Shell - IO-4 Bricklet

This is the description of the Shell API bindings for the IO-4 Bricklet. General information and technical specifications for the IO-4 Bricklet are summarized in its hardware description.

An installation guide for the Shell API bindings is part of their general description.

Examples

The example code below is Public Domain (CC0 1.0).

Input

Download (example-input.sh)

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#!/bin/sh
# Connects to localhost:4223 by default, use --host and --port to change this

uid=XYZ # Change XYZ to the UID of your IO-4 Bricklet

# Get current value as bitmask
tinkerforge call io4-bricklet $uid get-value

Output

Download (example-output.sh)

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#!/bin/sh
# Connects to localhost:4223 by default, use --host and --port to change this

uid=XYZ # Change XYZ to the UID of your IO-4 Bricklet

# Set pin 1 to output low: 1 << 1 = 2
tinkerforge call io4-bricklet $uid set-configuration 2 direction-out false

# Set pin 2 and 3 to output high: (1 << 2) | (1 << 3) = 12
tinkerforge call io4-bricklet $uid set-configuration 12 direction-out true

Interrupt

Download (example-interrupt.sh)

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#!/bin/sh
# Connects to localhost:4223 by default, use --host and --port to change this

uid=XYZ # Change XYZ to the UID of your IO-4 Bricklet

# Handle incoming interrupt callbacks
tinkerforge dispatch io4-bricklet $uid interrupt &

# Enable interrupt on pin 0: 1 << 0 = 1
tinkerforge call io4-bricklet $uid set-interrupt 1

echo "Press key to exit"; read dummy

kill -- -$$ # Stop callback dispatch in background

API

Possible exit codes for all tinkerforge commands are:

  • 1: interrupted (ctrl+c)
  • 2: syntax error
  • 21: Python 2.5 or newer is required
  • 22: Python argparse module is missing
  • 23: socket error
  • 24: other exception
  • 25: invalid placeholder in format string
  • 26: authentication error
  • 201: timeout occurred
  • 209: invalid argument value
  • 210: function is not supported
  • 211: unknown error

Command Structure

The common options of the call and dispatch commands are documented here. The specific command structure is shown below.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet [<option>..] <uid> <function> [<argument>..]
Parameters:
  • <uid> – Type: String
  • <function> – Type: String

The call command is used to call a function of the IO-4 Bricklet. It can take several options:

  • --help shows help for the specific call command and exits
  • --list-functions shows a list of known functions of the IO-4 Bricklet and exits
tinkerforge dispatch io4-bricklet [<option>..] <uid> <callback>
Parameters:
  • <uid> – Type: String
  • <callback> – Type: String

The dispatch command is used to dispatch a callback of the IO-4 Bricklet. It can take several options:

  • --help shows help for the specific dispatch command and exits
  • --list-callbacks shows a list of known callbacks of the IO-4 Bricklet and exits
tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> <function> [<option>..] [<argument>..]
Parameters:
  • <uid> – Type: String
  • <function> – Type: String

The <function> to be called can take different options depending of its kind. All functions can take the following options:

  • --help shows help for the specific function and exits

Getter functions can take the following options:

  • --execute <command> shell command line to execute for each incoming response (see section about output formatting for details)

Setter functions can take the following options:

  • --expect-response requests response and waits for it

The --expect-response option for setter functions allows to detect timeouts and other error conditions calls of setters as well. The device will then send a response for this purpose. If this option is not given for a setter function then no response is sent and errors are silently ignored, because they cannot be detected.

tinkerforge dispatch io4-bricklet <uid> <callback> [<option>..]
Parameters:
  • <uid> – Type: String
  • <callback> – Type: String

The <callback> to be dispatched can take several options:

  • --help shows help for the specific callback and exits
  • --execute <command> shell command line to execute for each incoming response (see section about output formatting for details)

Basic Functions

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> set-value <value-mask>
Parameters:
  • <value-mask> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
Output:
  • no output

Sets the output value (high or low) with a bitmask (4bit). A 1 in the bitmask means high and a 0 in the bitmask means low.

For example: The value 3 or 0b0011 will turn the pins 0-1 high and the pins 2-3 low.

All running monoflop timers will be aborted if this function is called.

