Java ME embedded has no effect on the raspberry pi's gpio

Question

I recently tried following the instructions listed here: http://www.oracle.com/webfolder/technetwork/tutorials/obe/java/RaspberryPi_GPIO/RaspberryPi_GPIO.html#section1

I was able to do the extremely simple stuff like output hello to my PI. However, I could not get changes written to the GPIO pins to take effect, using either the method described in the default code, or creating a DeviceConfig.

I used the WiringPi utility to test if maybe my wiring was bad, but I was able to blink the LED from WiringPi. Something interesting, is that using gpio readall shown the changes that the imlet wrote to the pin (setting 1 to turn on an LED), but there was not actual change on the LED. This worked the same for trying to turn and LED on and off.

I have the permissions configured correctly (I think...).Is there anyone who has got this working, that could perhaps send me their project?

• joan: It may be something simple like a mismatch between the gpio numbering you think you are using and the gpio numbering being used by Java. There are at least 3 different gpio numbering schemes.
• Daniel D'Souza: @joan I already tried the wiringpi notation, the BCM notation, and physical pin notation. I know that I need to be using the BCM notation, because that is what the example says, and I can observe a change in the correct pin when I call "gpio readall". The problem is that nothing happens in the physical circuit.
• joan: Oh well. Best to get the obvious possibilities out of the way. Does the LED light if you carefully move the wire from the gpio to the 3V3 pin?
• Daniel D'Souza: @joan yes, moving the wire from GPIO23 to 3v3 lights the led. I can also use the "gpio write" command to write to GPIO23, and the led lights up
• joan: Pity. That seems to rule out everything but the Java software.

Answer 1

If you update Raspbian to the latest version, then the regular Java 8 SE will be installed. No need anymore to fiddle with Java ME.

With Java 8, and the Pi4J library (http://pi4j.com) it is simple to do GPIO. A very simple example is here:

/*
 * Simple LED Flashing
 */
import com.pi4j.io.gpio.GpioController;
import com.pi4j.io.gpio.GpioFactory;
import com.pi4j.io.gpio.GpioPinDigitalInput;
import com.pi4j.io.gpio.GpioPinDigitalOutput;
import com.pi4j.io.gpio.PinPullResistance;
import com.pi4j.io.gpio.PinState;
import com.pi4j.io.gpio.RaspiPin;
public class Polizeilicht {
 public static void main(String[] args) throws InterruptedException {
 System.out.println("<--Pi4J--> Polizeilicht");
 // GPIO Controller
 final GpioController gpio = GpioFactory.getInstance();
 // PIN 1 is red, Pin 2 blue, both initially off
 final GpioPinDigitalOutput pinRed = gpio.provisionDigitalOutputPin(RaspiPin.GPIO_01, "Red", PinState.LOW);
 final GpioPinDigitalOutput pinBlue = gpio.provisionDigitalOutputPin(RaspiPin.GPIO_02, "Blue", PinState.LOW);
 // Button to stop, wired to ground, so we need pull-up
 final GpioPinDigitalInput myButton = gpio.provisionDigitalInputPin(RaspiPin.GPIO_03, PinPullResistance.PULL_UP);
 do {
 // flicker blue
 pinBlue.high();
 Thread.sleep(50);
 pinBlue.low();
 Thread.sleep(50);
 pinBlue.high();
 Thread.sleep(50);;
 pinBlue.low();
 Thread.sleep(100);
 // flicker red
 pinRed.high();
 Thread.sleep(50);
 pinRed.low();
 Thread.sleep(50);
 pinRed.high();
 Thread.sleep(50);;
 pinRed.low();
 Thread.sleep(100);
 } while (myButton.isHigh());
 gpio.shutdown();
 }
}

If it's wired up correctly, you will see this: http://youtu.be/kC99wIjlY3I

• Daniel D'Souza: Thanks for the code, I ended up deciding to move to normal Java. I did find the error with Java ME, though, the permissions for the VM were not set correctly. The new version 8.1 fixed that.
• Ad Infinitum: You are right. It is easier to make things with PI4J but it is very specific to Raspberry pi. The ones, who would like to learn embedded Java, I would not suggest the use of PI4J.