Multiple boards in one target

This target supports multiple boards. The boards share a common CPU, ATSAMD21, but have different shapes, and different built-in components.

Board packages

Boards are defined in board packages. A board package references the core package, and possibly some additional packages (eg pixel). It contains a pin definition file similar to this:

Run
declare namespace pins {
    //% shim=pxt::getPin(2)
    const A0: AnalogInOutPin;
    //% shim=pxt::getPin(40)
    const A1: AnalogInOutPin;
    // ...
    //% shim=pxt::getPin(11)
    const D0: DigitalInOutPin;
    // ...
}

The arguments to getPin() are hardware pin numbers (in the example above: PA02, PB08 (port B is at offset 32), and PA11). The getPin() function now allocates pins dynamically. There is no corresponding C++ file (ie no devpins.cpp) and no pin object array.

The boardDefinition element, formerly from pxtarget.json, is now provided by a JSON file in the board package. The SVG visual is also provided as a file in the board package. It’s possible some code in sim/* will need to be further parametrized by the boardDefinition.

Minor stuff

The various WSomething classes will need constructors that take pin numbers, and need to have functions that set the pin numbers (with some reasonable defaults).

Things like therometer (NonLinearAnalogSensor) would be best handled completely in TypeScript.

Built-in components

Various SAMD21 Maker’s boards have some of the following components:

touch - this probably needs to be connected with Pin classes
a single NeoPixel or DotStar Pixel
monochromatic LEDs in different color (1 or more) - they are bound to a single pin, but depending on which one, you have to pull it up or down to turn it on
SPI flash
other things connected via SPI

Boards

There’s likely more, feel free to add.

Adafruit

CPX - probably best not handled here at all
Gemma M0 - round with Dotstar pixel and croc-clip support
Trinket M0 - rectangular with DotStar pixel
Metro M0 - with Uno layout, one Neopixel and SPI flash

Adafruit Feather M0 family

They all look the same, with an additional component connected via SPI. They do not have a color RGB.

basic
with WiFi
with SD card
with BLE
with 900Mhz Radio; also other radios available
Express for Python with SPI Flash

Sparkfun

SAMD21 Mini Breakout - small
SAMD21 Dev Breakout - Uno layout

Arduino

These three have Uno layout. The last two have on-board debugger (we could use it for HID flashing if needed).

There’s also Tian, with a second chip running Linux - probably too exotic.

MKR family

Much like Feather.

MKR Zero - SD card
MKR 1000 - WiFi
MKR Fox 1200 - with a custom radio (SigFox)
MKR WAN 1300 - with 900Mhz radio
MKR GSM 1400, requires a SIM card ;)

Seeed Studio

They have Seeeduino boards with Uno layout. Most of them are AVR, but some are SAMD21. Interestingly, I could only find these two with SAMD.

Seeeduino LoRaWAN - Uno layout with radio
Seeeduino LoRaWAN W/GPS

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