CTRL M on hardwired button

[Thoma_s]

Hi guys.

I have Opencnpn on a rapberry pi and would like to have a hardwired button outside for marking where i put my fishing pods and lines.


Then i could with a push of a button put a mark and move on to the next dropsite witout going inside to mark each place.

Any thought on this?

[GordMay]

Greetings and welcome aboard the CF, Thom S.

[Hakan]

Thoma s...
There are several possibilities.

1. Connect a wire less keyboard to bring outside.
2. Connect a wire less Logitech Trackball mouse to bring outside and set one of the extra buttons to send Ctrl-O. I suppose you meant this to set a mark at the boat position? and/or the other button to send Ctrl-M > mark at pointer position.
3. Since you've a RPi you could connect a push button wired to a GPIO (+ COM) pin and make a Python program to emulate a Ctrl-O key stroke when the GPIO pin has been low.

[Dsanduril]

Following on Hakan's #3, which will be the most difficult to implement but the most user friendly to use with hands full of fishing gear....

Setting up a GPIO-Button “keyboard” on a Raspberry Pi – Subjektive Wahrnehmung

I've implemented something similar in other Pi projects, but never with O. Note that, depending on environment, the keypress will be received by the active application, if O is not active the press may go someplace else. And if the OS uses the keystroke (e.g. Alt-Tab in Windows) then it becomes yet more complicated.

[Hakan]

Or...

Catch a swordfish and point the space bar. (Sorry ...tired)
But actually it's easy to convince O to use the space instead of Ctrl-O. And the space is easier to reach?

[Hakan]

Thoma s..
If you don't like programming and stuff the most simple is to connect an old (small?) keyboard and take it out. Wrap plastic around it and nail it on a wall. Tell O to use the space to do the same thing as Ctrl-O. Even wearing big gloves you can hit the space.

To use the space for to drop a mark at boat position add this to the config file:
[Settings]
…
SpaceDropMark=1


Wiki, how to:

https://opencpn.org/wiki/dokuwiki/do...ortcuts#cursor

[rooiedirk]

A robust ready to use button like this https://www.compuphase.com/usbkey/usbbutton_en.htm

[Hakan]

Nice button, really. Would fit

[Moo]

It is all in openplotter already. Just connect a button to a GPIO pin and configure. I did this on one of my plotter builds for a MOB button, marks and and alarm acknowledge. Otherwise if you don't use openplotter a python (or similar) script will be required.

[Dsanduril]

Originally Posted by rooiedirk

A robust ready to use button like this https://www.compuphase.com/usbkey/usbbutton_en.htm

Now that is a cool solution. I want one. Or two.

Only caveat is that at least by specification the longest you can make a USB connection is 5m/16', pretty easy to go well beyond that even on a small boat if you don't plan cable routing properly. I'm guessing with a single value you might be able to exceed the specs, but worth thinking about.

I still want one.

[Moo]

Originally Posted by Dsanduril

Now that is a cool solution. I want one. Or two.

Only caveat is that at least by specification the longest you can make a USB connection is 5m/16', pretty easy to go well beyond that even on a small boat if you don't plan cable routing properly. I'm guessing with a single value you might be able to exceed the specs, but worth thinking about.

I still want one.

Use an active usb cable and you are good for just about any distance on your average cruising boat.

[Hakan]

There's a wire less button on the same site as well

[Thoma_s]

Thanks

Lots of great tips.

And yes it was Ctrl O and not M

Now I can make a nice button solutions outside.

[Thoma_s]

Just an update.

It's now working.

A friend of mine made a smart thing with python
It starts every time the raspberry starts up and listen to signal on the GPIO

When I press the button it sends ctrl o

Brilliant.


Thanks allot wor your help.

Put the python thing under here if anybody wants to try it:
Ps he did something to it afterwards..

#!/usr/bin/python

import time
import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
import keyboard

GPIO_PIN = 10
#keys = "ctrl+o"
keys = "enter"
message = "{0} pressed\n".format(keys)
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM)
GPIO.setup(GPIO_PIN, GPIO.IN, pull_up_down=GPIO.PUD_UP)

while True:
if GPIO.input(GPIO_PIN) == False:
keyboard.press_and_release(keys)
keyboard.write(message)
print(message)
time.sleep(1)
else:
time.sleep(0.1)

[skkeith]

I have a firmware project dedicated to doing this sort of thing. It allows you to map keypesses, mouse moves, GPIO signals and other events to buttons. It works on any atmega32u, when programmed will function as a standard keyboard, mouse, and serial port, on any OS. Right now I am customizing it for a 19 key membrane, but it will work for 1 button just as well. The release is not ready yet but if anyone is interested in an early experience I can help.