The MicroPython project

This is the MicroPython project, which aims to put an implementation of Python 3.x on microcontrollers and small embedded systems. You can find the official website at micropython.org.

WARNING: this project is in beta stage and is subject to changes of the code-base, including project-wide name changes and API changes.

MicroPython implements the entire Python 3.4 syntax (including exceptions, "with", "yield from", etc., and additionally "async" keyword from Python 3.5). The following core datatypes are provided: str (including basic Unicode support), bytes, bytearray, tuple, list, dict, set, frozenset, array.array, collections.namedtuple, classes and instances. Builtin modules include sys, time, and struct, etc. Select ports have support for _thread module (multithreading). Note that only subset of Python 3.4 functionality implemented for the data types and modules.

See the repository www.github.com/micropython/pyboard for the MicroPython board (PyBoard), the officially supported reference electronic circuit board.

The following components are actively maintained by Pycom:

py/ -- the core Python implementation, including compiler, runtime, and core library.
esp32/ -- a version of MicroPython that runs on the ESP32 based boards from Pycom.
tests/ -- test framework and test scripts.

Additional components:

ports/ -- versions of MicroPython that runs on other hardware
drivers/ -- hardware drivers
tools/ -- various tools, including the pyboard.py module.
examples/ -- a few example Python scripts.
docs/ -- user documentation in Sphinx reStructuredText format.
mpy-cross/ -- micropython cross-compiler
extmod/ -- external micropython modules

The subdirectories above may include READMEs with additional info.

"make" is used to build the components, or "gmake" on BSD-based systems. You will also need bash and Python (at least 2.7 or 3.3).

The ESP32 version

The "esp32" port requires an xtensa gcc compiler, which can be downloaded from the Espressif website:

for 64-bit Linux::

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-linux64-1.22.0-80-g6c4433a-5.2.0.tar.gz
for 32-bit Linux::

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-linux32-1.22.0-80-g6c4433a-5.2.0.tar.gz
for Mac OS:

https://dl.espressif.com/dl/xtensa-esp32-elf-osx-1.22.0-80-g6c4433a-5.2.0.tar.gz

To use it, you will need to update your PATH environment variable in ~/.bash_profile file. To make xtensa-esp32-elf available for all terminal sessions, add the following line to your ~/.bash_profile file::

export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/esp/xtensa-esp32-elf/bin

Alternatively, you may create an alias for the above command. This way you can get the toolchain only when you need it. To do this, add different line to your ~/.bash_profile file::

alias get_esp32="export PATH=$PATH:$HOME/esp/xtensa-esp32-elf/bin"

Then when you need the toolchain you can type get_esp32 on the command line and the toolchain will be added to your PATH.

You also need the ESP IDF along side this repository in order to build the ESP32 port. To get it:

$ git clone --recursive -b idf_v3.3.1 https://github.com/pycom/pycom-esp-idf.git

After cloning, if you did not specify the --recursive option, make sure to checkout all the submodules:

$ cd pycom-esp-idf
$ git submodule update --init

If you updated the repository from a previous revision and/or if switching between branches,<br>
make sure to also update the submodules with the command above.

Finally, before building, export the IDF_PATH variable

$ export IDF_PATH=~/pycom-esp-idf

This repository contains submodules! Clone using the --recursive option:

$ git clone --recursive https://github.com/pycom/pycom-micropython-sigfox.git

Alternatively checkout the modules manually:

$ cd pycom-micropython-sigfox
$ git submodule update --init

If you updated the repository from a previous revision and/or if switching between branches,<br>
make sure to also update the submodules with the command above.

Prior to building the main firmware, you need to build mpy-cross

$ cd mpy-cross && make clean && make && cd ..

By default the firmware is built for the WIPY:

$ cd esp32
$ make clean
$ make
$ make flash

You can force the firmware to use LittleFS (the default is FatFS if not configured via pycom.bootmgr() or firmware updater):

$ cd esp32
$ make clean
$ make FS=LFS
$ make flash

By default, both bootloader and application are built. To build them separately:

$ cd esp32
$ make clean
$ make TARGET=boot
$ make TARGET=app
$ make flash

You can change the board type by using the BOARD variable:

$ cd esp32
$ make BOARD=GPY clean
$ make BOARD=GPY
$ make BOARD=GPY flash

We currently support the following BOARD types:

WIPY LOPY SIPY GPY FIPY LOPY4

For OEM modules, please use the following BOARD type:

W01: WIPY
L01: LOPY
L04: LOPY4
G01: GPY

To specify a serial port other than /dev/ttyUSB0, use ESPPORT variable:

$ # On MacOS
$ make ESPPORT=/dev/tty.usbserial-DQ008HQY flash
$ # On Windows
$ make ESPPORT=COM3 flash
$ # On linux
$ make ESPPORT=/dev/ttyUSB1 flash

To flash at full speed, use ESPSPEED variable:

$ make ESPSPEED=921600 flash

Make sure that your board is placed into programming mode, otherwise flashing will fail.
All boards except Expansion Board 2.0 will automatically switch into programming mode

Expansion Board 2.0 users, please connect P2 to GND and then reset the board.

