# Using Dashblock to Create Custom APIs for PyPortal ## Overview Danger: Note that the dashblock.com service, which this project used, disappeared. Users should not expect this guide to work. It is left for study only. Please look at other PyPortal guides for sample programs. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/182/medium800/lcds___displays_pyportalcover.png?1567032645) Wondering how to create a custom [API](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface) from any website to display your most wanted data? [Dashblock](https://dashblock.com/) is a new application that allows you to create an API from just about any website easily. In this guide we walk through a demo on extracting the total [Adafruit Learning System](https://learn.adafruit.com/) guide count with Dashblock then show how to display it on the Adafruit PyPortal. ## What's an API anyway? Also known as "[application programming interfaces](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Application_programming_interface)" APIs allow us to access all kinds of data from the internet. For this guide we want to access the number of Adafruit guides on [learn.adafruit.com](learn.adafruit.com). Some websites have readily available APIs for giving people easy access to data they may need, but this is not always the case. Using Dashblock however changes things. Read on to see how you can use Dashblock to access all kinds of data on the web! ## Parts: You can pick up an Adafruit PyPortal and a USB cable (if needed). If you like, you can mount the PyPortal in the Adafruit laser-cut acrylic stand. All these parts are bundled in AdaBox 011 if you'd like to buy them together.  Instead of AdaBox 011, you can buy parts separately: ### USB cable - USB A to Micro-B [USB cable - USB A to Micro-B](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) This here is your standard A to micro-B USB cable, for USB 1.1 or 2.0. Perfect for connecting a PC to your Metro, Feather, Raspberry Pi or other dev-board or microcontroller Approximately 3 feet / 1 meter long Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/592/guides) ![USB cable - USB A to Micro-B - 3 foot long](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/592-01.jpg) ### Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display [Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4116) **PyPortal** , our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Make custom touch screen interface GUIs, all open-source, and Python-powered using tinyJSON / APIs to get news, stock, weather, cat photos,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4116) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4116/guides) ![Front view of a Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display with a pyportal logo image on the display. ](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4116-00.jpeg) ## Optional ### Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit [Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4146) PyPortal is our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Create little pocket universes of joy that connect to something good. And now that you've made a cool internet-connected project... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4146) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4146/guides) ![Demo Shot of the Assembled Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit.](https://cdn-shop.adafruit.com/640x480/4146-03.jpg) # Using Dashblock to Create Custom APIs for PyPortal ## Using Dashblock ## What info and where? First things first, head over to the front page of the Adafruit Learning System at [learn.adafruit.com](learn.adafruit.com) Scroll to the bottom to find the total guide count. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/194/medium800/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-08-29_at_12.57.22_PM.png?1567097915) This is the information that we will extract using Dashblock, make an API for and eventually display on the PyPortal. ## Download Dashblock Next let's download the Dashblock application. Head over to [Dashblock.com ](https://dashblock.com/)and download the software either for Windows or Mac (sorry, there appears to be no Linux version yet). Once you have the software downloaded, open it up and make an account. ## Creating the API ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/675/medium800thumb/lcds___displays_gif1.jpg?1568065963) - Now copy and paste the url:  **learn.adafruit.com**  in the search bar of the app. - Next you will be taken to the learning system site within the app. Scroll down to the bottom to find the learn guide count, once again. - Once there,  **right click**  on the text that says "xxxx tutorials and counting" - You will be prompted to make a label name for the data. Create a name for the data and hit return to save the name. - Next hit the save button in the top right corner of the app. - You will see the app loading then it will display the data we just requested in JSON format. Hurrah, the API has been created! ![lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.53.45_PM.