title: Group Krajewski Hoa others summary: Group assignment for Embedded Programming week show_authors: true authors: - name: Miglio Krajewski email: Miglio.Krajweski@student.oulu.fi - name: Lý Thái Hoà email: Hoa.Ly@student.oulu.fi - name: Hadi Rezaeikarjani email: Hadi.Rezaeikarjani@student.oulu.fi

Tools

Here the toolchains required for programming the XIAO-RP2040 with micropython and C++/Arduino C are explained. For micropython two toolchains, Block Python and Thonny, are described, whilst for C++ only Arduino is described.

Micropython - Thonny

First, Thonny was downloaded. After downloading and openning Thonny, the interpreter was configured for the development board/Microcontroller.

Subsequently, micropython was installed on the microcontroller. This can be done by clicking on the three bars in the bottom right, after connecting the PCB in boot mode (connection with "boot" pressed). The correct microcontroller must be selected for the installation.

Then the board was added to the IDE

The microcontroller can now be addressed or programmed using Thonny. To test this, the console was first used to write commands to the microcontroller.

The successful transmission of the code was confirmed by observing the inbuilt LEDs. Code is normally written in the larger text field, where it can be either run from Thonny (as an entire code rather than line by line, as is the case in the console; note: as python is an interpreter language, it is always run line by line, however the console only allows for entering one line at a time) or saved as a file on the microcontroller.

Saving the code to the microcontroller works the same way as saving any file does.

Generally running code also requires libraries. These must be saved to the microcontroller too. A folder named "lib" is used to store the library files.

In order to run main.py from the board, a reset is required. This can be initiated by holding down the reset button until the microcontroller disconnects from Thonny. The process is then executed by running main.py from flash memory.

Block Python

First I visited the seeed studio wiki to learn how to use microblock. Then I followed the guide to download the firmware:

"To enter bootloader mode, hold down the B (boot) button while clicking the R (reset) button. All three LEDs will light and a virtual USB drive named RPI-RP2 will appear."

A virtual USB drive named RPI-RP2 appeared on my computer: