - low/high status: 0 (falling edge or low level detection)
  locked status: 0 (not locked)
  write protect mode: WPEN: 0 (DISabled)
  schmitt trigger status: 0 (ENabled )
  IO drive: 0 (HI_DRIVE)
...

of course it is possible to read all the other ports

~# g25gpio_status -a -p B
~# g25gpio_status -a -p C

Set the PIO attributes on given GPIO line

Show the command list

~# g25gpio_set -h               

Disable the pull-up resistor on A/D input lines

~# g25gpio_set -p B -b 11 -u
~# g25gpio_set -p B -b 12 -u
~# g25gpio_set -p B -b 13 -u
~# g25gpio_set -p B -b 14 -u

Related links

• Doug Gilbert repository