Hardware Reference
In-Depth Information
Figure 12-6:
he output
of the
gpioinput
.py program
By extending the code to look for multiple push-buttons, each on an individual GPIO pin, you
could even create a simple four-button game controller. For example, you could combine the
preceding code with the Raspberry Snake game from Chapter 11, “An Introduction to Python”,
to turn the Raspberry Pi into a simple games console. You can also combine both input and
output examples into a single program, which waits for the button to be pushed and then turns
on the LED by sending the output pin high. To ensure that you've understood the concepts in
this section, try creating that combined program now. If you get stuck, or you want to check
your method, turn to Appendix A, “Python Recipes”, for a sample solution.
Moving Up From the Breadboard
As the previous examples in this chapter have shown, breadboards are excellent for quickly
creating prototype circuits for experimentation. hey're fast and reusable, and they don't
damage components.
However, breadboards also have some disadvantages. hey're bulky, expensive, and prone to
loose connections—which can result in critical components falling out, especially while the
breadboard is being transported from place to place. Figure 12-7 demonstrates this perfectly:
despite best eforts, the push-button component is only loosely secured in the breadboard,
and is likely to fall out if the circuit is handled roughly.