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/677/medium640/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.53.45_PM.png?1568066155) ![lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.53.57_PM.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/678/medium640/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.53.57_PM.png?1568066171) ![lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.54.20_PM.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/679/medium640/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.54.20_PM.png?1568066193) ![lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.53.26_PM.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/676/medium640/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.53.26_PM.png?1568066136) ## Double check ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/685/medium800thumb/lcds___displays_gif2.jpg?1568066351) Lastly to confirm this API is functioning properly, click the button in the top right that says "show code sample". ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/695/medium800/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.54.31_PM.png?1568069054) You will see a line of text that starts with "curl" and then a link. The link after the curl is what we want so copy the entire link and paste it in a browser of your choice. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/696/medium800/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.54.48_PM.png?1568069074) - After some loading, you should see that same JSON data but in your browser, yay! ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/698/medium800/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_5.55.02_PM.png?1568069088) Now that we have the API set up, it's time to prepare and code the PyPortal to display it. # Using Dashblock to Create Custom APIs for PyPortal ## Install CircuitPython [CircuitPython](https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython) is a derivative of [MicroPython](https://micropython.org) designed to simplify experimentation and education on low-cost microcontrollers. It makes it easier than ever to get prototyping by requiring no upfront desktop software downloads. Simply copy and edit files on the **CIRCUITPY**  "flash" drive to iterate. The following instructions will show you how to install CircuitPython. If you've already installed CircuitPython but are looking to update it or reinstall it, the same steps work for that as well! ## Set up CircuitPython Quick Start! Follow this quick step-by-step for super-fast Python power :) [Download the latest version of CircuitPython for the PyPortal via CircuitPython.org](https://circuitpython.org/board/pyportal/) [Download the latest version of CircuitPython for the PyPortal Pynt via CircuitPython.org](https://circuitpython.org/board/pyportal_pynt/) **Click the link above to download the latest version of CircuitPython for the PyPortal.** Download and save it to your desktop (or wherever is handy). ![circuitpython_pyportal-uf2.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/073/615/medium640/circuitpython_pyportal-uf2.png?1553610968) Plug your PyPortal into your computer using a known-good USB cable. **A lot of people end up using charge-only USB cables and it is very frustrating! So make sure you have a USB cable you know is good for data sync.** Double-click the **Reset** button on the top in the middle (magenta arrow) on your board, and you will see the NeoPixel RGB LED (green arrow) turn green. If it turns red, check the USB cable, try another USB port, etc.  **Note:** The little red LED next to the USB connector will pulse red. That's ok! If double-clicking doesn't work the first time, try again. Sometimes it can take a few tries to get the rhythm right! ![circuitpython_PyPortalResetNeoPIxel.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/071/993/medium640/circuitpython_PyPortalResetNeoPIxel.jpg?1551213425) You will see a new disk drive appear called **PORTALBOOT**. Drag the **adafruit-circuitpython-pyportal-\.uf2** file to **PORTALBOOT.** ![circuitpython_PyPortal_PORTALBOOT.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/072/029/medium640/circuitpython_PyPortal_PORTALBOOT.png?1551287972) ![circuitpython_PyPortal_Drag_UF2.