Create block based programs for Raspberry Pi Pico in minutes!
About one year ago, we created BIPES Project – Block Based Integrated Platform for Embedded Systems (http://www.bipes.net.br), specially focused on integrating Blockly and MicroPython with a direct connection from the web browser to the development boards – initially for ESP8266 and ESP32.
With more than 500 different users currently using BIPES (according with Google Analytics), it has several interesting features, such as the possibility of programming embedded devices without the need of installing absolutely no software or plugin. Simply access BIPES website, connect the blocks, connect to the board and get the program running. A USB/Serial/WebREPL console/terminal is integrated in the webpage, allowing direct access to serial devices.
We have now created some blocks on BIPES specifically for Raspberry Pi Pico.
It’s simple and easy to use:
(Tested / working on Google Chrome)
0. Get a Raspberry Pi Pico board with MicroPython loaded. If you still did not load MicroPython on your RPI Pico, it is as easy as copying a file to a thumb drive. Details here:
https://www.raspberrypi.org/documentation/rp2040/getting-started/
1. [for outdated Google Chrome] On Google Chrome, enable the option “Experimental Web Platform features ” (see figure). To enable the option, go to the URL: chrome://flags and activate the web platform features. This option will allow Google Chrome to directly access the USB devices connected to the serial port, without the need of additional softwares. This action must be done only once.
bipes chrome experimental features
September/2021 update: If you are using the latest Google Chrome or Microsoft Edge, you do not need to enable “experimental web platform features” anymore. It comes enabled on the default installation.
2. Go to https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/
3. On the target device box, select “Raspberry Pi Pico”
4. Click on the USB Symbol
4a. Next, click on “Serial”
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4b. Select the USB port your Raspberry Pi Pico is connected to
5. Go to the Console tab and you should be able to talk with the board! Type Enter one or twice, to check if the board is responding. If everything is ok, you should get a MicroPython prompt (>>>). Now you can interact directly with the board from the web browser!
6. Go to the blocks tab and build your program. Then simply click on the “Run” button, and your program blocks program will be translated into Python and executed!
That’s all!
If you want, you can directly share the programs you created by sending a link to your program, by clicking on the link button. Here are some working block based examples:
(just click on the link and you will open the working program)
1. Blink built in LED
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#4xcc9e
bipes rpi pico example1
2. Blink built in LED with different approach
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#jfg4h3
bipes rpi pico example2
3. Fading built in LED with PWM
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#e3eahj
4. Read GPIO Input
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#dwq8df
bipes rpi pico example4
4b. Read GPIO Input and show on IOT tab
BIPES allows you to send data from Raspberry Pi Pico Serial port to a flexible and customizable IoT dashboard using USB/Serial! This example will update a LED on the IOT tab on real time according with the pin 1 state. You can easily customize the dashboard using the “wrench” button.
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#z2dot6
5. Read ADC Input (raw values)
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#g56zdg
bipes rpi pico example5
5b. Read ADC Input (raw values) and show on the dashboard
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#35yvmr
IOT Tab:
6. Temperature sensor
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#w2aibu
IOT Tab:
7. Share your dashboard with anyone using MQTT / BIPES EasyMQTT
Even if your board is not connected to the Internet, BIPES offers the “EasyMQTT bridge” option, which uses your web browser as a bridge between the board (connected over USB) and a MQTT server. The browser received data on the USB port and forwards the data to a MQTT server, allowing data and dashboards to be shared with anyone, in real time over the Internet!
To use it, just enable the EasyMQTT bridge on the Console tab:
You can also click on the gear icon to setup the EasyMQTT session. There you will be able to specify a ID for your EasyMQTT session:
I randomly typed 9764422 to be the ID of this test. You can also click on “View this EasyMQTT session”, which you send you to a page with all the data stored on this EasyMQTT session. For example:
The EasyMQTT session above can be accessed by this URL:
http://bipes.net.br/easymqtt/?session=9764422
As data is stored on the BIPES EasyMQTT server, you can setup your dashboard to get data from the EasyMQTT session, so anyone can view your dashboard with real time updates:
This dashboard can be accessed here and will look exactly the same you saw on the dashboard with local / USB access:
https://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#mkke2m
File Manager and Editor
BIPES also offer a complete file manager and text / program editor on the Browser. Without the need of any additional software or plugin, you can use BIPES on your web browser to manage and edit files on the board connected on the USB Port!
BIPES OFFLINE
If you need, you can download BIPES for offline usage. Go to:
https://github.com/BIPES/BIPES/releases/
Download bipes_offline.zip, extract the ZIP File to a folder and open index.html on your favorite browser. You will be able to use BIPES to program, monitor and manage your Raspberry Pi Pico without Internet connection.
Demonstration video (english):
Demonstration video (portuguese):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=er4cQtDe5qU
BIPES Source code is available on github:
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I have a problem with Raspberry Pi Pico with blocks:
– Created a variable with block “set to 1” -> OK
– Adding a block “change by 1”: In python is a line added “from numbers import Number”
– Running gives the error “ImportError: no module named ‘numbers’.
Thats true, there is no module named ‘numbers’ in MicroPython.
