Getting started with the A+

[HolyGuacamole]

Hello Internet,

I've got the raspberry A+. I want to try out the GPIO pins using the python programming language.
The A+ has only one usb port, to which I have attached a keyboard.
Because the lack of mouse, the Pi is set up to boot into the terminal.
From here I would like to write scripts/programs in python.
What programs are available for this (that don't require a mouse)

Thanks in advance!

[jamesh]

I'm no python expert, but you can simple type python and you will get in to the command line.

Or you can use an editor such as nano to create Python programs, the run them directly from the shell command line using python <filename>

Check out some of the Python tutorial on the web

[drgeoff]

If you are near a Poundland (or equivalent) try one of the cheapo USB hubs so you can have keyboard and mouse on your A+. If it doesn't work you haven't broken the bank.

[HolyGuacamole]

I'm no python expert, but you can simple type python and you will get in to the command line.

Or you can use an editor such as nano to create Python programs, the run them directly from the shell command line using python <filename>

Check out some of the Python tutorial on the web

Thanks! nano is exactly what I was looking for.

[DougieLawson]

If you are near a Poundland (or equivalent) try one of the cheapo USB hubs so you can have keyboard and mouse on your A+. If it doesn't work you haven't broken the bank.

A cheapo hub is essential when you'll normally have three USB devices to connect to your A+ (keyboard, mouse & WiFi dongle).

The puzzling part is why the OP got an A+ and not a B+. The A+ (at 65mm * 56mm, 23g mass and with just 256MB) isn't intended for general purpose use, it's meant for specialist projects (robots, balloons to 40Km, drone aircraft, etc.) where mass and available space constrains the project to the smallest possible Raspberry Pi but the computing requirements outstrip things like Arduinos.

[mikerr]

The puzzling part is why the OP got an A+ and not a B+. The A+ (at 65mm * 56mm, 23g mass and with just 256MB) isn't intended for general purpose use, it's meant for specialist projects (robots, balloons to 40Km, drone aircraft, etc.) where mass and available space constrains the project to the smallest possible Raspberry Pi but the computing requirements outstrip things like Arduinos.

The A+ is fine for standalone use without a hub if you don't need wifi.
-there is a bit of an obsession nowadays that everything has to have a network/internet connection
The key is using a combined keyboard/mouse dongle, so you only use a single usb.

Saving stuff to /boot would enable file transfer (pity it isn't bigger by default).

Yes, a B+ is far more flexible, but it's a bit strong to say an A+ is only for embedded!

[DougieLawson]

Saving stuff to /boot would enable file transfer (pity it isn't bigger by default).

That's not the intended use of /boot and you can't pull the SDCard from a running system.

Having some form of networking (USB or, in my case, SPI) is essential in the development phase (how frustrated are you going to be when you find that software package you'd like to use is missing). Networking is also essential to keep installed firmware and packages updated.

If I were writing stuff for a (robot or suchlike) project built around an A+ I'd use a fully fledged B+ as the development system and swap/clone the SDCard to the A+ when the code was debugged and ready to go.

[BMS Doug]

If I were writing stuff for a (robot or suchlike) project built around an A+ I'd use a fully fledged B+ as the development system and swap/clone the SDCard to the A+ when the code was debugged and ready to go.

I agree with Dougie, for making your first robot project you'll need ethernet to download packages, either the B+ or a USB hub will be essential for playing around with.

[HolyGuacamole]

I bought an a+ because I liked how tiny it was .
Normally I overthink on every decision, this time I just ordered the a+ because it looks kinda funny.

At first I was kind of confused on how to use it with only one usb port.
Now it works great when I avoid GUI's and just do everything with command line.

And why would I need internet on a raspberry pi?
downloading packages directly would be convenient, but besides that?

And what is the point of updating firmware or packages?

[rpdom]

And what is the point of updating firmware or packages?

Well, that depends on your usage.

If it works, don't break it

But sometimes there are important bug fixes or additional features in updates.

[DougieLawson]

And what is the point of updating firmware or packages?

So every time you find a bug you're going to start with a fresh install of Raspbian on a reformatted SDCard. That will get extremely tedious very quickly.

[fruitoftheloom]

This is good peripheral for the A+

http://swag.raspberrypi.org/collections ... fi-adaptor

[DougieLawson]

This is good peripheral for the A+

http://swag.raspberrypi.org/collections ... fi-adaptor

If I were starting from scratch never having had any RPi before that would be on my shopping list.

Combine that with a combined keyboard/mouse and you're good to go.