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/072/030/medium640/circuitpython_PyPortal_Drag_UF2.png?1551287983) The LED will flash. Then, the **PORTALBOOT** drive will disappear and a new disk drive called **CIRCUITPY** will appear. If you haven't added any code to your board, the only file that will be present is **boot\_out.txt**. This is absolutely normal! It's time for you to add your **code.py** and get started! That's it, you're done! :) ![circuitpython_PyPortalCIRCUITPY.png](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/071/995/medium640/circuitpython_PyPortalCIRCUITPY.png?1551213875) ## PyPortal Default Files Click below to download a zip of the files that shipped on the PyPortal or PyPortal Pynt. [PyPortal Default Files](https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython-default-files/tree/main/boards/pyportal/4.x) [PyPortal Pynt Default Files](https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython-default-files/tree/main/boards/pyportal_pynt/5.x) # Using Dashblock to Create Custom APIs for PyPortal ## PyPortal CircuitPython Setup To use all the amazing features of your PyPortal with CircuitPython, you must first install a number of libraries. This page covers that process. # Adafruit CircuitPython Bundle Download the Adafruit CircuitPython Library Bundle. You can find the latest release here: [Latest Adafruit CircuitPython Library Bundle](https://circuitpython.org/libraries) Download the **adafruit-circuitpython-bundle-\*.x-mpy-\*.zip** bundle zip file where **\*.x MATCHES THE VERSION OF CIRCUITPYTHON YOU INSTALLED** , and unzip a folder of the same name. Inside you'll find a **lib** folder. You have two options: - You can add the **lib** folder to your **CIRCUITPY** drive. This will ensure you have _all the drivers_. But it will take a bunch of space on the 8 MB disk - Add each library as you need it, this will reduce the space usage but you'll need to put in a little more effort. At a minimum we recommend the following libraries, in fact we more than recommend. They're basically required. So grab them and install them into **CIRCUITPY/lib** now! - **adafruit\_esp32spi** - This is the library that gives you internet access via the ESP32 using (you guessed it!) SPI transport. You need this for anything Internet - **adafruit\_requests** - This library allows us to perform HTTP requests and get responses back from servers. GET/POST/PUT/PATCH - they're all in here! - adafruit\_connection\_manager - used by adafruit\_requests. - **adafruit\_pyportal** - This is our friendly wrapper library that does a lot of our projects, displays graphics and text, fetches data from the internet. Nearly all of our projects depend on it! - **adafruit\_portalbase**  - This library is the base library that adafruit\_pyportal library is built on top of. - **adafruit\_touchscreen** - a library for reading touches from the resistive touchscreen. Handles all the analog noodling, rotation and calibration for you. - **adafruit\_io** - this library helps connect the PyPortal to our free datalogging and viewing service - **adafruit\_imageload** - an image display helper, required for any graphics! - **adafruit\_display\_text** - not surprisingly, it displays text on the screen - **adafruit\_bitmap\_font** - we have fancy font support, and its easy to make new fonts. This library reads and parses font files. - **adafruit\_slideshow** - for making image slideshows - handy for quick display of graphics and sound - **neopixel** - for controlling the onboard neopixel - **adafruit\_adt7410** - library to read the temperature from the on-board Analog Devices ADT7410 precision temperature sensor (not necessary for Titano or Pynt) - **adafruit\_bus\_device** - low level support for I2C/SPI - **adafruit\_fakerequests**  - This library allows you to create fake HTTP requests by using local files. # Using Dashblock to Create Custom APIs for PyPortal ## Create Your settings.toml File CircuitPython works with WiFi-capable boards to enable you to make projects that have network connectivity. This means working with various passwords and API keys. As of [CircuitPython 8](https://circuitpython.org/downloads), there is support for a **settings.toml** file. This is a file that is stored on your **CIRCUITPY** drive, that contains all of your secret network information, such as your SSID, SSID password and any API keys for IoT services. It is designed to separate your sensitive information from your **code.py** file so you are able to share your code without sharing your credentials. CircuitPython previously used a **secrets.py** file for this purpose. The **settings.toml** file is quite similar. Warning: Your **settings.toml** file should be stored in the main directory of your **CIRCUITPY** drive. It should not be in a folder. ## CircuitPython **settings.toml** File This section will provide a couple of examples of what your **settings.toml** file should look like, specifically for CircuitPython WiFi projects in general. The most minimal **settings.toml** file must contain your WiFi SSID and password, as that is the minimum required to connect to WiFi. Copy this example, paste