ntoo serial thread that detects errors and reconnects without crashing the whole program - belongs in `chatbot/inference_sensors.py`

190523_ntoo_better_serial_thread

def serial_thread():
    ser = None
    while True:
        try:
            # TRIES TO CONNECT
            if(ser == None):
                ser = serial.Serial(usbport)
                ser.flushInput()
                logger.log("[SERIAL] (Re)connecting serial thread...")
        except: 
            # IF DOESN'T CONNECT, then disconnects and/or waits a bit
            if(not(ser == None)):
                ser.close()
                ser = None
                print("[SERIAL] Disconnecting")
                logger.log("[SERIAL] Disconnecting")

            print("[SERIAL] No Connection.. waiting for a bit to reconnect")
            logger.log("[SERIAL] No Connection.. waiting for a bit to reconnect")
            time.sleep(2)
        
        else:
            # IF SUCCESSFULLY CONNECTED, then do stuff
            ser_bytes = ser.readline()
            decoded_bytes = float(ser_bytes[0:len(ser_bytes)-2].decode("utf-8"))
            print(decoded_bytes)
            if decoded_bytes == 0.0:
                sleep_bot()
            else:
                restart_bot()