Hi Rudolf, thanks for trying BIPES and sorry for the error. Could you please share the blocks you made using the button that shares the program as a link? In fact, there is no module numbers in MicroPython, but we will try to fix it. Anyway, could you please share the blocks with the error by posting the URL to the program here?
thanks!
Hello Rafael, fast response – many thanks!!
You find my very simple program at
http://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#qnrnyn
The behaviour is like described. I hope, this is a small correction…
With regards, Rudolf.
Hi Rudolf! Thanks again for the interest. Could you please try again? I have made a few modifications, and “change by” block should generate a different code now.
best regards!
Rafael
Hi Rafael, Unfortunately, I cannot continue because the program is behaving strangely.
– I set the program to “USB / Serial” and “Raspbery Pi Pico”
– Then comes my traffic light program that I built yesterday
– I load the example “… # qnrnyn” that I published (with the problem)
– The program shows again “ESP8266 (NodeMCU) for device.
– I switch back to “USB / Serial”, then my traffic light program is back.
So it is not possible for me to load a program from “Shared”.
Furthermore: I added a variable to my traffic light program and added a “Change …” block to the program, the same effect: “from numbers import Number”.
So now I see 2 problems …
About my background: I am an instructor in our Technic Club, where children and young people learn to program. So far we have programmed a lot with Scratch. Bipes would be a good addition to expand with controllers.
With regards, Rudolf.
Hi Rudolf, sorry for the delay!
You found some bugs, sorry! Thanks for pointing them out. Hope to fix them soon.
But there are workarounds that you can use, if you could try:
First, the link you shared:
http://bipes.net.br/beta2/ui/#qnrnyn
is different than:
http://bipes.net.br/beta2serial/ui/#qnrnyn
Because /beta2 implements functions to talk to ESP8266 and other using wifi / WebREPL protocolo and not USB. So, for Raspberry Pi Pico, we must use:
http://bipes.net.br/beta2serial/ui/#qnrnyn
Second bug you found (sorry again), is that when a shared link is opened in beta2serial, USB stops working. There is no problem for wifi connection, but it causes a failure with USB.
I made some tests, and as a workaround, I would kindly suggest / ask you to proceed as follows:
1. Load your shared program:
http://bipes.net.br/beta2serial/ui/#qnrnyn
2. Click on Save Icon, and you will save XML file with the program. You can always save the program to a local file.
3. Close the browser window and open again directly to:
http://bipes.net.br/beta2serial/ui/#qnrnyn
5. If older blocks appear, click on the trash button to clean the workspace.
5. Select Raspberry Pi Pico in the combo box selection box
6. Click in the load XML icon (a disk with an arrow) and select the recently saved XML file
7. Connect and run your program 🙂
Again, sorry for the bugs. As you know, BIPES is a beta software, and you are helping us getting it better. Hope we can fix these issues soon, but these workaround should help by now.
PS.: Fixed import numbers to for the block “change by”
best regards!
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Hello,
I tried to use the OLED block and the resulted code is
I2C(-1, SCL=,….)
so I get an error saying this is an error. Shouldn’t it be a 0 by default. In fact I think it is the I2C number which could be 0 or 1
What do you think ?
Hi! Thanks for the report, and sorry. Funny how MicroPython handles it. For ESP32 and ESP8266, the correct option is -1 while for RPI Pico is 0. We will need to add an IF to BIPES code generator. Hope we implement this soon. Sorry for the error.
best regards
Rafael
In fact depending on the GPIO you choose for sda/scl the value is 0 or 1 – FOr GPIO 8-9 or 16-17 it is 0, for 6-7 or 18-19 I2C id is 1 !
Thanks for your prompt response
Hi Teare! Just updated BIPES (serial version: https://bipes.net.br/beta2serial/ui/) adding the option of selecting the I2C port as one input of the OLED Init block. Could you please check if it solves the issue / helps? Depending on your setup, you might need to force reloading BIPES webpage with Ctrl+F5 or Shift+F5.
Please, let us know if it works. Best regards!
SOunds great – I could use OLED display on GPIO 16-17
Thanks a lot
Sorry to disturb again but I have another question :
I tried to use the Character DISPLAY – It says to install the I2C_LCD.py library but when I try to run the python code shows:
from esp8266_I2c_lcd import I2cLcd
…
module not found : esp8266_I2c_lcd
So 1) it is the good library and include ?
if yes, sounds like import library didn’t work (I don’t see anything on console)
If I transfer library locally and I go to FILES and try to upload to device It stays there forever. How can I debug that to see what’s going on ?
Thanks and Best regards
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BIPES has some powerful features. However, for Rudolph or others working with young people, MicroBlocks (microblocks.fun) might be a better entry point for programming microcontrollers with blocks. MicroBlocks is a free, open-source programming system that, like BIPES, can run in a Chrome or Edge browser, and it supports the Raspberry Pi Pico, micro:bit, ESP32, ESP8266, and many other boards.
Hi JohM, microblocks.fun is great, and there is plenty of space for all projects! microblocks would be great for young people, but BIPES is also an option. We have had success with several young people using BIPES 🙂 All the best!