it into your **settings.toml** , and update: - `your_wifi_ssid` - `your_wifi_password` ```auto CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID = "your_wifi_ssid" CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD = "your_wifi_password" ``` Many CircuitPython network-connected projects on the Adafruit Learn System involve using Adafruit IO. For these projects, you must _also_ include your Adafruit IO username and key. Copy the following example, paste it into your settings.toml file, and update: - `your_wifi_ssid` - `your_wifi_password` - `your_aio_username` - `your_aio_key` ```auto CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID = "your_wifi_ssid" CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD = "your_wifi_password" ADAFRUIT_AIO_USERNAME = "your_aio_username" ADAFRUIT_AIO_KEY = "your_aio_key" ``` Some projects use different variable names for the entries in the **settings.toml** file. For example, a project might use `ADAFRUIT_AIO_ID` in the place of `ADAFRUIT_AIO_USERNAME`. **If you run into connectivity issues, one of the first things to check is that the names in the settings.toml file match the names in the code.** Warning: Not every project uses the same variable name for each entry in the **settings.toml** file! Always verify it matches the code. ## **settings.toml** File Tips Here is an example **settings.toml** file. ```auto # Comments are supported CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID = "guest wifi" CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD = "guessable" CIRCUITPY_WEB_API_PORT = 80 CIRCUITPY_WEB_API_PASSWORD = "passw0rd" test_variable = "this is a test" thumbs_up = "\U0001f44d" ``` In a **settings.toml** file, it's important to keep these factors in mind: - Strings are wrapped in double quotes; ex: `"your-string-here"` - Integers are _ **not** _ quoted and may be written in decimal with optional sign (`+1`, `-1`, `1000`) or hexadecimal (`0xabcd`). - Floats (decimal numbers), octal (`0o567`) and binary (`0b11011`) are not supported. - Use `\u` escapes for weird characters, `\x` and `\ooo` escapes are not available in **.toml** files - Example: `\U0001f44d` for 👍 (thumbs up emoji) and `\u20ac` for € (EUR sign) - Unicode emoji, and non-ASCII characters, stand for themselves as long as you're careful to save in "UTF-8 without BOM" format     When your  **settings.toml ** file is ready, you can save it in your text editor with the **.toml**  extension. ![adafruit_products_dotToml.jpg](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/117/071/medium640/adafruit_products_dotToml.jpg?1671034293) ## Accessing Your **settings.toml** Information in **code.py** In your **code.py** file, you'll need to `import` the `os` library to access the **settings.toml** file. Your settings are accessed with the `os.getenv()` function. You'll pass your settings entry to the function to import it into the **code.py** file. ```python import os print(os.getenv("test_variable")) ``` ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/117/072/medium800/adafruit_products_tomlOutput.jpg?1671034496) In the upcoming CircuitPython WiFi examples, you'll see how the **settings.toml ** file is used for connecting to your SSID and accessing your API keys. # Using Dashblock to Create Custom APIs for PyPortal ## Internet Connect! # Connect to WiFi OK, now that you have your  **settings.toml** file set up - you can connect to the Internet. To do this, you need to first install a few libraries, into the lib folder on your **CIRCUITPY** drive. Then you need to update **code.py** with the example script. Thankfully, we can do this in one go. In the example below, click the **Download Project Bundle** button below to download the necessary libraries and the **code.py** file in a zip file. Extract the contents of the zip file, open the directory **examples/** and then click on the directory that matches the version of CircuitPython you're using and copy the contents of that directory to your **CIRCUITPY** drive. Your **CIRCUITPY** drive should now look similar to the following image: ![CIRCUITPY](https://adafruit.github.io/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Bundle/esp32spi_esp32spi_simpletest.py.png ) Info: Update to CircuitPython 9.2.x or later to use this example. https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ESP32SPI/blob/main/examples/esp32spi_simpletest.py And save it to your board, with the name **code.py**. Don't forget you'll also need to create the **settings.toml** file as seen above, with your WiFi ssid and password. In a serial console, you should see something like the following. For more information about connecting with a serial console, view the guide [Connecting to the Serial Console](https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython/kattni-connecting-to-the-serial-console). ```terminal >>> import wifitest ESP32 SPI webclient test ESP32 found and in idle mode Firmware vers. 1.7.5 MAC addr: 24:C9:DC:BD:0F:3F HomeNetwork RSSI: -46 HomeNetwork RSSI: -76 Fios-12345 RSSI: -92 FiOS-AB123 RSSI: -92 NETGEAR53 RSSI: -93 Connecting to AP... Connected to HomeNetwork RSSI: -45 My IP address is 192.168.1.245 IP lookup adafruit.com: 104.20.39.240 Ping google.com: 30 ms Fetching text from http://wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/index.html ---------------------------------------- This is a test of Adafruit WiFi! If you can read this, its working :) ---------------------------------------- Fetching json from http://wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/sample.json ---------------------------------------- {'fun': True, 'company': 'Adafruit', 'founded': 2005, 'primes': [2, 3, 5], 'pi': 3.14, 'mixed': [False, None, 3, True, 2.7, 'cheese']} ---------------------------------------- Done! ``` Going over the example above, here's a breakdown of what the program is doing: - Initialize the ESP32 over SPI using the SPI port and 3 control pins: ```python esp32_cs = DigitalInOut(board.ESP_CS) esp32_ready = DigitalInOut(board.ESP_BUSY) esp32_reset = DigitalInOut(board.ESP_RESET) #... else: spi = busio.SPI(board.SCK, board.MOSI, board.MISO) esp = adafruit_esp32spi.ESP_SPIcontrol(spi, esp32_cs, esp32_ready, esp32_reset) ``` - Get the socket pool and the SSL context, and then tell the `adafruit_requests` library about them. ```python pool = adafruit_connection_manager.get_radio_socketpool(esp) ssl_context = adafruit_connection_manager.get_radio_ssl_context(esp) requests = adafruit_requests.Session(pool, ssl_context) ``` - Verify an ESP32 is found, checks the firmware and MAC address ```auto if esp.status == adafruit_esp32spi.WL_IDLE_STATUS: print("ESP32 found and in idle mode") print("Firmware vers.", esp.firmware_version) print("MAC addr:", ":".join("%02X" % byte for byte in esp.MAC_address)) ``` - Perform a scan of all access points it can see and print out the name and signal strength. ```python for ap in esp.scan_networks(): print("\t%-23s RSSI: %d" % (ap.ssid, ap.rssi)) ``` - Connect to the AP we've defined here, then print out the local IP address. Then attempt to do a domain name lookup and ping google.com to check network connectivity. (Note sometimes the ping fails or takes a while; this isn't a big deal.) ```python print("Connecting to AP...") while not esp.is_connected: try: esp.connect_AP(ssid, password) except OSError as e: print("could not connect to AP, retrying: ", e) continue print("Connected to", esp.ap_info.ssid, "\tRSSI:", esp.ap_info.rssi) print("My IP address is", esp.ipv4_address) print( "IP lookup adafruit.com: %s" % esp.pretty_ip(esp.get_host_by_name("adafruit.com")) ) ``` Now we're getting to the really interesting part of the example program. We've written a library for web fetching web data, named [adafruit\_requests](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests). It is a lot like the regular Python library named [requests](https://requests.readthedocs.io/en/latest/). This library allows you to send HTTP and HTTPS requests easily and provides helpful methods for parsing the response from the server. - Here is the part of the example program is fetching text data from a URL. ```python TEXT_URL = "http://wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/index.html" # Further up in the program # ... print("Fetching text from", TEXT_URL) r = requests.get(TEXT_URL) print('-' * 40) print(r.text) print('-' * 40) r.close() ``` - Finally, here the program is fetching some JSON data. The `adafruit_requests` library will parse the JSON into a Python dictionary whose structure is the same as the structure of the JSON. ```auto JSON_URL = "http://wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/sample.json" # Further up in the program # ... print("Fetching json from", JSON_URL) r = requests.get(JSON_URL) print('-' * 40) print(r.json()) print('-' * 40) r.close() ``` # Advanced Requests Usage Want to send custom HTTP headers, parse the response as raw bytes, or handle a response's http status code in your CircuitPython code? We've written an example to show advanced usage of the requests module below. To use with CircuitPython, you need to first install a few libraries, into the lib folder on your **CIRCUITPY** drive. Then you need to update **code.py** with the example script. Thankfully, we can do this in one go. In the example below, click the **Download Project Bundle** button below to download the necessary libraries and the **code.py** file in a zip file. Extract the contents of the zip file, open the directory **examples/** and then click on the directory that matches the version of CircuitPython you're using and copy the contents of that directory to your **CIRCUITPY** drive. https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests/blob/main/examples/esp32spi/requests_esp32spi_advanced.py Your **CIRCUITPY** drive should now look similar to the following image: ![CIRCUITPY](https://adafruit.github.io/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Bundle/requests_esp32spi_requests_esp32spi_advanced.py.png ) # WiFi Manager The way the examples above connect to WiFi works but it's a little finicky. Since WiFi is not necessarily so reliable, you may have disconnects and need to reconnect. For more advanced uses, we recommend using the `WiFiManager` class. It will wrap the connection/status/requests loop for you - reconnecting if WiFi drops, resetting the ESP32 if it gets into a bad state, etc. Here's a more advanced example that shows using the `WiFiManager` and also how to fetch the current time from a web source. https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ESP32SPI/blob/main/examples/esp32spi_localtime.py # Further Information For more information on the basics of doing networking in CircuitPython, see this guide: ### Networking in CircuitPython [Networking in CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/networking-in-circuitpython) # Using Dashblock to Create Custom APIs for PyPortal ## Code PyPortal with CircuitPython In the code block below, click on the **Download Project Bundle** button, and save the .zip archive file to your computer. Then, uncompress the .zip file, it will unpack to a folder named  **Dashblock\_API**. Copy the contents of the  **Dashblock\_API** directory to your PyPortal **CIRCUITPY**  drive. https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/PyPortal/Dashblock_API/code.py ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/195/medium800/lcds___displays_drag.png?1567099086) ## Downloading the libraries Info: This project uses the following CircuitPython libraries: - **adafruit\_bitmap\_font** (directory) - **adafruit\_bus\_device** (directory) - **adafruit\_display\_shapes** (directory) - **adafruit\_display\_text** (directory) - **adafruit\_esp32spi** (directory) - **adafruit\_imageload** (directory) - **adafruit\_io** (directory) - **adafruit\_pyportal.mpy** (file) - **adafruit\_requests** (file) - **adafruit\_sdcard.mpy** (file) - **adafruit\_touchscreen.mpy** (file) - **neopixel.mpy** (file) ## Add Dashblock Credentials to settings.toml The secrets file needs some edits before the project will work. Your Dashblock account is tied to your API requests, thus you have a limited number of credits or requests for data. Each user has their own API key associated with their account. You can find your key by looking at the URL we extracted earlier from Dashblock. It looks like this: `https://api.dashblock.io/model/v1?api_key=yourSuperLongDashblockKeyHere` Go into your **settings.toml** file, and add the following line: Make sure to change _'yourSuperLongDashblockKeyHere'_ with your key Save the file and you are good to go! ```auto CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID = "your_wifi_ssid" CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD = "your_wifi_password" DASHBLOCK_KEY = "yourSuperLongDashblockKeyHere" ``` This is what the final contents of the  **CIRCUITPY**  drive will look like: ![CIRCUITPY](https://adafruit.github.io/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/PyPortal_Dashblock_API.png ) # Using Dashblock to Create Custom APIs for PyPortal ## What's Going On? ## How It Works The CircuitPython code is doing a few neat tricks to display the guide count data. ### Background First, it displays a bitmap graphic as the screen's background. This is a 320 x 240 pixel RGB 16-bit raster graphic in  **.bmp**  format. ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/668/medium800/lcds___displays_adabot_cover_edit1.png?1568058928) ### Font Then, it displays the words "total tutorials:" as a caption, created with bitmapped fonts to overlay on top of the background. The fonts used here is are bitmap fonts made from the Collegiate typeface. You can learn more about [converting type in this guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/custom-fonts-for-pyportal-circuitpython-display). Next, the PyPortal will display the current number of guides on learn.adafruit.com ### JSON If you visit the URL we extracted from Dashblock earlier (looks like `https://api.dashblock.io/model/v1?api_key=yourLongKeyHere`) and copy the address and paste it into the  **Load Url**  button of the online code "beautifier" [https://codebeautify.org/jsonviewer ](https://codebeautify.org/jsonviewer)you'll see the raw JSON file next to a nicely formatted version of it (choose " **View**" from the dropdown menu in the right hand box to change the display format). ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/670/medium800/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_4.10.00_PM.png?1568059898) Here it is in a raw-er form, but still using indentation and carriage returns to make it readable: ``` { "entities": [ { "guide count": "1972 tutorials total and counting" } ] } ``` ## Keys If we look through the JSON page, we'll see a  **key**  called `guide count` that has a  **value**  of `1972 tutorials and counting`. The raw JSON for this  **key : value ** pair looks like this: `"guide count": 1972 tutorials and counting` Our CircuitPython code is able to grab and parse this data using the variable: ``` GUIDE_COUNT = ['entities', 0, 'guide count'] ``` ## Traversing JSON `GUIDE_COUNT` contains a value that we use to traverse the JSON file. In the image above, note how there is a tree hierarchy indicated by the indentation level. The `guide count` key is one set of brackets indented from the 2nd level of the file's hierarchy, so we can call it the child of the 2nd index of the array, which is `0`. The top level of the file's hierarchy is called `"entities"`, which is the first level we reference. You can see this more clearly by switching to the " **Form**" view of the code beautifier as seen below: ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/671/medium800/lcds___displays_Screen_Shot_2019-09-09_at_4.17.32_PM.png?1568060267) Our `GUIDE_COUNT` is therefore `['entities', 0, 'guide count']` ## PyPortal Constructor When we set up the `pyportal` constructor, we are providing it with these things: - `url` to query - `json_path` to traverse and find the key:value pair we need - `default_bg` path and name to display the background bitmap - `text_font` path and name to the font used for displaying the follower count value - `text_position` on the screen's x/y coordinate system - `text_color` - `text_maxlen` max text length, only want first 4 chars for number of guides - `caption_text` to display statically - `caption_font` - `caption_position` - `caption_color` ## Text Max Length You may notice the data we get from `guide count` is `1972 tutorials and counting` however we only want the `1972` part. How do we choose only this part? Using the `text_maxlen` parameter in the `pyportal` constructor we can choose to select and display only the first 4 characters of that text by setting `text_maxlen = 4`. ## Fetch With the pyportal set up, we can then use `pyportal.fetch()` to do the query and parsing of the learn data and then display it on screen along with the caption text on top of the background image. ## Ba-Ding! Additionally, we use the `last_value` variable's state to compare against the latest value. If they differ, we play the  **coin.wav**  file for a satisfying ding over the PyPortal's built in speaker! To make your own .wav files, [check out this guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/microcontroller-compatible-audio-file-conversion). ## Text Position Depending on the design of your background bitmap and the length of the text you're displaying, you may want to reposition the text and caption. You can do this with the `text_position` and `caption_position` options. The PyPortal's display is 320 pixels wide and 240 pixels high. In order to refer to those positions on the screen, we use an x/y coordinate system, where x is horizontal and y is vertical. The origin of this coordinate system is the upper left corner. This means that a pixel placed at the upper left corner would be (0,0) and the lower right corner would be (320, 240). ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/672/medium800/lcds___displays_image.png?1568060561) So, if you wanted to move the subscriber count text to the right and up closer to the top, your code may look like this for that part of the pyportal constructor: `text_position=(250, 10)` ## Text Color Another way to customize your stats trophy is to adjust the color of the text. The line `text_color=0xFFFFFF` in the constructor shows how. You will need to use the hexidecimal value for any color you want to display. You can use something like [https://htmlcolorcodes.com/](https://htmlcolorcodes.com/) to pick your color and then copy the hex value, in this example it would be `0x0ED9EE` ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/080/673/medium800/lcds___displays_image.png?1568060616) ## Background Image If you would like to create your own background, awesome! You'll want to save the file with these specifications: - 320 x 240 pixels - 16-bit RGB color - Save file as .bmp format You can then copy the .bmp file to the root level of the  **CIRCUITPY**  drive. Make sure you refer to this new filename in the pyportal constructor line: `default_bg=cwd+"/twitter_background.bmp"` Change that line to use the new filename name, such as: `default_bg=cwd+"/my_new_background.bmp"` ## Going further You can use the following code example as a template for future API projects. The data from most websites