Pico Starter Project

A typescript setup for developing javascript programs to run on the Raspberry Pi Pico microcontroller using the Kaluma firmware.

This provides a seamless dev experience using simple commands to initiate build steps, transpiling and bundling the typescript files into a single javascript file for the final flashing onto the Pico.

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New to programming?

First read the step-by-step Total beginner guide

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Getting Started

Prerequisites

• Node.js
• RP2040 chip firmware flashed with Kaluma
  • Official Guide and resources
  • Press and hold the white BOOTSEL button on the Pico, and plug in the USB cable
  • The mounted USB storage device named RPI-RP2 will appear
  • Copy the .uf2 file onto this storage device
  • The Pico will restart automatically with the new firmware, completing the process

Running the project

• Run npm install in the root directory to install the dependencies
• Plug in the Pico RP2040 chip
• In main.ts, add the line console.log('Hello Microworld!')
• Run npm run debug
• The log message should print out in the prompt alongside the sensor outputs such as the temperature and potentiometer readings

Examples

The main.ts file contains examples of interacting with hardware on a Pico:

• Blinking internal LED
• Read internal temperature sensor
• React on button events
• Read dial position (Potentiometer)
• WS2812 Individually addressable LED strips (NeoPixels)

Troubleshooting

• Pico is frozen / bricked / stalled
  • It could be a whole host of issues. Here is how to completely reset it:
    • Unplug it completely
    • Restart your computer (Windows has a habit of giving up on some USB ports)
    • Hold down the BOOTSEL button while plugging the Pico in
    • Copy the file from ./storage/flash_nuke.uf2 into the Pico
      • This firmware edition erases and resets everything on the Pico
    • The Pico should now be back to factory defaults. Now do the Prerequisites again

Project details

Commands in the package.json file

• npm run flash builds the current project and flashes the result onto the Pico
• npm run debug similar to flash, but additionally leaves the shell prompt open for reading Pico outputs, such as console.log()
• npm run build only builds the current project
• npm run build-minify builds and minifies the result. This additionally removes any console.log() statements or large error message strings from the code
• npm run flash-prod builds, minifies and flashes the program onto the Pico
• npm run test runs all unit tests on the host computer

Features

• Typescript and esbuild integration in scripts allow for 1-click updates into the Pico
  • Different build scripts for different environments:
  • debug: Build with dev source-maps, flash to Pico, and print the Pico output to console
  • flash: Build js and flash to Pico
  • flash-prod: Build minified js and remove all console.log or error messages that cannot be displayed, and flash to Pico
• Jest unit testing for more robust code
  • Simulated controllers provide a more accurate environment for testing code-to-hardware interactions
• Common devices can be controlled through classes
  • Complex logic for sending data to NeoPixels are handled in the class
  • Enhance simple hardware components: The Multi Action Button class turns any basic push button into a handler that can detect long-press presses, hold-to-repeat presses, etc.
  • Potentiometer dials can be read using the Poller class to reduce signal noise
• RxJS, a reactive programming library helps to interact with time/event based asynchronous code
• Common functions to re-use
  • Color-space conversions, Binary bit masking
  • Interpolation, transforms between number distributions