adafruit/circuitpython 8.0.0-alpha.1

CircuitPython 8.0.0 Alpha 1

on GitHub

This is CircuitPython 8.0.0-alpha.1, an alpha release for 8.0.0. It is relatively stable, but there will be further additions and fixes before final release.

Notable changes to 8.0.0 since 7.3.0

• Added TileGrid.contains().
• AnalogIn values are full range from 0 to 65535, instead of having zeros on low-order bits.
• OneWire is only in onewireio, and is no longer in busio or bitbangio.
• gamepadshift has been removed: use keypad.ShiftRegisterKeys instead.
• dotenv support: os.getenv() values can be set in the .env file.

Download from circuitpython.org

Firmware downloads are available from the downloads page on circuitpython.org. The site makes it easy to select the correct file and language for your board.

Installation

To install follow the instructions in the 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).

Documentation

Documentation is available in readthedocs.io.

Port status

CircuitPython has a number of "ports" that are the core implementations for different microcontroller families. Stability varies on a per-port basis. As of this release, these ports are consider stable:

• atmel-samd: Microchip SAMD21, SAMx5x
• cxd56: Sony Spresense
• espressif: Espressif ESP32-S2
• nrf: Nordic nRF52840, nRF52833
• raspberrypi: Raspberry Pi RP2040
• stm: ST STM32F4 chip family

These ports are considered alpha and will have bugs and missing functionality:

• broadcom: Raspberry Pi boards such as RPi 4, RPi Zero 2W
• espressif: ESP32-S3, ESP32-C3
• litex: fomu
• mimxrt10xx: NXP i.MX RT10xxx
• stm: ST non-STM32F4 chip families

Changes since 7.3.0

Fixes and enhancements

• Add TileGrid.contains(). #6442. Thanks @FoamyGuy.
• Finish moving OneWire from busio to onewireio. #6427. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Make AnalogIn be full range from 0 to 65535, instead of having zeros on low-order bits. #6426. Thanks @PaintYourDragon.
• Change display brightness PWM frequency to 500 Hz to fix brightness range. #6416. Thanks @FoamyGuy and @CedarGroveStudios.
• Add dotenv support: read values from .env file. #6407. Thanks @tannewt.
• Fix hiding of vectorio shapes. #6383. Thanks @FoamyGuy.
• Remove gamepadshift; use keypad.ShiftRegisterKeys instead. #5491. Thanks @deshipu.

Port and board-specific changes

Broadcom

Espressif

• Fix multiple uses of rotaryio.IncrementalEncoder. #6463, #6430. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Support use of a static IP address. #6441. Thanks @gamblor21.

i.MX

• Teensy boards: preserve filesystem when updating firmware. #6425. Thanks @KurtE.

nRF

RP2040

• PulseIn improvements. #6450. Thanks @mwisslead.
• Update pico-sdk to version 1.3.1. #6414. Thanks @dhalbert.

SAMx

• Disable traceback on SAMD21 to save space. #6438. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Implement UART RTS/CTS flow control. #6434. Thanks @stonehippo.

STM

• Fix SPI frequency settings. #6446. Thanks @EmergReanimator.

Individual boards

• Adafruit Circuit Playground Express boards: Do not freeze unneeded code. #6346. Thanks @Neradoc.
• Adafruit Metro M0: reenable onewireio. #6438. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Challenger NB RP2040: remove non-functional board.SPI(). #6463, #6462. Thanks @NathanY3G.
• LILYGO TTGO T-OI PLUS: Fix board startup. #6447. Thanks @SimonVail.
• SolderParty RP2040: Add Round Carrier frozen library. #6418. Thanks @solderparty.
• SparkFun STM32 Thing Plus: enable UF2 builds. #6459. Thanks @NathanY3G.
• Swan R5 improvements. #6437. Thanks @blues.

Documentation changes

• Fix autoapi bug. #6449. Thanks @jepler.
• Fix countio example. #6423. Thanks @tylercrumpton.

Build and infrastructure changes

• Fix dependencies for translate.c. #6466. Thanks @jepler.
• Restore ulab to boards that now have room. #6465. Thanks @tannewt.
• Speed up translation calculation. #6455. Thanks @jepler.
• Switch translate() to a header file to save space. #6440. Thanks @tannewt.
• Use -flto and -flto-partition=one only when necessary, to speed up builds. #6436. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Restore rainbowio to most small builds. #6428. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Consolidate similar error messages; use argument validators. #6409. Thanks @dhalbert.

Translation additions and improvements

Thanks for translations:

• @ajs256 (French)
• @bergdahl (Swedish)
• @Chameloun (Czech)
• @fabaff (German)
• @Lisapple (French)
• @wtuemura (Portugese - Brazil)

New boards since 7.3.0

• Adafruit Feather ESP32-S3 4MB Flash 2MB PSRAM. #6456. Thanks @dhalbert.
• Adafruit Feather ESP32-S3 TFT. #6424. Thanks @ladyada.
• Ctryon Maker Zero SAMD21. #6432. Thanks @CytronTechnologies.
• Challenger RP204 LoRA boards. #6472. Thanks @PontusO.
• MixGo CE. #6422, #6383. Thanks @dahanzimin.
• WeAct Studio Pico. #6411. Thanks @fabaff.

Known issues

• See https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython/issues for other issues, including issues still to be addressed for:
  • 8.0.0

Thanks

Thank you to all who used, tested, and contributed since 7.3.0, including the contributors above, and many others on GitHub and Discord. Join us on the Discord chat to collaborate.