Note

This function does nothing for pins that are configured as input. Pull-up resistors can be switched on with set-configuration.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> get-value
Output:
  • value-mask – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]

Returns a bitmask of the values that are currently measured. This function works if the pin is configured to input as well as if it is configured to output.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> set-configuration <selection-mask> <direction> <value>
Parameters:
  • <selection-mask> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
  • <direction> – Type: Char, Range: See symbols, Default: i
  • <value> – Type: Bool, Default: true
Output:
  • no output

Configures the value and direction of the specified pins. Possible directions are 'i' and 'o' for input and output.

If the direction is configured as output, the value is either high or low (set as true or false).

If the direction is configured as input, the value is either pull-up or default (set as true or false).

For example:

  • (15, 'i', true) or (0b1111, 'i', true) will set all pins of as input pull-up.
  • (8, 'i', false) or (0b1000, 'i', false) will set pin 3 of as input default (floating if nothing is connected).
  • (3, 'o', false) or (0b0011, 'o', false) will set pins 0 and 1 as output low.
  • (4, 'o', true) or (0b0100, 'o', true) will set pin 2 of as output high.

Running monoflop timers for the specified pins will be aborted if this function is called.

The following symbols are available for this function:

For <direction>:

  • direction-in = i
  • direction-out = o
tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> get-configuration
Output:
  • direction-mask – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
  • value-mask – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]

Returns a value bitmask and a direction bitmask. A 1 in the direction bitmask means input and a 0 in the bitmask means output.

For example: A return value of (3, 5) or (0b0011, 0b0101) for direction and value means that:

  • pin 0 is configured as input pull-up,
  • pin 1 is configured as input default,
  • pin 2 is configured as output high and
  • pin 3 is are configured as output low.
tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> get-edge-count <pin> <reset-counter>
Parameters:
  • <pin> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 3]
  • <reset-counter> – Type: Bool
Output:
  • count – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 232 - 1]

Returns the current value of the edge counter for the selected pin. You can configure the edges that are counted with set-edge-count-config.

If you set the reset counter to true, the count is set back to 0 directly after it is read.

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

Advanced Functions

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> set-monoflop <selection-mask> <value-mask> <time>
Parameters:
  • <selection-mask> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
  • <value-mask> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
  • <time> – Type: Int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1]
Output:
  • no output

Configures a monoflop of the pins specified by the first parameter as 4 bit long bitmask. The specified pins must be configured for output. Non-output pins will be ignored.

The second parameter is a bitmask with the desired value of the specified output pins. A 1 in the bitmask means high and a 0 in the bitmask means low.

The third parameter indicates the time that the pins should hold the value.

If this function is called with the parameters (9, 1, 1500) or (0b1001, 0b0001, 1500): Pin 0 will get high and pin 3 will get low. In 1.5s pin 0 will get low and pin 3 will get high again.

A monoflop can be used as a fail-safe mechanism. For example: Lets assume you have a RS485 bus and an IO-4 Bricklet connected to one of the slave stacks. You can now call this function every second, with a time parameter of two seconds and pin 0 set to high. Pin 0 will be high all the time. If now the RS485 connection is lost, then pin 0 will get low in at most two seconds.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> get-monoflop <pin>
Parameters:
  • <pin> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 3]
Output:
  • value – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 1]
  • time – Type: Int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1]
  • time-remaining – Type: Int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1]

Returns (for the given pin) the current value and the time as set by set-monoflop as well as the remaining time until the value flips.

If the timer is not running currently, the remaining time will be returned as 0.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> set-selected-values <selection-mask> <value-mask>
Parameters:
  • <selection-mask> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
  • <value-mask> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
Output:
  • no output

Sets the output value (high or low) with a bitmask, according to the selection mask. The bitmask is 4 bit long, true refers to high and false refers to low.

For example: The parameters (9, 4) or (0b0110, 0b0100) will turn pin 1 low and pin 2 high, pin 0 and 3 will remain untouched.

Running monoflop timers for the selected pins will be aborted if this function is called.

Note

This function does nothing for pins that are configured as input. Pull-up resistors can be switched on with set-configuration.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> set-edge-count-config <selection-mask> <edge-type> <debounce>
Parameters:
  • <selection-mask> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
  • <edge-type> – Type: Int, Range: See symbols, Default: 0
  • <debounce> – Type: Int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 255], Default: 100
Output:
  • no output

Configures the edge counter for the selected pins.

