big_red

Python library to read and react to a Big Red Button (available on amazon).

This project uses PyUSB to communicate with the button and read its status.

I've tested this on Ubuntu, but you may have less luck running it on other platforms, due to the underlying USB library.

Let's push buttons

This library provides a class that can be extended to react to changes in the button's status. The USB button reports its status as one of three things:

• closed -- the cover of the button is closed
• open -- the cover of the button is open
• depressed -- the button is being pressed down

The BigRedButton class will call one of four methods, depending on how the button's status has changed:

• on_cover_open -- the cover has been opened
• on_cover_closed -- the cover has been closed
• on_button_press -- the big red button has been pressed
• on_button_release -- the big red button has been released

You can make the button do whatever you want by extending the BigRedButton class and overriding the methods corresponding to whichever action you want to react to.

Simple Example

from big_red import BigRedButton


class SimpleButton(BigRedButton):

    def on_button_press(self):
        print 'BOOM!'


if __name__ == '__main__':
    simple = SimpleButton()
    simple.run()

The run method will constantly poll the button's status and, when the status changes, calls the appropriate method. In this example, BOOM! will be printed whenever the button is pressed.

Ah, ah, ah, didn't say the magic word

Before plugging the USB button in, you may need to ensure that sufficient permissions are given to read from the button.

On linux, this can be done with a udev rule. You can create a file /etc/udev/rules.d/99-big_red.rules with the following contents:

SUBSYSTEM=="usb", ATTR{idVendor}=="1d34", ATTR{idProduct}=="000d", MODE="666"

After restarting udev (service udev restart) and plugging the USB button back in, the button's status should be able to be read.