Adding external libraries via uiflow

ajb2k3

I have tried looking into this today but having trouble getting repl to run. @hetzer I have not forgotten about your issue, I have just been too busy to look much into it.

hetzer

@ajb2k3 Thanks hope a built in block comes in the future

romor001

Is there a tutorial somewhere on how to build the UI-Flow Firmware?
Would like to add some libraries, like for example paho-mqtt, and I think it would be best to build a custom FW for that.
https://github.com/EeeeBin/UIFlow-Firmware, referenced from https://github.com/m5stack/M5Stack-Firmware only offers binaries.

Not sure whether https://github.com/m5stack/M5Stack_MicroPython includes UI-Flow.

Any pointers?

lukasmaximus

As far as I know the Uiflow Micropython source is not available yet. Some others have posted guides on how to flash alternative micropython builds with other libraries https://www.hackster.io/andreas-motzek/execute-logo-on-m5stack-esp32-basic-with-micropython-3713fd
You could try creating your own spiffs image to include the libraries you need
https://github.com/igrr/mkspiffs although I haven't tried this yet and not sure if you have to add anything extra to make the uiflow firmware recognize the spiffs partition

world101

Since m5stack moved from the Loboris fork of Micropython to the official Micropython v1.11 release, it seems the libs were also moved somewhere. With m5stack firmware v1.2.x, they used to be in /flash/lib, however now with firmware 1.3.x, that directory does not exist. If I try to create /flash/lib with ampy, the m5stack won't boot properly.

Internal FS (FatFS): Mounted on partition 'internalfs' [size: 2162688; Flash address: 0x1F0000]
----------------
Filesystem size: 2101248 B
           Used: 1400832 B
           Free: 700416 B
----------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "boot.py", line 4, in <module>
  File "flowlib/uiflow.py", line 1, in <module>
  File "flowlib/m5stack.py", line 5, in <module>
ImportError: no module named 'lib.speak'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "main.py", line 17, in <module>
NameError: name 'rgb' isn't defined
MicroPython v1.11-112-g5f3c6ee93-dirty on 2019-06-26; ESP32 module with ESP32
Type "help()" for more information.
>>>

The above serial output during bootup shows something in flowlib, but I can't seem to access it. If someone could assist with where to put the custom libs, I could probably get Blynk working again.

heybin

UIFLOW most lib post in https://github.com/m5stack/UIFlow-Code, wiki have some api

ajb2k3

@world101 said in Adding external libraries via uiflow:

Since m5stack moved from the Loboris fork of Micropython to the official Micropython v1.11 release, it seems the libs were also moved somewhere. With m5stack firmware v1.2.x, they used to be in /flash/lib, however now with firmware 1.3.x, that directory does not exist. If I try to create /flash/lib with ampy, the m5stack won't boot properly.
Internal FS (FatFS): Mounted on partition 'internalfs' [size: 2162688; Flash address: 0x1F0000]
----------------
Filesystem size: 2101248 B
           Used: 1400832 B
           Free: 700416 B
----------------
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "boot.py", line 4, in <module>
  File "flowlib/uiflow.py", line 1, in <module>
  File "flowlib/m5stack.py", line 5, in <module>
ImportError: no module named 'lib.speak'
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "main.py", line 17, in <module>
NameError: name 'rgb' isn't defined
MicroPython v1.11-112-g5f3c6ee93-dirty on 2019-06-26; ESP32 module with ESP32
Type "help()" for more information.
>>>
The above serial output during bootup shows something in flowlib, but I can't seem to access it. If someone could assist with where to put the custom libs, I could probably get Blynk working again.

I thought that was just me. I too tried to copy over blynk this weekend using vstudio but again had the same boot issue.

world101

I just got Blynk working again with the latest 0.2.0 release from Github.

git clone https://github.com/vshymanskyy/blynk-library-python.git
cd blynk-library-python
ampy -p /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART -b 115200 mkdir /flash/blynk
ampy -p /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART -b 115200 put BlynkLib.py /flash/blynk/BlynkLib.py
ampy -p /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART -b 115200 get /flash/boot.py > boot.py

Use vi to edit the first few lines of boot.py to look like this:

import sys
sys.path.append('flowlib/lib')
sys.path.append('/flash/blynk')

import machine, time, m5base, uiflow, BlynkLib

Copy the modified boot.py back to the m5stack:

ampy -p /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART -b 115200 put boot.py /flash/boot.py

Connect to the serial interface via screen and reboot the m5stack. You should see the Blynk lib load at bootup.

