Friday 31 October 2014

PHP Image Creation on RaspberryPi

PHP can harness the power of the GD Graphic Library, allowing the generation and manipulation of images.


You can create images based upon simple lines, rectangles, arcs and circles, as well an manipulating existing graphics files.


So I recently took my first steps in creating images in PHP on a RaspberryPi.

Saturday 25 October 2014

LibreCAD: "A picture is worth a thousand words"

While I'm not sure about the official exchange rate, it certainly helps to use both sketches and formal drawings to help understand concepts, and also to plan & execute projects.


Open source applications such as LibreOffice Draw and LibreCAD can be valuable tools when working on DIY projects.


I normally begin the planning process of a new home project with some kind of a sketch.

Friday 10 October 2014

The New RaspberryPi B+

I feel like the last kid on the block to get one of these new Pi models.


But here are a few comments and observations on the latest product from the Raspberry Pi Foundation.


This is my 7th Pi which now includes models A, B rev 1, B rev 2 & B+.

Wednesday 1 October 2014

RaspberryPi inputs: to poll or to interrupt?

One of the best features of the RaspberryPi is the GPIO (General Purpose Inputs & Outputs).


Reading the input levels on the GPIO is pretty easy, especially using Gordon's wiringPi library.


But you need to think carefully about how best to do this in the software for your chosen project.