Improve logging

README.md

@@ -2,11 +2,36 @@
 
 Controls the welcome room Vestaboard directly, bypassing their cloud.
 
+![a split flap display with the words "PROTOFLAP BY PROTOSPACE"](media/signpic.jpg)
 
+## Theory
 
+Polls URL (https://api.my.protospace.ca/stats/) continuously and looks for
+changes to the `vestaboard` key. When updated, it replaces any special
+characters and then displays the message on the sign via serial.
+
+If you want to use this, just call `send_sign(text)` in protoflap.py directly.
+
+The split flap controller is connected to serial at `/dev/ttyAMA0`, 38400 baud.
+
+### See Also
+
+@Benno1308's reverse engineering:
+
+https://github.com/EngineOwningSoftware/Vestaboard-Reverse-Engineering
+
+https://www.reddit.com/r/Vestaboard/comments/tjm93n/local_device_api/
 
 ## Setup
 
+Download the Vestaboard root private key. It should be the same for all
+Vestaboards:
+
+```
+$ curl https://files.catbox.moe/kvibj6 > ~/.ssh/vestaboard
+$ chmod 600 ~/.ssh/vestaboard
+```
+
 SSH into the Vestaboard using the root key, ie:
 
 ```
@@ -44,7 +69,7 @@ Set config to:
 [program:protoflap]
 user=root
 directory=/root/protoflap
-command=/usr/bin/python /root/protoflap/protoflap.py
+command=/usr/bin/python -u /root/protoflap/protoflap.py
 stopsignal=INT
 stopasgroup=true
 killasgroup=true

protoflap.py

@@ -1,12 +1,16 @@
 #!/usr/bin/env python
 # -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
 
+print "Boot up..."
+
 from vestactrl import setup_digits, board_init_uart
 import textwrap
 import urllib2
 import json
 import time
 
+print "Importing complete."
+
 def send_sign(text):
     """
     Wraps and sends text to the Vestaboard.
@@ -53,8 +57,10 @@ def poll_and_display():
     url = 'https://api.my.protospace.ca/stats/'
 
     while True:
+        time.sleep(5)
+
         try:
-            response = urllib2.urlopen(url)
+            response = urllib2.urlopen(url, timeout=5)
             data = json.load(response)
             message = data.get('vestaboard')
 
@@ -63,13 +69,16 @@ def poll_and_display():
                 send_sign(message.encode('utf-8'))
                 last_message = message
 
-        except (urllib2.URLError, ValueError, KeyError) as e:
+        except KeyboardInterrupt:
+            break
+        except BaseException as e:
             print "Error: {}".format(e)
 
-        time.sleep(5)
-
 
 if __name__ == '__main__':
     # Initialize communication with the board.
+    print "Initializing uart..."
     board_init_uart()
+
+    print "Starting polling loop..."
     poll_and_display()