Raspberry Pi for Python Programmers Cookbook -

About This Book

• Install your first operating system, share files over the network, and run programs remotely
• Construct robots and interface with your own circuits and purpose built add-ons, as well as adapt off-the-shelf household devices using this pragmatic guide
• Packed with clear, step-by-step recipes to walk you through the capabilities of Raspberry Pi

Who This Book Is For

Readers are expected to be familiar with programming concepts and Python (where possible Python 3 is used), although beginners should manage with the help of a good Python reference book and background reading. No prior knowledge of the Raspberry Pi or electronics is required; however, for the hardware sections you will need some basic electronic components/household tools to build some of the projects.

What You Will Learn

• Get to grips with text, files, and creating quick menus using Python
• Make use of graphics and user control to develop your own exciting games
• Use the Raspberry Pi's powerful GPU to create 3D worlds
• Take control of the real world and interface with physical hardware, combining hardware and software for your own needs
• Learn about the Raspberry Pi hardware inputs/outputs, starting with the basics and beyond
• Expand the capabilities of the Raspberry Pi with hardware expansion/add-on modules
• Create your own Pi-Rover or Pi-Hexpod driven by the Raspberry Pi
• Capture sensor data to SQLite database and display on your own web-server

In Detail

Raspberry Pi for Python Programmers is a practical guide for getting the most out of this little computer. This book begins by guiding you through setting up the Raspberry Pi and performing tasks using Python 3, and introduces the first steps of interfacing with electronics. As you work through each chapter, you will build up your skills and knowledge and apply them as you progress through the book.

Later, you will learn how to automate tasks by accessing files, build applications using the popular Tkinter library, and create games by controlling graphics on screen. You will harness the power of the built-in graphics processor by using Pi3D to generate your own high quality 3D graphics and environments. And you'll learn how to monitor sensors to gather real-life data and use it to control other devices, and view the results over the Internet. Experiment using the Raspberry Pi camera module, including real-time image processing using the powerful OpenCV library.

Finally, we will explore using many of the purpose built add-ons available for the Raspberry Pi, as well as interfacing with common household devices in new ways.

Tim Cox lives in England with his wife and two young daughters and works as a software engineer. His passion for programming can be traced back to one Christmas in the mid 1980s when he received a Sinclair Spectrum 48k+ home computer (a joint present with his two elder brothers). By typing out and modifying BASIC programs, while dreaming about building robots, an interest in computers and electronics was sparked, which has never faded. This interest saw him through university, where he earned a BEng in Electronics and Electrical Engineering, and into a career in developing embedded software for a wide range of applications, for automotive, aerospace, and the oil industry, among others.

Keen to support the vision behind the Raspberry Pi, reignite engineering in schools, and encourage a new generation of engineers, Tim co-founded the MagPi magazine. Thanks to the dedication and time of the volunteers who contributed to it every month, it has become the official magazine for the Raspberry Pi and continues attract an ever-increasing number of readers (and writers) worldwide. Through his site PiHardware.com, Tim produces electronic kits and helps people learn about the Raspberry Pi and hardware interfacing; each of them is supported with detailed instructions and tutorials to help novices build the knowledge and skills for their projects.

This is Tim's first ever book; it mirrors his own experience of discovering the Raspberry Pi and showcasing its fantastic abilities.