To create a release package that can be flashed with the Pycom firmware tool:

$ cd esp32
$ make clean
$ make release

To create a release package for all currently supported Pycom boards:

$ cd esp32
$ for BOARD in WIPY LOPY SIPY GPY FIPY LOPY4; do make BOARD=$BOARD clean && make BOARD=$BOARD release; done

To specify a directory other than the default build/ directory:

$ cd esp32
$ make clean
$ make RELEASE_DIR=~/pycom-packages release

To create a release package for all currently supported Pycom boards in a directory other than the default build/ directory:

$ cd esp32
$ for BOARD in WIPY LOPY SIPY GPY FIPY LOPY4; do make BOARD=$BOARD clean && make BOARD=$BOARD RELEASE_DIR=~/pycom-packages release; done

To inclue a step for copying IDF libs from IDF_PATH specify the following variable in the make command

COPY_IDF_LIB=1

To Buiild the firmware with Pybytes libs use the following make variable

VARIANT=PYBYTES

To Disable RGB Led control use the following make variable

RGB_LED=disable

Steps for using Secure Boot and Flash Encryption

Summary

Obtain keys (for Secure Boot and Flash Encryption)
Flash keys and parameters in efuses
Compile bootloader and application with make SECURE=on
Flash: bootloader-digest at address 0x0 and encrypted; all the others (partitions and application) encrypted, too.

Prerequisites

$ export IDF_PATH=<pycom-esp-idf_PATH>
$ cd esp32

Hold valid keys for Flash Encryption and Secure Boot; they can be generated randomly with the following commands:

python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/espsecure.py generate_flash_encryption_key flash_encryption_key.bin
python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/espsecure.py generate_signing_key secure_boot_signing_key.pem

The Secure Boot key secure_boot_signing_key.pem has to be transformed into secure-bootloader-key.bin, to be burnt into efuses. This can be done in 2 ways:

python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/espefuse.py extract_public_key --keyfile secure_boot_signing_key.pem signature_verification_key.bin

# or, as an artifact of the make build process, on the same directory level as Makefile
make BOARD=GPY SECURE=on TARGET=boot

Flash keys (flash_encryption_key.bin and secure-bootloader-key.bin) into the efuses (write and read protected):

Note: Irreversible operations

# Burning Encryption Key
python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/espefuse.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 burn_key flash_encryption flash_encryption_key.bin
# Burning Secure Boot Key
python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/espefuse.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 burn_key secure_boot secure-bootloader-key.bin
# Enabling Flash Encryption mechanism
python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/espefuse.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 burn_efuse FLASH_CRYPT_CNT
# Configuring Flash Encryption to use all address bits togheter with Encryption key (max value 0x0F)
python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/espefuse.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 burn_efuse FLASH_CRYPT_CONFIG 0x0F
# Enabling Secure Boot mechanism
python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/espefuse.py --port /dev/ttyUSB0 burn_efuse ABS_DONE_0

If the keys are not written in efuse, before flashing the bootloader, then random keys will be generated by the ESP32, they can never be read nor re-written, so bootloader can never be updated. Even more, the application can be re-flashed (by USB) just 3 more times.

Makefile options:

make BOARD=GPY SECURE=on SECURE_KEY=secure_boot_signing_key.pem ENCRYPT_KEY=flash_encryption_key.bin

SECURE=on is the main flag; it's not optional
if SECURE=on by default:
- encryption is enabled
- secure_boot_signing_key.pem is the secure boot key, located relatively to Makefile
- flash_encryption_key.bin is the flash encryption key, located relatively to Makefile

For flashing the bootloader digest and the encrypted versions of all binaries:

make BOARD=GPY SECURE=on flash

Flashing

For flashing the bootloader-reflash-digest.bin has to be written at address 0x0, instead of the bootloader.bin (at address 0x1000).

Build is done using SECURE=on option; additionally, all the binaries are pre-encrypted.

make BOARD=GPY clean
make BOARD=GPY SECURE=on
make BOARD=GPY SECURE=on flash

Manual flash command:

python $IDF_PATH/components/esptool_py/esptool/esptool.py --chip esp32 --port /dev/ttyUSB0 --baud 921600 --before no_reset --after no_reset write_flash -z --flash_mode dio --flash_freq 80m --flash_size detect 0x0 build/GPY/release/bootloader/bootloader-reflash-digest.bin_enc 0x8000 build/GPY/release/lib/partitions.bin_enc 0x10000 build/GPY/release/gpy.bin_enc_0x10000

OTA update

The OTA should be done using the pre-encrypted application image.

Because the encryption is done based on the physical flash address, there are 2 application binaries generated:

gpy.bin_enc_0x10000 which has to be written at default factory address: 0x10000
gpy.bin_enc_0x1A0000 which has to be written at the ota_0 partition address (0x1A0000)

Hint: on micropython interface, the method pycom.ota_slot() responds with the address of the next OTA partition available (either 0x10000 or 0x1A0000).