Python Plugin

Please be sure to read the Plugins page to get a general sense of if the Python module is a good fit for your project.

The Python module provides a way to create custom Phython scripts that can be used to process image statistics and map then toward servo/motor values. This module is intented to be used as a way to quickly perform custom operations without needing to implement a Plugin or use the API which typically require external tools.

The interface allows two methods for specifying your code. One technique requires that you specify a text file as the source of the program. You can use your favorite text editor to edit/create this file. The file should be a regular text file containing Python commands/functions/operators. The program interface displays the current file being used, available system or user variables (and their values) and any messages the program produces.

The alternate way is to include the Python text within the provided text box (see below). Using this technique allows you to include the Python code within the .robo program and not require another user to save the code and reference a text file as needed by the above file based technique. Using the text box provides a quick way to enter in text but is NOT meant as a replacement for a full featured text editor as its editing features are very basic.

Note that in any Python script you MUST "import rr" before you can use any of the embedded Python <-> RoboRealm specific functions.

Interface

RoboRealm Specific Functions

GetVariable("variable_name") - returns an integer value of the specified variable
GetStrVariable("variable_name") - returns the string value of the specified variable
GetArrayVariable("array_variable_name") - returns the array associated with the specified variable
SetArrayVariable "array_variable_name", array_variable - sets an array associated with the specified variable name; for example
```
import rr
points =  [100,100,150,200]
rr.SetArrayVariable("waypoints", points)
```
SetVariable "variable_name", variable_value - sets the variable value to the specified variable
SetTimedVariable "variable_name", variable_value, timeout - sets the variable value to the specified variable after the timeout (milliseconds) has passed
GetPixels - returns an array of RGB values of the current image
SetPixels pixel_data_array - sets the current image to the specified pixel RGB data
SetParameter "module_name", index, "param_name", "param_value" - changes the specified parameter in the specified module to the specified value. This is useful when a GUI dialog does not have a variable selection as part of the dropdown. Avoid using this function unless necessary as it is slow to update the GUI.
GetParameter("module_name", index, "param_name") - returns the specified parameter in the specified module. This is useful when a GUI dialog does not expose a value within a variable.
GetStrParameter("module_name", index, "param_name") - the string version of the above routine.
Print "text" - sends text to the Python module message output area in the dialog interface (used for debugging)
StopProcessing - stops RoboRealm from continuing to process the images with the remaining modules
CameraOff - switches off the image capturing from the current camera
CameraOn - switches on the image capturing using the current camera
PushButton "Module_Name", Module_Index, "Button" - automates pushing a button in one of the RoboRealm GUI windows. For example:
```
import rr
if rr.GetStrVariable("test") <> "pushed":
  rr.SetVariable("test", "pushed")
  rr.PushButton("Read_AVI", 0, "Start")
```
will cause the Read_AVI module (assuming one exists in the pipeline) to start playback.
```
import rr
rr.PushButton("RoboRealm", 0, "Snap")
```
will cause RoboRealm to create a snapshot of the current image.

Examples

To access variables from your Python file/script use the following commands:

MyVar = rr.GetVariable("variable_name")

Or to create a new variable use

rr.SetVariable("variable_name", variable_value)

Once a new variable is created this variable becomes available to control functions (such as in the SSC module) that can be used to automatically control a servo/motor.

You can also get variable arrays using

MyVar = rr.GetArrayVariable("variable_array_name")

or get individual entries in an array using

MyVar = rr.GetVariable("variable_array_name:2")

which would return the second entry in an array.

To change a variable's value in X milliseconds you can use

rr.SetTimedVariable("variable_name", variable_value, timeout_in_milliseconds)

which is very useful for resetting motor values after a period of time.

All regular Python commands and operators are available for use in the file. See Official Python Website for complete documentation on how to use Python commands.

For example the following program (assuming you have added the Center Of Gravity module) will map COG to servo motors:

import rr

cogx = rr.GetVariable("cog_x")
cogy = rr.GetVariable("cog_y")

if cogx < 140:
  left_motor = 60
  right_motor = 128
else:
  if cogx > 180:
    left_motor = 128
    right_motor = 60
  else:
    left_motor = 128
    right_motor = 128

rr.SetVariable("left_motor", left_motor)
rr.SetVariable("right_motor", right_motor)

Note that the COGX values range from 0 to 320. COGY ranges from 0 to 160. These values are bounded by the current image size. These values may change if you crop, shrink, etc. the image dimensions.

You could then use a module like the SSC module to map the "left_motor" and "right_motor" variables to actual servos.

You can also process the image pixels directly using Python. This is useful for prototyping but not recommended due to performance reasons for actual usage. The Python module supports two routines to get and set the image pixels. Following is the example SwapColor module but in Python.

import rr

width = rr.GetVariable("IMAGE_WIDTH")
height = rr.GetVariable("IMAGE_HEIGHT")

img = rr.GetPixels()
len = width*height*3
i = 0
while (i<len):
  t = img[i]
  img[i] = img[i+2]
  img[i+2] = t
  i+=3
rr.SetPixels(img, width, height)

To write variables or debug statements to a log file you can use

import rr

f = open('c:\\temp\\test.txt', 'a')
f.write(rr.GetStrVariable("cog_x") + ':' + rr.GetStrVariable("cog_y") + '\n')
f.close()

If you need to wait for a specific condition in a loop you will have to setup a trigger variable. You can't really sleep, wait or loop in the Python module as that would stop all image processing while it is waiting for the loop or sleep to finish. As the pipeline is essentially an infinite loop (i.e. grab an image, process it, then grab another, etc) adding a sleep would cease all execution which is usually not desired. If you prevent the ending of the loop by putting a while loop in the code it will not allow the system to capture new images and continue processing. So instead you can use the SetTimedVariable to cause the variable to change value after X number of milliseconds. Your script would look something like

import rr

period = 2000
step = rr.GetVariable("step")
if step == 0 :
  rr.SetVariable("data", 2)
  rr.SetVariable("step", 1)
  rr.SetTimedVariable("step", 2, period)
else:
  if step == 2 :
     rr.SetVariable("data", 4)
     rr.SetVariable("step", 3)
     rr.SetTimedVariable("step", 0, period)

which would cause the variable data to oscillate between 2 and 4 with a period of 2000 seconds. Note that usage of step and setting it to 1 and 3 which are dummy steps where nothing is done.

Variables

On each successful run of the script the SCRIPT_COUNT variable is incremented. Thus you can use this variable to indicate a first run state where variables can be initialized to default values. Note that the Reload and Run button will reset this count to 0.

Downloads