adafruit/circuitpython 4.0.0-beta.4

CircuitPython 4.0.0 Beta 4!

on GitHub

This is hopefully the last beta build of 4.0.0 before release candidate. There are still issues to fix before stable and the new APIs may evolve a bit more. Please use the latest 3.x stable release (available from the new website!) when first starting with CircuitPython. It is stable.

When you find a bug please check the current known issues and file an issue if something isn't already known.

circuitpython.org

Downloads are now available from circuitpython.org! This site makes it much easier to select the correct file and language for your board. The downloads page is here.

4.0.0

4.0.0 is the latest major revision of CircuitPython. It features:

• a port to the Nordic nRF52840 microcontroller, including support as a BLE beacon or peripheral (bleio)
• extensive new support for pixel-based displays (displayio)
• USB MIDI support
• messages translated into multiple languages

Installation

To install follow the instructions in our new Welcome to CircuitPython! guide. To install the latest libraries, see this page in that guide.

Try the latest version of the Mu editor for creating and editing your CircuitPython programs and for easy access to the CircuitPython serial connection (the REPL).

New Features, Updates, and Fixes since Beta 3

• Replace position in TileGrid with separate x and y to make it consistent with Group. This will require code and library updates. Thanks to @tannewt
• Remove networking support from Feather M0 Express and Metro M0 Express. Thanks to @tannewt
• Add Pirate language support. Thanks to @sommersoft
• Updates to pewpew10 and ugame10. Thanks to @deshipu
• Group now takes x and y keyword args for initial position. Thanks to @tannewt
• Add support for changing tile indices in TileGrid using []. Thanks to @tannewt
• atmel-samd: PWM fix allowing for more outputs to work. Thanks to @dhalbert
• Add checks to prevent modifying the filesystem when read-only such as moving a file. Thanks to @tannewt

New Boards

• Add support for upcoming pybadge. Thanks to @jreese and @tannewt

Breaking Changes from 3.x!

• ure, ujson, and uerrno renamed to re, json, and errno to reflect that they are subsets of the CPython library modules. Thanks to @dhalbert.

• busio.UART breaking changes to match PySerial. Thanks to @dhalbert
  • busio.UART constructor timeout parameter is now in seconds instead of milliseconds.
  • UART.readinto(buf) now does not allow an optional length parameter UART.readinto(buf, len).
  • UART.write(...) no longer allows strings to be written. The bytes written must be bytes or bytearray or an array.array.
• framebuf has been removed. displayio is its replacement, and will be enhanced after 4.0 to include framebuf's functionality. Thanks to @tannewt.
• Improve struct compatibility with CPython by enforcing stricter types. This may break your code! Thanks to @dhalbert.

Thanks

Thank you to all who used, tested, contributed, helped out, and participated on GitHub and/or Discord:
@adafruit, @anecdata, @arofarn, @arturo182, @ATMakersBill, @brennen, @brentru, @bwshockley, @C47D, @CarlFK, @carlosperate, @caternuson, @CedarGroveStudios, @chalei, @charlesbunaford, @cpforbes, @dastels, @deshipu, @dhalbert, @dsiee, @edspark, @eighthree, @furlaneto, @gcvasconcelos, @glennrub, @gpshead, @hathach, @iraytrace, @Jahor, @jasonp, @jepler, @jay Doscher, @jerryneedell, @jimblom, @johnpark, @JoshuaLowe1002, @Uanita, @kattni, @kevinjwalters, @klardotsh, @Klowner, @ladyada, @larsks, @madbodger, @maholli, @Makdaam, @makermelissa, @MattyT, @mchobby, @microbuilder, @MikeBarela, @Mr. Certainly, @mrmcwethy, @nickzoic, @notro, @oldcrow, @penguindustin, @PhredFL, @platipo, @Retoc, @rhooper, @sabas1080, @sajattack, @sajattack, @saspa, @schmarty, @Senuros, @ShawnHymel, @siddacious, @sommersoft, @SouthernDragon, @TangoJuliett, @tannewt, @Tasm-Devil, @TG-Techie, @uhrheber, @urish, @vgoodwinv, @xpecex, @yeyeto2788, @jreese and surely more we have missed. Join us on the Discord chat to collaborate.

Documentation

Documentation is available in readthedocs.io.

Here are all the changes since 4.0.0-beta.3.
Here are all the changes since 3.1.2.

This release is based on MicroPython 1.9.4 @25ae98f. Support upstream MicroPython by purchasing a PyBoard (from Adafruit here).

Troubleshooting

Check out this guide for info on common problems with CircuitPython. If you are still having, then post to the Adafruit Support Forums and join Discord.