055 Top Level Code Review of Zoomie Control Program

The Zoomie Control Program has been completely re-written and a LOT has changed. This video will update you on the new structure of the program and the over concept of what changed and why. Some might say it looks a little more "classy". The end result is much more readable and certainly more clean and understandable.
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INDEX TO ZOOMTOWN VIDEO SERIES
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REPOSITORY FOR ZOOMTOWN SOURCE CODE & OTHER DATA
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Some of the technologies explored in this experiment include, but is certainly not limited to:
[*] Raspberry Pi
[*] Raspberry Pi Pico RP2040
[*] Python
[*] Micro Python
[*] PyGame
[*] Autonomous Robotics
[*] TCRT5000 Photo reflective sensors
[*] GP2Y0E03Time of flight sensors
[*] A3141 Hall effect sensors
[*] AS5600 Rotary encoders
[*] TB6612FNG Dual Motor Driver chip
[*] N20 Gear motor
[*] TN0702 Mosfet
[*] Tiny Code Reader by Useful Sensors
[*] Odometry
[*] Line following
[*] Color recognition and detection sensor
[*] Automatic route planning
[*] Localization
[*] Robotic cars
[*] Dead Reckoning
[*] MQTT
#micropython #pico #Robotics

[@tubeDude48]

What are you using for that green round circle for your pointer? PS: Coming along fine!

[@MakingStuffwithChrisDeHut]

Good morning TubeDude48,
I use Vokoscreen for the screen capture software. It has a feature to put that halo around the mouse pointer. It certainly is a great feature for helping people follow along with my point of reference on the screen, don't you think so?
This is a link to the developer....
linuxecke.volkoh.de/vokoscreen/vokoscreen.html
Thanks for the kind words and the question!
Cheers
Chris

[@Ron_Rhodes]

Have you experimented with NFC tags? I have n-scale streetcars and I put the tags on the bottom of the cars along with a magnet. I have one reader under the track to log the starting position of each trolly car and then the hall effect sensors track the exact position of that car when it enters a station. Since all cars follow the same route, I make assumptions about which car triggers the sensors and grabs a virtual token. I'm sure there are limitations as to the speed of the readings if the cars are moving too fast but these are slow streetcars. Your zoomies have the sensors onboard so things are reversed from mine. I also have a large program for controlling lighting on the layout so I understand your concerns.

[@MakingStuffwithChrisDeHut]

Good morning Ron_Rhodes,
I have not done anything at all with NFC tags. I just did a quick search to learn more about them and that sound VERY intriguing. I will have to get the needed hardware and look into those.
Thanks for the suggestion! All too often I don't explore much outside my world and miss out on a lot of cool technology to play with!
Cheers!
Chris

[@wktodd]

Hooray finally OOP ;-) Python string operations are very good at generating garbage . if you're passing them around a lot, it may be better to use named constants.

[@MakingStuffwithChrisDeHut]

Good morning wktodd,
That sounds like a really good suggestion as "taking out the trash" isn't a welcome function. Do you have any suggestion or example to demonstrate that so I could quantify the gain? I think that would make an great story to produce.
Cheers and thanks for the suggestion!
Chris

[@wktodd]

​@@MakingStuffwithChrisDeHut sorry for delayed reply. Python strings are immutable so any function thatchanges then has to make a copy. As I understand it, passing a string to a function is by reference (the string is an object) but that still may require a copy if the function is going to change the string. Passing a constant or numeric variable doesn't require a copy. There may also be some gain using IS rather than == when comparing objects (like strings)