Split the CircuitPython firmware into a tiny stable loader (code.py) + the application (app.py,
carries APP_VERSION). The editor's ⋯ → "⬆ Update firmware" queries the device version (SysEx 0x02
-> 0x03 reply), fetches the latest app from the site (/pico-cp-app.py), shows device-vs-latest, and
pushes the new app.py over USB-MIDI (SysEx 0x20). The device installs it to a trial slot (old build
kept as app.bak), reboots, and the loader AUTO-ROLLS-BACK to app.bak if the new build fails to start;
a build that runs cleanly ~5s is confirmed (clears /trial). No BOOTSEL, no dragging; Chromium/Firefox.
app.py forced to pure ASCII so it pushes raw (no base64); SysEx buffer raised to 60KB.
build.sh/deploy.sh: bundle code.py+app.py and serve /pico-cp-app.py. Docs updated.
Verified in CPython: version reply, update install+reboot+ACK, rollback file dance; editor loads clean
with the updater wired.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Firmware (pico-cp/): the Pico now owns its filesystem by default (boot.py), so it can save the
practice log and write editor-pushed set lists; the drive is read-only to the computer, which also
protects the firmware. Hold button A at power-on for editor mode (drive writable; universal drag).
- Replaced the on-screen touch buttons with an on-device PRACTICE LOG (time · BPM · duration ·
track), newest-first, persisted to /history.json next to programs.json. Plays < 5s aren't logged;
tap a row twice to delete it. Real timestamps once the editor syncs the clock.
- USB-MIDI SysEx receiver: clock-set (0x01 -> RTC) and program-push (0x10 -> write programs.json,
reload, ACK/NAK). disable autoreload so our own writes never self-restart.
- Fixed swing: the parser was discarding the 's' flag, so /2s never swung. Now the scheduler uses a
per-step duration with long-short (2:1, SWING_RATIO 2/3) pairs on even subdivisions, matching the
web engine. Verified: ride:4/2s -> 266/133ms vs straight 200/200.
Editor (editor.html): requestMIDIAccess({sysex:true}); Save to device now pushes programs.json as
SysEx to the device (+ clock sync), waits for ACK, shows "Saved ✓", and falls back to downloading the
file (drag onto the drive in editor mode) when no device answers. Heartbeat also keeps the clock synced.
Web MIDI works in Chromium AND Firefox; the drag fallback covers any browser/OS incl. Safari.
Docs (pico-cp/README, info-kit, README) updated for the two modes, push programming, and the log.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
protect-firmware.sh sets the FAT hidden attribute on the firmware files (code.py, boot.py,
font_*.bin, README) on a mounted CIRCUITPY drive, so an end user sees only editor.html +
programs.json and can't accidentally delete the program — the hidden files keep running and
Save to device still works. Documented in pico-cp/README (incl. the read-only boot.py
hard-lock alternative) and bundled into pm_k1_circuitpy.zip. README.md verified accurate.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
If the device isn't seen as a MIDI input (USB endpoint pressure from drive+serial+HID+MIDI),
boot.py disables the unused HID interface and enables usb_midi — copy it on and power-cycle.
Bundled into pm_k1_circuitpy.zip; documented in the README.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Firmware (pico-cp/code.py): on every click, send a USB-MIDI note-on per firing lane —
GM drum note by voice (SOUND_GM), velocity by level (accent/normal/ghost) — via the
default-enabled usb_midi.ports[1]. Polyphonic, so the computer plays the full groove.
New CONFIG: MIDI_ENABLED (default on), MUTE_BUZZER (silence the buzzer when using
computer audio).
Editor (editor.html): a '🎹 Device audio' toggle uses the Web MIDI API
(requestMIDIAccess) to voice incoming notes through the existing synth — Note-On ->
GM_NUM[note] / velocity-to-gain -> playInstrument(). The device is the clock; the
browser is the sound module, locked in sync. Chrome/Edge.
