Automated Setup Guide

Automated installation for pyCRUMBS on Raspberry Pi using the included setup script.

Prerequisites

  • Raspberry Pi 4B+ with Raspberry Pi OS Lite 64-bit
  • SSH access and internet connection
  • Arduino with level shifter for I2C (optional for testing)

Quick Setup

1. Download and Run Setup 

ssh username@raspberry_pi_address
sudo apt update && sudo apt install -y git
git clone https://github.com/FEASTorg/pyCRUMBS.git
cd pyCRUMBS
chmod +x setup_pycrumbs.sh
./setup_pycrumbs.sh

2. Verify Installation 

./verify_setup.sh
~/test_pycrumbs.sh

What the Script Does

The setup script automatically handles:

  1. System packages: Installs i2c-tools, python3-venv, etc.
  2. I2C configuration: Enables I2C using raspi-config or direct config file modification
  3. User permissions: Adds user to i2c group
  4. Python environment: Creates virtual environment in ./pycrumbs_env
  5. Dependencies: Installs smbus2 package
  6. Helper scripts: Creates convenience scripts in home directory

I2C Auto-Configuration

The script automatically detects and enables I2C:

  • Uses raspi-config nonint do_i2c 0 for automatic enabling
  • Falls back to direct /boot/firmware/config.txt modification
  • Handles both new and legacy config file locations
  • Prompts for reboot if needed

Helper Scripts Created

~/activate_pycrumbs.sh - Activates environment:

~/activate_pycrumbs.sh

~/test_pycrumbs.sh - Runs complete test:

~/test_pycrumbs.sh

Testing Communication

After setup, test I2C devices:

i2cdetect -y 1

Run the leader example:

~/activate_pycrumbs.sh
cd ..
python -m pyCRUMBS.examples.leader_example

Example Commands

  • Request message: request,0x08
  • Send message: 0x08,1,1,75.0,1.0,0.0,65.0,2.0,7.0,0
  • Exit: exit or Ctrl+C

Troubleshooting

Permission Issues

If I2C permission errors occur:

groups $USER  # Check if i2c group is present
sudo reboot   # Reboot if group was just added

I2C Configuration Issues

If automatic I2C setup fails:

# Manual enable
sudo raspi-config nonint do_i2c 0

# Verify config
grep "dtparam=i2c_arm=on" /boot/firmware/config.txt

# Check for old location
grep "dtparam=i2c_arm=on" /boot/config.txt

sudo reboot

Module Import Errors

If getting ModuleNotFoundError:

# Ensure running from parent directory
python -m pyCRUMBS.examples.leader_example

# Verify environment activation
~/activate_pycrumbs.sh

Environment Issues

If virtual environment problems occur:

# Delete and recreate
rm -rf ./pycrumbs_env
./setup_pycrumbs.sh

Manual Cleanup

To remove automated setup:

# Remove virtual environment
rm -rf ./pycrumbs_env

# Remove helper scripts
rm ~/activate_pycrumbs.sh ~/test_pycrumbs.sh

# Remove user from i2c group (optional)
sudo deluser $USER i2c

# Remove repository (if desired)
cd .. && rm -rf pyCRUMBS

Setup vs Manual Comparison

Task Manual Automated
Time 15-20 min 3-5 min
I2C setup Manual navigation Fully automated
Error handling User responsibility Built-in fallbacks
Environment Manual creation Automatic with validation

For manual setup details, see Manual Setup Guide.

Next Steps

After successful setup:

  1. Connect I2C devices and test communication
  2. Develop custom applications using the library
  3. Explore advanced examples in Examples
  4. Review API Reference for detailed documentation