Raspberry Pi Pico & Pimoroni RGB Keypad HID in Circuitpython 6.2+

code.py

# Adapted from Sandy J Macdonald's gist at https://gist.github.com/sandyjmacdonald/b465377dc11a8c83a8c40d1c9b990a90 to configure all buttons and switch off all lights in loop

import time
import board
import busio
import usb_hid

from adafruit_bus_device.i2c_device import I2CDevice
import adafruit_dotstar

from adafruit_hid.keyboard import Keyboard
from adafruit_hid.keyboard_layout_us import KeyboardLayoutUS
from adafruit_hid.keycode import Keycode

from adafruit_hid.consumer_control import ConsumerControl
from adafruit_hid.consumer_control_code import ConsumerControlCode

from digitalio import DigitalInOut, Direction, Pull
cs = DigitalInOut(board.GP17)
cs.direction = Direction.OUTPUT
cs.value = 0
num_pixels = 16
pixels = adafruit_dotstar.DotStar(board.GP18, board.GP19, num_pixels, brightness=0.1, auto_write=True)
i2c = busio.I2C(board.GP5, board.GP4)
device = I2CDevice(i2c, 0x20)
kbd = Keyboard(usb_hid.devices)
layout = KeyboardLayoutUS(kbd)
def colourwheel(pos):
    if pos < 0 or pos > 255:
        return (0, 0, 0)
    if pos < 85:
        return (255 - pos * 3, pos * 3, 0)
    if pos < 170:
        pos -= 85
        return (0, 255 - pos * 3, pos * 3)
    pos -= 170
    return (pos * 3, 0, 255 - pos * 3)
def read_button_states(x, y):
    pressed = [0] * 16
    with device:
        device.write(bytes([0x0]))
        result = bytearray(2)
        device.readinto(result)
        b = result[0] | result[1] << 8
        for i in range(x, y):
            if not (1 << i) & b:
                pressed[i] = 1
            else:
                pressed[i] = 0
    return pressed
held = [0] * 16
while True:
    pressed = read_button_states(0, 16)

    if pressed[0]:
        pixels[0] = colourwheel(0 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[0]:
            layout.write("volu")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            #held[0] = 1

    elif pressed[1]:
        pixels[1] = colourwheel(1 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[1]:
            layout.write("mpc next")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[1] = 1

    elif pressed[2]:
        pixels[2] = colourwheel(2 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[2]:
            layout.write("rad4")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[2] = 1

    elif pressed[3]:
        pixels[3] = colourwheel(3 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[3]:
            layout.write("mpc next")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[3] = 1

    elif pressed[4]:
        pixels[4] = colourwheel(4 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[4]:
            layout.write("vold")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            #held[4] = 1
            
    elif pressed[5]:
        pixels[5] = colourwheel(5 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[5]:
            layout.write("mpc prev")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[5] = 1

    elif pressed[6]:
        pixels[6] = colourwheel(6 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[6]:
            layout.write("rad3")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[6] = 1
    
    elif pressed[7]:
        pixels[7] = colourwheel(7 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[7]:
            layout.write("mpc prev")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[7] = 1

    elif pressed[8]:
        pixels[8] = colourwheel(8 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[8]:
            layout.write("toggle_disp1")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[8] = 1
            
    elif pressed[9]:
        pixels[9] = colourwheel(9 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[9]:
            layout.write("mpc stop")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[9] = 1

    elif pressed[10]:
        pixels[10] = colourwheel(10 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[10]:
            layout.write("rad2")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[10] = 1
            
    elif pressed[11]:
        pixels[11] = colourwheel(11 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[11]:
            layout.write("mpc stop")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[11] = 1

    elif pressed[12]:
        pixels[12] = colourwheel(12 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[12]:
            layout.write("ssh pi\"192.168.9.97 picade_switch")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[12] = 1
            
    elif pressed[13]:
        pixels[13] = colourwheel(13 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[13]:
            layout.write("mpc toggle")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[13] = 1

    elif pressed[14]:
        pixels[14] = colourwheel(14 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[14]:
            layout.write("rad1")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[14] = 1
            
    elif pressed[15]:
        pixels[15] = colourwheel(15 * 16)  # Map pixel index to 0-255 range

        if not held[15]:
            layout.write("mpc toggle")
            kbd.send(Keycode.ENTER)
            held[15] = 1
    
    else:  # Released state
        for i in range(16):
            pixels[i] = (0, 0, 0) # Turn pixels off
            held[i] = 0  # Set held states to off
        time.sleep(0.1) # Debounce

Do you know if there is a way to have the lights always be on? I'm quite new to python, so thank you.

You can add into the final loop instead turning the pixels off (0,0,0) to turn them all back on again to a specific colour (128,128,128) for example.

Changes would need to be made at current line 185 :

pixels[i] = (0, 0, 0) # Turn pixels off

to

pixels[i] = (128, 128, 128) # Turn pixels on to specific colour

This way they will only change colour when pressed but will remain lit when not pressed.

@wildestpixel Thank you

For anyone wanting to have each pixel on its colour always, replace line 185 with this:

# Turn pixels on to specific colour
pixels[0] = colourwheel(0 * 16)
pixels[1] = colourwheel(1 * 16)
pixels[2] = colourwheel(2 * 16)
pixels[3] = colourwheel(3 * 16)
pixels[4] = colourwheel(4 * 16)
pixels[5] = colourwheel(5 * 16)
pixels[6] = colourwheel(6 * 16)
pixels[7] = colourwheel(7 * 16)
pixels[8] = colourwheel(8 * 16)
pixels[9] = colourwheel(9 * 16)
pixels[10] = colourwheel(10 * 16)
pixels[11] = colourwheel(11 * 16)
pixels[12] = colourwheel(12 * 16)
pixels[13] = colourwheel(13 * 16)
pixels[14] = colourwheel(14 * 16)
pixels[15] = colourwheel(15 * 16)

or :

pixels[i] = colourwheel(i * 16)

is there any way to convert this to work with windows 10

is there any way to convert this to work with windows 10

The code is for CircuitPython, however the HID device will work with any OS including Windows10.

Seeing other repo questions raised today on @qbalsdon project, please ensure you are using CircuitPython rather than MicroPython.

oh i just realised what i wanted to do i wanted it to press the windows key so it can put a sting in and open a program to do this ive just used keycode.GUI