AUTHOR: Cynthia

Outcome

Initial Goal: Operate picamera through Python and allow it to continually take photos (within a loop)

Realized Outcome: Yes

Steps to achieve outcome

1. Run Pi camera through Python Code on Pi (https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/projects/getting-started-with-picamera)
2. Altered code to allow dynamic picture-taking (i.e., live within a loop) within a function
3. Edited code to streamline where pictures are saved — into working directory
4. Next step: test with hardware on site and incorporate into the code

Sample Code

Note: includes I2C code and the python function

from smbus import SMBus
from picamera import PiCamera
from time import sleep
#import sys #not needed due to numb condition in li #34 (set when !(0,1,2))

addr = 0x8 #bus address
bus = SMBus(1) #indicates /dev/ic2-1 when I2C is enabled ls /dev/*i2c*

numb = 1
loopN = 0

camera = PiCamera()
camera.rotation = 90 # comment out if your camera is in correct orientation

# dynamic function
def snapPose(loopN):
    camera.start_preview(alpha=200)
    sleep(3) # max min on sleep for lighting adjustment 
    camera.capture('testimage%s.jpg' % loopN) #saves in working directory  
    camera.stop_preview()

print ('Enter 1 for ON / 0 for OFF')
while numb == 1:
    ledstate = input('>>>> ')
    
    if ledstate == '1':
        bus.write_byte(addr,0x1) #switch ON, may need to add some delay before pose
        snapPose(loopN)
        print(numb, 'numb: with', loopN)
        loopN +=1
    elif ledstate == '0':
        bus.write_byte(addr,0x0) #switch OFF
    else:
        numb = 0 #escapes out of loop for any malformed input (it also exits the program)

Reference material

https://picamera.readthedocs.io/en/release-1.13/recipes2.html

https://projects.raspberrypi.org/en/projects/getting-started-with-picamera