Verified: firmware emits the right notes (kick+hat on beat 1 of four-on-the-floor,
snare's rest skipped); editor loads clean with the toggle + handlers present. Docs
(info-kit, both READMEs) updated. The on-device buzzer/screen still work standalone.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
Add to the editor's set-list ⋯ menu:
- 📟 Save to device — writes the active set list as programs.json (the same file the
PM_K-1 firmware reads). Uses the File System Access API to write straight onto the
CIRCUITPY drive (Chrome/Edge); falls back to a download to drag on. Reuses
setupToPatch() per item -> {title, programs:[{name, prog}]}.
- 📥 Load from device — reads a programs.json back into a new set list (patchToSetup
per item; reuses the existing import path).
Bundle the built editor.html into pm_k1_circuitpy.zip so the drive carries its own
offline programmer. info-kit + pico-cp/README document the workflow.
Verified: editor loads with no console errors; both menu buttons + all four functions
present; zip contains editor.html. (FSA save needs a real user gesture to test on-device.)
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
From on-board feedback (works well; minor tweaks):
- Pad grid uses circles now: big circle on each beat (division), small on the
subdivisions (vectorio.Circle — native, no extra cost), coloured/lit as before.
- Lane labels use a new small font (font_s.bin, ~12px via gen_font.py) so they're
half-size and show more of the voice name (e.g. 'hatClos').
- LED was blinding -> LED_BRIGHTNESS scale (default 0.15) applied on every write.
- Residual tearing -> SPI back to 62.5 MHz (vendor speed; smaller tear window on a
panel with no tearing-effect pin). Both are CONFIG flags.
Verified by rendering the full scene headless. font_s.bin added to gen_font.py + bundle.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
From on-board feedback (memory + colours now good):
- LED: drive the WS2812 via the core neopixel_write module (no neopixel library to
install) — a tiny RGB class. Self-contained: it works straight from the bundle.
- Tearing: switch displayio to auto_refresh=False and push a complete frame only when
the scene changed (dirty flag, capped at the panel's refresh rate) so updates are
never shown mid-paint. Beat dots now recolour in place (vectorio color_index) instead
of being rebuilt every beat, shrinking the dirty region.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
On hardware the app rendered, beeped and took input, then died with MemoryError at
the text Bitmap alloc — the two ~37KB base64 font strings stayed pinned in RAM. Move
the fonts to small binary files read at boot (font_m.bin / font_l.bin), drop the
base64 + binascii, and gc.collect() before each text bitmap. code.py 56KB -> 20KB and
RAM use drops ~37KB+. Also: cyan rendered as yellow (R/B swapped) -> MADCTL 0x40 -> 0x48.
Bundle + README updated to include the font blobs. (LED still needs the neopixel lib.)
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
New pico-cp/ — a CircuitPython port of the PM_K-1 firmware so the Pico mounts as a
CIRCUITPY drive carrying its code + tracks (the MicroPython pico/main.py stays the
simple fallback):
- pico-cp/code.py: displayio BusDisplay driving ST7796 via a custom init_sequence;
smooth anti-aliased text via displayio Bitmap+Palette (reuses the baked font blobs);
vectorio rects for dots/buttons; DIY GT911 touch (16-bit regs, edge-detected);
pwmio buzzer, analogio joystick, digitalio buttons, optional neopixel RGB; the
polymeter engine on a time.monotonic_ns scheduler. Reads /programs.json (falls back
to baked defaults); CircuitPython auto-reloads on file change.
- pico-cp/programs.json: the 23 default grooves. pico-cp/README.md: flash + calibrate.
- build.sh/deploy.sh: bundle + serve /pm_k1_circuitpy.zip. info-kit.html: experimental
'CircuitPython edition — USB drive' section.
Verified in CPython (stubbed displayio): init sequence well-formed, parser handles the
grooves incl. (3,8) euclid + @-4 gain, and code.py's actual make_text renders identical
smooth AA text. Hardware bits (panel/touch/MIDI) await on-board testing.
Co-Authored-By: Claude Opus 4.7 (1M context) <noreply@anthropic.com>
