Add newsletter for release 0.1.24

doc/newsletter/07-20161110.Pyxie-Release-0.1.24.md

@@ -0,0 +1,154 @@
+# Sparkslabs Update #7 : New Pyxie Release 0.1.24 - Improved variable detection in else/elif, start of def statement implementation
+
+# New Pyxie Release 0.1.24 - Improved variable detection in else/elif, start of def statement implementation
+
+## Released: 11 November 2016
+
+Hi,
+
+
+Main focus of this release is fixing detection of variables inside
+else/elif statements and internal changes.
+
+These fixes actually enable some fun things - like the ability to control
+complex robots - like robot puppies/kittens with multi-motor limbs and
+sensors, so an example of doing that has been added. It's probably
+the first major non-trivial example.
+
+Additionally the ability to extend the arduino profile has been made
+easier through bundling together everything to do with the arduino
+profile into `pyxie/profile/arduino.py` . This also acts a template for
+creation of other profiles. (For example, I'll add a micro:bit profile
+at some point) See the changelog for more details.
+
+There's been a number of other changes. Some internal which aren't really
+user facing, but affect development - such as major reprioritisation
+of the backlog (see www.sparkslabs.com/pyxie/dev-status.html). The
+pyxie-dev tool I use for managing releases has been overhauled. There's
+been significant improvements to the way pynodes are handled as well.
+
+Lastly, I don't normally talk about upcoming changes, but I've started
+the beginnings of implementation of user functions - ie def statements.
+The python parsing side and analysis side  has been completed for
+functions with no arguments, no return values, and so on. However,
+the conversion of this to the C++ side of things really requires
+major changes to the internals of how the C++ is generated.
+
+This will take time, so this release just contains the parsing,
+and analysis side of things. The next release should contain code
+generation and compilation.
+
+
+## Changelog
+
+### What's been fixed?
+
+* Code generation for `else`/`elif` was failing when the statements inside
+  contained identifiers. This was due to context not propogating into
+  `else`/`elif`. This was caused by neither `if` nor `elif` adding else clauses
+  as children. This was done and now this operates correctly.
+
+### What's New?
+
+* Added playful puppy example that compiles and controls the Dagu Playful Puppy
+  robot. (8 leg servos, 2 head/neck servos, infrared array sensor/eye)
+  * v0 no funcs Playful Puppy code analyses #213
+  * v0 no funcs Playful Puppy code generates code #214
+  * v0 no funcs Playful Puppy code compiles, & runs on device correctly #215
+
+* Profile specific code has been extracted to a specific file. In this
+  case, the iniitial profile made more managable is of course the arduino
+  profile. To configure this/extend this, you now update the file
+  `pyxie/profile/arduino.py`
+
+* To add more predefined variables/etc that are used in the context (ala
+  A0, etc) you extend the function `populate_profile_context`.
+
+* If you need to add extra types - ala the `Servo` type - you can use
+  the `Servo` function call as an example. Note that it has a return
+  type of `Servo`. This means of course that the `Servo` function is
+  a constructor. For this to work   clearly the type needs to be
+  defined - so you define it below in the variable `types`.
+
+* Started on _parsing_ side aspects of definition of simple user functions.
+  (ie `def` statements) Hopefully basic functions should be in the next
+  iteration of pyxie.
+
+### Internal Changes
+
+* `pyxie-dev` - Pyxie's release management tool, has had an overhaul,
+  and transferred into the pyxie package, rather than standalone code.
+  In the process code was improved, such that "dryrun" and "verbose"
+  now mean precisely that. Help text is deliberately verbose to note
+  what the release process is.
+
+* Check all Pynodes add all sub nodes as children correctly #264
+
+* Start of function support:
+  * Lexing for function definition succeeds #265
+  * Grammar parsing for function definition succeeds #266
+  * Pynode support for def statements #269.
+  * Add a callable type #270
+
+### Other
+
+* Reorganised backlog based on priorities - need, useful, want, wouldlike.
+  Plan going forward is to primarily focus on needs, and one or two from
+  each of the other categories.
+* Function call code supports simplified type definitions for externals. #34
+* Block structure of generated C Code is pretty/human friendly/readable #26
+* Add special case for function calls like print #37
+
+
+## Feedback?
+
+As usual, feedback is welcome.  What would you like to see?  Would you like
+more detail, less detail?  Suggestions for project direction also very
+welcome.
+
+
+### Since last release
+
+I had this feedback from the last release:
+
+I have on my radar the idea of a web interface for pyxie. Interestingly one
+user has some very good reasons for NOT wanting this, and so while I'll
+probably be making a web interface, I'll make sure that it's an additional
+method of doing things.
+
+
+## Finally
+
+As mentioned before, development of pyxie is strictly on my own time with
+my own resources, and therefore development is not as fast as I'd like in
+an ideal world.
+
+If you'd like to help, please get in touch.
+
+I've considered a kickstarter or IndieGoGo project to speed things up.
+I'd also consider a patreon account. If there was one, do you think you
+would contribute back that way, if you can't contribute code?
+
+Whether or not you would consider it yourself, how much would you consider
+reasonable to pledge? (This isn't a call to do so, but really an open
+question - I do see a reasonable amount of traffic to my site from unique
+users clearly looking for a python based mechanism for working with
+arduinos natively)
+
+
+## Availability
+
+This release is available on github, pypi and my ubuntu ppa on launchpad.
+
+* https://github.com/sparkslabs/pyxie
+* https://pypi.python.org/pypi/pyxie/
+* https://launchpad.net/~sparkslabs/+archive/ubuntu/packages
+
+Dev plans:
+
+* http://www.sparkslabs.com/pyxie/dev-status.html
+
+As usual, and and all feedback welcome!
+
+
+Michael. (@sparks_rd - https://twitter.com/sparks_rd)