Environment Building

pymycobot is a Python package used for serial communication with myCobot. It supports Python2, Python3.5 and later versions.

Before using pymycobot, make sure to build a Python environment. Follow the steps below to install Python.

1 Download and Installation of Python

Python is applicable to:

myCobot 280：
- myCobot 280 M5
- myCobot 280 PI
- myCobot 280 Jetson Nano
- myCobot 280 for Arduino
myCobot 320：
- myCobot 320 M5
- myCobot 320 PI
myPalletizer 260：
- myPalletizer 260 M5
- myPalletizer 260 PI
mechArm-270：
- mechArm-270 M5
- mechArm-270 PI

At present, Python has two versions: 2.x and 3.x. These two versions are incompatible with each other. This section takes the version 3.x as an example due to its increasing popularity.

1.1 Installing Python

Notice: Before installation, check the operation system of PC. Press right button on the My Computer icon and then select Properties. Install the corresponding Python.

Go to http://www.python.org/download/ to download Python.
Click on Downloads, and then download begins. Tick Add Python 3.10 to PATH. Click on Install Now, and then installation begins.

Download and installation complete.

1.2 Running Python

Open the command prompt window (Win+R, input cmd and press Enter). Type Python.

Successful Installation:

This on-screen instruction means that Python is successfully installed. The prompt >>> means Python interactive environment. If you input a Python code to get the execution result immediately.

Error Report:

If a wrong instruction is typed, for example "pythonn", the system may report an error.

Notice: Generally, the error results from lack of environment configuration. Refer to 1.3 Environment Configuration to solve problems.

1.3 Environment Variable Configuration

Windows follows the path set by a Path environment variable in search of python.exe . Otherwise, an error will be reported. If you fail to tick Add Python 3.9 to PATH during installation, you need to manually add the path where python.exe is located into environment variable or download python again. Remember to tick Add Python 3.9 to PATH .

Follow the steps below to add python into environment variable manually.

Right click on My Computer icon -->Properties ->Advanced System Settings ->Environment Variables

The environment variables include user variables and system variables. For user variables, users can utilize their own downloaded programs via cmd command. Write the absolute path of the target program into the user variables.

After the configuration, open the command prompt window (Win+R; input cmd and press Enter), and type Python.

2 Installation of PyCharm

PyCharm is a powerful python editor with the nature of cross-platform. Follow the steps below to download and install PyCharm.

Go to PyCharm to download PyCharm.

2.1 Download and Installation

Official website view:

It is recommended to install the free version.

Click on Next:

Select options according to your needs and then select Next:

Tap Install:

Installing:

Tap Finish

2.2 Create a new project

Click +New Project :

The Interpreter is used to interpret python programs. Select Add Interpreter ->Newto add base interpreter.
Location refers to the place where to save python file. Choose a file to put your programs.
Click on Create and a sample appears:
Right click on the selection that the red arrow points, and create a new python file.
Type name for the new file.

3 Preparations

Firmware burning. Firmware serves as a driver for systems to control robots.
- M5Stack version Make sure to burn minirobot for Basic at the bottom. And then chooseTransponder function (to receive instructions from Basic), Press Press A. Atom: OK means connect successfully. Refer to MyStudio) for more information about firmware burning.
- Pi \ jetsonnano version AtomMain for Atom at the top is factory burnt.
pymycobot installation. Type pip install pymycobot --upgrade --user via terminal (Win+R) cmd command.
```
pip install pymycobot --upgrade --user
```

Source code installation. Open a terminal (Win+R, input cmd ), and type the command below to install.

git clone https://github.com/elephantrobotics/pymycobot.git <your-path>   
#Fill in your installation address in <your-path>, do not choose the current default path.

cd <your-path>/pymycobot    
#Go to the pymycobot folder of the downloaded package.

#Run one of the following commands according to your python version.
# Install
 python2 setup.py install    
# or
 python3 setup.py install

Update pymycobot

pip install pymycobot --upgrade

4 Import of pymycobot

This part takes MyPalletizer 260-M5 as an example to introduce how to control a robot via python.

Import pymycobot library for MyPalletizer :

from pymycobot.mypalletizer import MyPalletizer

Notice:

If no red wavy line appears below the codes, pymycobot is successfully installed.

if a red wavy line appears, got to the address https://github.com/elephantrobotics/pymycobot to download pymycobot manually and put it into python library.

5 Simple Demo

Create a new Python file, and type the following codes to set the color of RGB light panel. The codes are suitable to myCobot 280-M5, myCobot 320-M5 and myPalletizer 260.

Notice: The baud rates are different according to types of devices. Refer to calculator device manager to check the corresponding number.

Codes for MyCobot:

# demo.py
from pymycobot.mycobot import MyCobot

from pymycobot import PI_PORT, PI_BAUD      # When using the Raspberry Pi version of mycobot, you can refer to these two variables to initialize MyCobot, if not, you can omit this line of code
import time
#The above codes are required to be written, which means importing the project package

# MyCobot class initialization requires two parameters:
#   The first is the serial port string, such as:
#       linux:  "/dev/ttyUSB0"
#          or "/dev/ttyAMA0"
#       windows: "COM3"
#   The second is the baud rate:: 
#       M5 version is:  115200
#
#    Example:
#       mycobot-M5:
#           linux:
#              mc = MyCobot("/dev/ttyUSB0", 115200)
#          or mc = MyCobot("/dev/ttyAMA0", 115200)
#           windows:
#              mc = MyCobot("COM3", 115200)
#       mycobot-raspi:
#           mc = MyCobot(PI_PORT, PI_BAUD)
#
# Initiate MyCobot
# Create object code here for windows version
mc = MyCobot("COM3", 115200)

i = 7
#loop 7 times
while i > 0:                            
    mc.set_color(0,0,255) #blue light on
    time.sleep(2)    #wait for 2 seconds                
    mc.set_color(255,0,0) #red light on
    time.sleep(2)    #wait for 2 seconds
    mc.set_color(0,255,0) #green light on
    time.sleep(2)    #wait for 2 seconds
    i -= 1

Run the example file:

python3 demo.py

Codes for MyPalletizer:

from pymycobot.mypalletizer import MyPalletizer
import time
##The above codes are required to be written at the beginning, which means importing the project package

#initiate MyPalletizer
mc = MyPalletizer("COM3", 115200)

#     MyPalletizer initiation requires two parameters:
#   The first is the serial port string, such as:
#       linux:  "/dev/ttyUSB0"
#          or "/dev/ttyAMA0"
#       windows: "COM3"
#   The second is the baud rate:: 
#       M5 version is:  115200
#
#    Example:
#       MyPalletizer-M5:
#           linux:
#              mc = MyPalletizer("/dev/ttyUSB0", 115200)
#          or mc = MyPalletizer("/dev/ttyAMA0", 115200)
#           windows:
#              mc = MyPalletizer("COM3", 115200)

i = 7
#loops 7 times
while i > 0:
    mc.set_color(0,0,255) #blue light on
    time.sleep(2) #wait for 2 seconds
    mc.set_color(255,0,0) #red light on
    time.sleep(2) #wait for 2 seconds
    mc.set_color(0,255,0) #green light on
    time.sleep(2) #wait for 2 seconds
    i -= 1

The blue, red, and green lights on the top of the robot flash 7 times continuously at an interval of 2 seconds.

1 Environment Building