Fraise
2.1
FRAmework for Interfacing Software and Electronics
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Fraise is an easy yet powerful way to build programs for microcontroller boards, that can communicate together and with Pure Data (Pd).
Fraise is at the same time:
Two different microcontrollers board are currently supported by Fraise:
Fraise allows to connect multiple boards together, and to make them communicate with the host computer, through the USB connection of the first board.
The first board is fully programmable; it can be the only one in simple cases.
Additionally, it automatically implements the Fraise protocol, which can connect to up to 127 other boards (for the Pico board, simply connect together the pins 20, 21 and 22 of the different boards).
The Fraise protocol is based on 9-bit asynchronous serial communication. Thanks to a carefully selected, moderate bitrate (250 kbs), the microcontroller boards can be located hundreds of meter away from the computer when connected through RS485 transceivers (called Fraiseivers).
This unique feature allows to build relatively complex installations, involving multiple distant sensors/actuators sets, that communicate through wire with the central application (wired communication is safer, while less expensive).
Fraise requires Pure Data version 0.54 or later.
Fraise can be installed through the built-in Pd externals installer, aka Deken (menu Help/Find externals), search for the **"Fraise"** library.
In order to develop Fraise firmwares by yourself, you will need the compilation toolchain (gcc, sdcc, cmake...) which is also available from Deken, install the **"Fraise-toolchain"** library for your system.
On Linux: you may need to authorize your user to use the USB serial devices; just type in a terminal:
sudo adduser [your_username] dialout
then logout (close your session) and re-login.
Open pico/fraise/example/blink.pd
with Pd.
The documentation for the Fraise firmware API is available there: Fraise API doc.
The low-level Fraise protocol is documented here: protocol.md.
Also, you can have a look at http://metalu.net/en/outils/fraise-overview/.
Fraise code is hosted at https://github.com/MetaluNet/Fraise,
the toolchain builder at https://github.com/MetaluNet/Fraise-toolchain.
Antoine Rousseau 2007-2024
license : GNU GPL (see LICENSE.txt )