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https://github.com/clobrano/pynicom

A Minicom like Serial Communication program in Python that adds standard shell features like autocompletion, command history, inline help
https://github.com/clobrano/pynicom

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A Minicom like Serial Communication program in Python that adds standard shell features like autocompletion, command history, inline help

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# Pynicom: A Minicom like shell in Python



Pynicom reproduces the behavior of Minicom, adding some utilities:



-   command history

-   autocompletion

-   inline help

-   pattern highlight (optional)



Auto-completion and inline help are available using a dictionary

file. Each entry in the file has the format



> command-name # 

>

> e.g.

>

> > AT+FCLASS # Select Active Service Class AT+GCAP # Capabilities

> > list AT+GMI # Manufacturer identification



Of course all the commands written in the command-line are sent to the

serial device even if they are not in the dictionary file.



_dictionary_ file is saved as hidden file in your HOME folder and

named _.pynicom-dictionary_ and it is **empty** when Pynicom is first

installed. Feel free to copy the example on Pycom's project page on

[GitHub]() in your own

dictionary file.



Installation

------------



1.  Install PyPI module manager



    > sudo apt-get install python-pip



2.  Install dependencies: docopt, pyserial, readline (optional

    [raffaello]() for pattern

    highlight)



    > sudo pip 



Usage

-----



On GNU/Linux, Pynicom need administrative privilegies to access the

serial device. On Debian/Ubuntu and derivates this can be done running

the following command:



> $ sudo pynicom



First steps

-----------



Auto-completion is obtained with with a double tab



```

A Minicom like shell in Python3 author: Carlo Lobrano version: 0.1.0



Usage:

:   pynicom [-d|--debug] [--port=port --baud=rate --bytesize=bytesize

    --parity=parity --stopbits=stopbits --sw-flow-ctrl=xonxoff

    --hw-rts-cts=rtscts --hw-dsr-dtr=dsrdtr --timeout=timeout]



(no-conn) AT at exit quit serial_info serial_read

set_bytesize set_parity set_stopbits shell ATE ate help

serial_close serial_open set_baudrate set_debug set_port

set_timeout show_dictionary (no-conn)

```



a known limitation is that the extended commands (+,&,#,...) are

auto-completed after typing at least the symbol



```

(/dev/ttyACM0 @ 115200) at at ate (/dev/ttyACM0 @

115200) at+ CGDCONT CGI CGREG CREG FCLASS GCAP GMI GMM

GMR GSN (/dev/ttyACM0 @ 115200) at+

```



As you could see, the prompt shows the current serial device used and

the baud rate or "no-conn".



To use the **inline help**, issue the command: 'help command-name' or

'?command-name'



```

(no-conn) help serial_open



> Open the given serial device.

>

> Example: serial_open /dev/ttyUSB0 115200 8 N 1 False False False 1

>

> where the args are respectively: port, baudrate, bytesize, parity,

> stopbits, SW flow control, HW flow control RTS/CTS, HW flow control

> DSR/DTR, timeout. You do not need to give all the parameters, if you

> are fine with the default values, just give the serial device path.

```



The connection to the serial device can be established also with Pynicom

arguments:



```

$ sudo pynicom --port=/dev/ttyACM0 --baud=115200



A Minicom like shell in Python author: Carlo Lobrano version: 0.1.0



Usage:

:   pynicom [-d|--debug] [--port=port --baud=rate --bytesize=bytesize

    --parity=parity --stopbits=stopbits --sw-flow-ctrl=xonxoff

    --hw-rts-cts=rtscts --hw-dsr-dtr=dsrdtr --timeout=timeout]



(/dev/ttyACM0 @ 115200)

```



To see all input arguments type



```

$ pynicom -h

```



Connection parameters can be changed using the set_ commands without

closing and opening again the connection:



```

(/dev/ttyACM0 @ 115200) set_ set_baudrate set_bytesize set_debug

set_parity set_port set_stopbits set_timeout

```



serial_info shows the current connection's info



```

(/dev/ttyACM0 @ 115200) serial_info

:   Serial(port='/dev/ttyACM0',

    baudrate=115200, bytesize=8, parity='N', stopbits=1, timeout=1,

    xonxoff=False, rtscts=False, dsrdtr=False)

```



the special character '!' execute system's commands:



```

(/dev/ttyACM0 @ 115200) !ls -la total 25 drwxrwx--- 1 root vboxsf 0

lug 2 10:25 . drwxrwx--- 1 root vboxsf 4096 lug 2 10:25 .. -rwxrwx---

1 root vboxsf 1439 lug 2 08:57 dictionary.txt -rwxrwx--- 1 root vboxsf

1 lug 2 08:57 errors.txt -rwxrwx--- 1 root vboxsf 0 lug 2 08:57

__init__.py -rwxrwx--- 1 root vboxsf 15417 lug 2 10:24 pynicom.py

-rwxrwx--- 1 root vboxsf 390 lug 2 08:57 test.py -rwxrwx--- 1 root

vboxsf 2115 lug 2 08:57 tests.py

```



All commands have 1.0 seconds timeout as default, but that can be

changed with set_timeout command. If a command does not return, stop it

with CTRL-B or CTRL-C



Highlight patterns

------------------



The [Raffaello](https://pypi.python.org/pypi/raffaello/) module allows

Pynicom to highlight the text ouput. You can choose a pattern to be

highlighted in a given color (the available colors depending on the

Shell)



```

> (/dev/ttyUSB0 @ 9600) highlight GNRMC=>green

```



this can be useful when reading NMEA sentences for example (with

serial_read)



use show_highlight to see the current highlighted patterns and

remove_highlight to remove a pattern.



```

(/dev/ttyUSB0 @ 9600) show_highlight

:   {'GNRMC': green}



(/dev/ttyUSB0 @ 9600) remove_highlight GNRMC (/dev/ttyUSB0 @ 9600)

show_highlight {}

```



NMEA sentences

--------------



Nmea sentences can be sent to the serial device using the nmea command.

Pycom will automatically add the initial '$' symbol, the checksum and

the final appendix (), so that a possible usage of this API

is the following:



```

(/dev/ttyUSB0 @ 9600) nmea PMTK430

:   nmea > "$PMTK430*35"

    :   $GLGSV,2,1,06,84,81,030,43,74,78,042,46,85,44,215,48,73,35,128,36*62

        $GLGSV,2,2,06,75,31,326,44,83,25,033,44*68

        $GNRMC,115725.000,A,3913.6604,N,00904.1282,E,0.00,51.50,060715,,,D*4C

        $GNVTG,51.50,T,,M,0.00,N,0.01,K,D*16 $PMTK530,0*28

```



after sending the nmea message, pynicom will automaticalli issue

serial_read command. You will stop reading using CTRL-C.