python-ev3

Program Lego Mindstorms EV3 using Python on ev3dev

What you need

You need a working ev3dev on your ev3 and have an ssh session. Please reference the ev3dev site to burn such system.
Current python-ev3 is developed on ev3-ev3dev-jessie-2015-05-20

Both python 2.7 and python 3.4 are supported

python-ev3 is tested on the ev3-dev in python2.7 and python3.4. I have no all lego devices, so if there's something wrong or not working, please file an issue or create a pull request. I'm quite happy to receive more devices code.

virtualenv

Current python-ev3 is not stable enough, virtualenv is recommend. Below examples are in virtualenv. However, python-ev3 should work in a native python environment.

Install the python-ev3 on EV3

Python 2.7

• apt-get update
• apt-get install virtualenv virtualenvwrapper python-setuptools python-smbus python-pil
• source /etc/bash_completion.d/virtualenvwrapper
• mkvirtualenv ev3_py27 --python=/usr/bin/python2.7 --system-site-packages
• workon ev3_py27
• easy_install -U python-ev3
• type deactive to exit

Python 3.4

• apt-get update
• apt-get install virtualenv virtualenvwrapper python3-setuptools python3-smbus python3-pil
• source /etc/bash_completion.d/virtualenvwrapper
• mkvirtualenv ev3_py34 --python=/usr/bin/python3.4 --system-site-packages
• workon ev3_py34
• easy_install -U python-ev3
• type deactive to exit

Example

(ev3_py27)root@ev3dev:~# python
Python 2.7.8 (default, Jul  4 2014, 16:59:40)
[GCC 4.9.0] on linux2
Type "help", "copyright", "credits" or "license" for more information.
>>> from ev3.lego import MediumMotor
>>> d = MediumMotor()
>>> d.reset()
>>> d.run_forever(50, regulation_mode=False)
>>> d.stop()
>>> exit()

To exit the virtual env, type deactivate

More devices

Plese see test to know how to use other devices.
To create new sensor class please see How to create a new sensor class

Python3 vs Python2 performance

@fuzzycow found there's some performance problem when using Python3. Please see topikachu#22

Reference

• ev3-dev: http://www.ev3dev.org/