The edge type parameter configures if rising edges, falling edges or both are counted if the pin is configured for input. Possible edge types are:

  • 0 = rising (default)
  • 1 = falling
  • 2 = both

Configuring an edge counter resets its value to 0.

If you don't know what any of this means, just leave it at default. The default configuration is very likely OK for you.

The following symbols are available for this function:

For <edge-type>:

  • edge-type-rising = 0
  • edge-type-falling = 1
  • edge-type-both = 2

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> get-edge-count-config <pin>
Parameters:
  • <pin> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 3]
Output:
  • edge-type – Type: Int, Range: See symbols, Default: 0
  • debounce – Type: Int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 255], Default: 100

Returns the edge type and debounce time for the selected pin as set by set-edge-count-config.

The following symbols are available for this function:

For edge-type:

  • edge-type-rising = 0
  • edge-type-falling = 1
  • edge-type-both = 2

New in version 2.0.1 (Plugin).

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> get-identity
Output:
  • uid – Type: String, Length: up to 8
  • connected-uid – Type: String, Length: up to 8
  • position – Type: Char, Range: [a to h, z]
  • hardware-version – Type: Int Array, Length: 3
    • 0: major – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 255]
    • 1: minor – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 255]
    • 2: revision – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 255]
  • firmware-version – Type: Int Array, Length: 3
    • 0: major – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 255]
    • 1: minor – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 255]
    • 2: revision – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 255]
  • device-identifier – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 216 - 1]

Returns the UID, the UID where the Bricklet is connected to, the position, the hardware and firmware version as well as the device identifier.

The position can be 'a', 'b', 'c', 'd', 'e', 'f', 'g' or 'h' (Bricklet Port). A Bricklet connected to an Isolator Bricklet is always at position 'z'.

The device identifier numbers can be found here

Callback Configuration Functions

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> set-debounce-period <debounce>
Parameters:
  • <debounce> – Type: Int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 100
Output:
  • no output

Sets the debounce period of the interrupt callback.

For example: If you set this value to 100, you will get the interrupt maximal every 100ms. This is necessary if something that bounces is connected to the IO-4 Bricklet, such as a button.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> get-debounce-period
Output:
  • debounce – Type: Int, Unit: 1 ms, Range: [0 to 232 - 1], Default: 100

Returns the debounce period as set by set-debounce-period.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> set-interrupt <interrupt-mask>
Parameters:
  • <interrupt-mask> – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
Output:
  • no output

Sets the pins on which an interrupt is activated with a bitmask. Interrupts are triggered on changes of the voltage level of the pin, i.e. changes from high to low and low to high.

For example: An interrupt bitmask of 10 or 0b1010 will enable the interrupt for pins 1 and 3.

The interrupt is delivered with the interrupt callback.

tinkerforge call io4-bricklet <uid> get-interrupt
Output:
  • interrupt-mask – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]

Returns the interrupt bitmask as set by set-interrupt.

Callbacks

Callbacks can be used to receive time critical or recurring data from the device:

tinkerforge dispatch io4-bricklet <uid> example

The available callbacks are described below.

Note

Using callbacks for recurring events is always preferred compared to using getters. It will use less USB bandwidth and the latency will be a lot better, since there is no round trip time.

tinkerforge dispatch io4-bricklet <uid> interrupt
Output:
  • interrupt-mask – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
  • value-mask – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]

This callback is triggered whenever a change of the voltage level is detected on pins where the interrupt was activated with set-interrupt.

The values are a bitmask that specifies which interrupts occurred and the current value bitmask.

For example:

  • (1, 1) or (0b0001, 0b0001) means that an interrupt on pin 0 occurred and currently pin 0 is high and pins 1-3 are low.
  • (9, 14) or (0b1001, 0b1110) means that interrupts on pins 0 and 3 occurred and currently pin 0 is low and pins 1-3 are high.
tinkerforge dispatch io4-bricklet <uid> monoflop-done
Output:
  • selection-mask – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]
  • value-mask – Type: Int, Range: [0 to 15]

This callback is triggered whenever a monoflop timer reaches 0. The parameters contain the involved pins and the current value of the pins (the value after the monoflop).