Internal FS (FatFS): Mounted on partition 'internalfs' [size: 2162688; Flash address: 0x1F0000]
----------------
Filesystem size: 2101248 B
           Used: 1409024 B
           Free: 692224 B
----------------
I (413) [TFTSPI]: attached display device, speed=8000000
I (413) [TFTSPI]: bus uses native pins: false
W (1296) sdspi_host: spi bus changed (1 -> 2)
[ M5 ] init sd card Fail
[ M5 ] node id:30aea449cd9c, api key:1CAA42CC

    ___  __          __
   / _ )/ /_ _____  / /__
  / _  / / // / _ \/  '_/
 /____/_/\_, /_//_/_/\_\
        /___/ for Python v0.2.0 (esp32)

I (2284) modsocket: Initializing
I (7288) system_api: Base MAC address is not set, read default base MAC address from BLK0 of EFUSE
I (7288) system_api: Base MAC address is not set, read default base MAC address from BLK0 of EFUSE
I (7392) phy: phy_version: 4100, 2a5dd04, Jan 23 2019, 21:00:07, 0, 0

Reference thread: http://forum.m5stack.com/topic/575/blynk-on-m5stack-via-uiflow-and-block-maker

world101

By the way, you should be able to follow a similar procedure to load any custom library. Just create the directory /flash/custom and then reference it with sys.path.append('/flash/custom') in boot.py.

ampy -p /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART -b 115200 mkdir /flash/custom
ampy -p /dev/tty.SLAB_USBtoUART -b 115200 put customLib.py /flash/custom/customLib.py

in boot.py:

import sys
sys.path.append('flowlib/lib')
sys.path.append('/flash/custom')

Then with uiFlow, you can use the execute block to have the choice when it gets imported (so you don't import it automatically when your program doesn't need it).
0_1562066480425_Screen Shot 2019-07-02 at 7.20.47 AM.png

hetzer

This post is deleted!

ATU

Hello, world101 I am very new here in the forum and want to control my M5STACK with "blynk" via UIflow symbols.
I use:
UiFlow V1.4.3
F5STACK fire, the red one.
blynk for Python v0.2.1 (esp32_LoBo)
MicroPython ESP32_LoBo_v3.2.24 - 2018-09-06 on M5Stack with ESP32

I have successfully worked through all the above points.
However, the dispaly from my M5STACK shows the following error message:

error
ImportError("no module named 'uiflow'",)

I think that I have not installed the above mentioned elements:
"machine, time, m5base, uiflow"

In the boot.py I have edited the following, as you have described above:
import sys
sys.path.append('flowlib/lib')
sys.path.append('/flash/blynk')
import machine, time, m5base, uiflow, BlynkLib

I would like to implement remote monitoring via iphon of my groundwater pump.
It would be nice if you could help me, please.

world101

@atu said in Adding external libraries via uiflow:

Hello, world101 I am very new here in the forum and want to control my M5STACK with "blynk" via UIflow symbols.
I use:
UiFlow V1.4.3
F5STACK fire, the red one.
blynk for Python v0.2.1 (esp32_LoBo)
MicroPython ESP32_LoBo_v3.2.24 - 2018-09-06 on M5Stack with ESP32

I have successfully worked through all the above points.
However, the dispaly from my M5STACK shows the following error message:

error
ImportError("no module named 'uiflow'",)

I think that I have not installed the above mentioned elements:
"machine, time, m5base, uiflow"

In the boot.py I have edited the following, as you have described above:
import sys
sys.path.append('flowlib/lib')
sys.path.append('/flash/blynk')
import machine, time, m5base, uiflow, BlynkLib

I would like to implement remote monitoring via iphon of my groundwater pump.
It would be nice if you could help me, please.

You’re not going to (easily) be able to use LoBo Micropython and the later versions of UIFlow. I think uiFlow v1.2.3 was the latest that LoBo was supported. Best thing would be to flash the official v1.4.4 firmware from M5Stack and use uiFlow v1.4.4.

Try that first, then try to import the Blynk libs and see if it works.

ATU

Thank you, world101, for your quick response.
Now Blynk works at my M5STACK.
Your Blynk.m5b has five UiFlow blocks for only three virtual functions.
But Blynk offers much more features.
Has anyone already generated more UiFLOW blocks they can share?

jesuslg123

Is this method valid to replace libraries like urequests? I found a "bug" on the current implementation and I would like to replace the one that comes with the UIFlow firmware to workaround the issue. Is that possible or in any other way?
Thanks!

ajb2k3

@jesuslg123 If you use a programs like VStudio, Thonny and mu that you can add library directly to the M5Stack

jesuslg123

@ajb2k3 said in Adding external libraries via uiflow:

@jesuslg123 If you use a programs like VStudio, Thonny and mu that you can add library directly to the M5Stack

Thanks, for the this project I was using the UIFlow editor with the UI programming language, do you think I can also replace the urequest version that is using this?
Also can you share with me how to upload with Visual Studio? Thanks

ajb2k3

UIFlow is based on Micropython 1.11 so switching isn't that hard.
Check out https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCozgFVglWYQXbvTmGyS739w luke made a useful vid on it.

The great thing about UIFlow/Micropython is that you can build most of the program in UIFlow and then switch to Micropython to make final adjustments.
The only issue is that you can't change back to UIFlow after adjusting because the code blocks won't exist for you added code.

robalstona

If you use Visual Code you could install this extension

https://marketplace.visualstudio.com/items?itemName=curdeveryday.vscode-m5stack-mpy

Then transfer your modified library to flash. It would be good to change the name to another one, so that the import function does not load the built-in urequests library. Alternatively, you would have to look in what order and from which locations the libraries are imported.