Setup

Programming with the Arduino environment will require the Arduino IDE to be installed and configured. This setup will involve installing the Arduino IDE itself, installing the Board Support Package (BSP) and installing the Gizmo-specific libraries. This process takes about 15 minutes on a modern computer with typical broadband internet.

tip

If you're performing this process on Windows, the Gizmo CLI can actually install everything fully automatically.

Just invoke gizmo.exe arduino install followed by gizmo.exe arduino setup and the IDE, support packages, and Gizmo libraries will be installed for you. This is the recommended path for institutional admins to deploy as well since it can be automated with a relatively simple GPO.

Installing the IDE

Start by installing the latest Arduino IDE for your operating system. You can find the latest installers on this page. In the blue sidebar of the first card, select the right package for your computer.

Once you have installed the IDE, open it and proceed to install the Raspberry Pi Pico plugin.

Installing the Raspberry Pi Pico Support Package

The Raspberry Pi Pico requires an additional package that contains compilers, libraries, and other supporting components. These packages are usually referred to as Board Support Packages (BSPs). Detailed installation instructions are available from the upstream documentation. Here is an abridged version:

  • Open the Arduino IDE

  • Open File > Preferences

  • In the settings tab, add the following URL in the "Additional Boards Manager URLs":

    https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico/releases/download/global/package_rp2040_index.json

  • Hit "OK" to save the URL.

  • Open the boards manager from Tools > Boards > Board Manager

  • Search for "Pico" and install the entry by Earle F. Philhower, III.

Install the Gizmo Libraries

The Gizmo makes use of a custom library to provide aliases for all the pin names and to provide a means of retrieving information from the system processor.

To install the library, follow these steps:

  • Open the Arduino IDE
  • Open Tools > Manage Libraries...
  • Search for "Gizmo"
  • Install the entry by M. Aldridge. Unless you have received other instructions, install the most recent version.