is now at your fingertips! This could include: - Weather - News - Social media followers - so much more! ```auto import time import board from adafruit_pyportal import PyPortal # Set up where we'll be fetching data from DATA_SOURCE = "URL.OF.JSON.DATA" JSON_DATA = ['Outside first element', 0, 'inside first element'] CAPTION = 'caption' # determine the current working directory # needed so we know where to find files cwd = ("/"+__file__).rsplit('/', 1)[0] # Initialize the pyportal object and let us know what data to fetch and where # to display it pyportal = PyPortal(url=DATA_SOURCE, json_path = (JSON_DATA), status_neopixel=board.NEOPIXEL, default_bg=cwd+"/<pathToBackgroundImage>", text_font=cwd+"/<pathToFont>", text_position=((40, 100)), # definition location text_color=(0x8080FF), text_wrap=(20), #how many chars you want until it wraps text_maxlen=(4), # max text size for word, part of speech and def caption_text=CAPTION, caption_font=cwd+"/fonts/<pathToFont>", caption_position=(40, 60), caption_color=0xFFFFFF) while True: try: value = pyportal.fetch() print("Response is", value) except RuntimeError as e: print("Some error occured, retrying! -", e) time.sleep(600) #update every 10 mins ``` ## Featured Products ### AdaBox011 - PyPortal [AdaBox011 - PyPortal](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4061) Reach out beyond your desk - to the stars and beyond - with **PyPortal**! This ADABOX features a new, easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to customize and create your very own "Internet of Things" portal. We take CircuitPython to the max, pairing a SAMD51 chip with a... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4061) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4061/guides) ### Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display [Adafruit PyPortal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4116) **PyPortal** , our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Make custom touch screen interface GUIs, all open-source, and Python-powered using tinyJSON / APIs to get news, stock, weather, cat photos,... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4116) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4116/guides) ### Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit [Adafruit PyPortal Desktop Stand Enclosure Kit](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4146) PyPortal is our easy-to-use IoT device that allows you to create all the things for the “Internet of Things” in minutes. Create little pocket universes of joy that connect to something good. And now that you've made a cool internet-connected project... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4146) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4146/guides) ### USB cable - USB A to Micro-B [USB cable - USB A to Micro-B](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) This here is your standard A to micro-B USB cable, for USB 1.1 or 2.0. Perfect for connecting a PC to your Metro, Feather, Raspberry Pi or other dev-board or microcontroller Approximately 3 feet / 1 meter long Out of Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/592) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/592/guides) ## Related Guides - [Adafruit PyPortal - IoT for CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-pyportal.md) - [CircuitPython Twitter Viewer Using the Twitter API](https://learn.adafruit.com/twitter-api-use.md) - [¡Bienvenido a CircuitPython!](https://learn.adafruit.com/bienvenido-a-circuitpython-2.md) - [PyPortal Oblique Strategies](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-oblique-strategies.md) - [Custom Fonts for CircuitPython Displays](https://learn.adafruit.com/custom-fonts-for-pyportal-circuitpython-display.md) - [PyPortal View Master](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-view-master.md) - [Program in Logo on an Apple II](https://learn.adafruit.com/program-logo-on-an-apple-ii.md) - [Melting Picture Frame for PyPortal IoT images](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-art-display.md) - [PyPortal IoT Weather Station](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-iot-weather-station.md) - [CircuitPython Minesweeper Game](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-pyportal-minesweeper-game.md) - [Data Logging IoT Weight Scale](https://learn.adafruit.com/data-logging-iot-weight-scale.md) - [CircuitPython Your Own Adventure](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuit-python-your-own-adventure.md) - [Electronic History of the Day with PyPortal](https://learn.adafruit.com/electronic-history-of-the-day-with-pyportal.md) - [PyPortal Word of the Day Display](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-word-of-the-day-display.md) - [PyPortal US Election Calendar](https://learn.adafruit.com/pyportal-electioncal-us.md)