Update PyCubed for Hardware V02

[F5MDY]

Hello,
I want to update my firmware following the instructions, but there is no PyCubedV02 on circuitpython.org. It's not possible to install CircuitPython 7.0.0 on PyCubedV02 ???

My current configuration is :
Adafruit CircuitPython 4.1.0-beta.0-36-gd3adfde22-dirty on 2019-08-13; PyCubedv02 with samd51j19
and
UF2 Bootloader v3.13.0 SFHWRO; Model: PyCubedv04; Board-ID: PYCUBED

Tks,
Nico

[maholli]

Hi Nico,

I'm continually amazed at the number of folks using PyCubed! There aren't many v02 boards around, did you built it yourself? Either way, super cool 👍

I didn't start officially supporting PyCubed mainboards on CircuitPython until v04. This coincides with when PyCubed started getting a lot of attention and I put more polish on the open source project. This just means we need to edit the the pycubed board definition within circuitpython and recompile.

• Let me know if you haven't built circuitpython before and I'll do it for you. You'll just have to test it on the board for me since I don't have a v02 laying around these days.

[F5MDY]

Hi max,
Tnx for your answer. I built myself the v02 (before it was updated !!!) but unfortunately no time to really test it. The only component I was not able to stock up is the power splitter for GPS antennas. So I made a strap with a very small wire .
So I am ready to test a new circuitpython and the latest pycubed library. I have no experience with circuitpython build and if you do it for me, I will give you my feedback.
Best Reagrds, Nico

[maholli]

Hi @F5MDY,

I built CircuitPython 7.x.x for you and your v02 board. As I mentioned, I don't have a v02 board laying around any more so you'll have to test it and let me know how it goes.

mainboardv02_firmware.zip removed - see post below for link
⭐ (I assumed you used an W25Q80DV external flash chip. If you used something else, like MRAM, let me know and I'll build it again)
⭐ (I also assumed you used a 'D51J19 microcontroller. Let me know if you used a J20 so I can build for that as well)

Updating Instructions

Attached zip contains update-bootloader.uf2 and firmware.uf2 files:

1. Unzip the attached folder
2. Plug your board into your computer and put it into bootloader mode by double-clicking the reset button. It should mount as a PYCUBEDBOOT drive.
3. Copy the CURRENT.UF2 from the drive (just in case you need to restore your firmware).
4. Copy the update-bootloader-pycubed_J19_v02-v3.13.0-9.uf2 file to the drive. It will reset and may take some time but eventually should remount as PYCUBEDBOOT again.
5. Copy the firmware_v02.uf2 file to the drive. Once it's done resetting it should boot as normal and mount as the standard PYCUBED drive.
6. Done! 🎉

Note that the PyCubed quick-start, resources, etc.. are designed for boards AFTER v02, so (as you know) there are minor functionality and pin name differences. The pin names wont change from what you've already been working with, but you'll need to adjust the current set of example files to fit your pin names.

• If you haven't already, I'd take the current pycubed.py helper library and systematically try importing it (from the REPL type: from pycubed import cubesat), seeing what errors pop up, fixing those errors (commenting out the code), then restart the board with ctrl+D and importing again.
  • Your v02 pin definitions can be found here.
  • Compared to the current v05 pin definitions here.

Let me know how it goes!

[maholli]

I reworked an MRAM chip onto a v04 board to do some testing and I'm seeing the same thing.

After some digging, I've determined a previous update to CircuitPython has broken MRAM functionality. What's happening is CircuitPython isn't properly initializing the filesystem on the external MRAM chip (which is why you're not seeing the drive).

• I'm investigating now and will let you know when I've solved it.

[maholli]

Solved ✅

Fixed the underlying flash memory issues that folks had unknowingly created during CircuitPython development. Confirmed working on a v04 with MRAM. @F5MDY will you test the v02 firmware below and let me know how it goes?

mainboardv02_J20-MRAM_firmware.zip

• (prior attachments in this discussion removed to prevent confusion)
• (CircuitPython fix PR here if you're curious: NVM toml fix (MRAM) adafruit/circuitpython#5506)

[F5MDY]

Hello max,
The firmware is working, tnx a lot. I am working on your pycubed.py library ... there is a lot of things which have been changed after v02 : neopixel, USB charger, the IMU.
At this time, Radio and GPS are not working. I will try to fix it and after I will modify the library to take into account the old IMU (LSM9DS1)

[F5MDY]

I am a little lost in your pycubed library ... what do you suggest :
case 1) start from pycubed/software/mainboard-v02/lib/ and modify the pycubed.py (old fashion)
or
case 2) modify pycubed/library_pycubed.py/pycubed.py ....
in this second case I need to mix new library like pycubed_rfm9x.py with old library like adafruit_gps.mpy or adafruit_lsm9ds1.mpy

Last question : are adafruit_bus_device and adafruit_register are included in the last version of CircuitPython or I should add also these library if I want to use case 2)

[maholli]

Hey Nico, glad it worked!

I agree, you should proceed with case 1 (v02 pycubed.py helper library). The only major change is the sdcard library, so either comment it out for the time being, then use the pycubed/library_pycubed.py/pycubed.py as a template for implementing sdcardio. Both adafruit_bus_device and adafruit_register are included in your build of CircuitPython, so no need to include those in the lib folder.