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:

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.

Sparkfun

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.

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.

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