Python Library Documentation

Index

1. Introduction
2. Properties and Property Functions
3. Functions
4. Callbacks
5. Discovery message

1. Introduction

This document describes all the variables and functions for the Webifi Python Library. The Python library can be installed using (for Linux users, add sudo in front of command):

pip install webifi

To upgrade to the latest version:

pip install webifi --upgrade

The Python library can also be downloaded from:
https://github.com/webifi-me/WebifiPythonLibrary.git

We also have a tutorial and a detailed example using TkInter available on GitHub at: https://github.com/webifi-me/WebifiPythonLibraryExample.

If you downloaded or cloned the library then you also need to install websocket client. Please use the following command to install websocket client:
pip install websocket-client

2. Properties and Property Functions

Below is a list of properties that can be set directly:

Below is a list of property functions:

# it is assumed that this code is used inside a class and that the service has been started
# the instance is assigned to self.webifi
counters = self.webifi.get_counters()
upload_counter = counters.upload
download_counter = counters.download

3. Functions

# creates an instance of a class for sending data with all the 
# correct variables created
send_data = Webifi_p27.CreateSendData() 
send_data.data = 'Data that will be sent'
# optional fields
# send_data.data_type = 'data type'
# send_data.to_networks = to_networks_list
# send_data.to_session_ids = to_session_ids_list
self.webifi.send_data(send_data)

4. Callbacks

The following functions are used to set the callbacks for the Python Library:

Below is an example of how the callbacks are used. This small program will accept keyboard input and when you press enter the data will be sent to your other devices. Any data received will be displayed in the console. Type “quit” to stop the program. Create an empty file (remember to copy the Webifi Python Library into the same folder if you did not install it) called webifiConsoleTest.py and copy and paste the code below into the file. On lines 15 and 16 enter your connect name and password. The easiest way to communicate with this console app is to use our Test Page.

If using Python 2.7:

import Webifi_p27


def connection_status_callback(connected):
    if connected:
        print ('Connection successful')
    else:
        print ('Connection failed')


def data_received_callback(data, data_type, from_who):
    print ('Data received: ' + data)

webifi = Webifi_p27.Webifi()
webifi.set_connect_name('your connect name')
webifi.set_connect_password('your password')
network_names = ['network 1']
webifi.set_network_names(network_names)
webifi.set_connection_status_callback(connection_status_callback)
webifi.set_data_received_callback(data_received_callback)
webifi.name = 'My Python Test'
webifi.start()
keyboard_input = ''
while keyboard_input != "quit":
    keyboard_input = raw_input("Enter message to send: ")
    if keyboard_input != 'quit':
        send_data = Webifi_p27.CreateSendData()
        send_data.data = keyboard_input
        webifi.send_data(send_data)
    else:
        webifi.close_connection()

If using Python 3:

import Webifi_p3


def connection_status_callback(connected):
    if connected:
        print ('Connection successful')
    else:
        print ('Connection failed')


def data_received_callback(data, data_type, from_who):
    print ('Data received: ' + data)

webifi = Webifi_p3.Webifi()
webifi.set_connect_name('your connect name')
webifi.set_connect_password('your password')
network_names = ['network 1']
webifi.set_network_names(network_names)
webifi.set_connection_status_callback(connection_status_callback)
webifi.set_data_received_callback(data_received_callback)
webifi.name = 'My Python Test'
webifi.start()
keyboard_input = ''
while keyboard_input != "quit":
    keyboard_input = input("Enter message to send: ")
    if keyboard_input != 'quit':
        send_data = Webifi_p3.CreateSendData()
        send_data.data = keyboard_input
        webifi.send_data(send_data)
    else:
        webifi.close_connection()

5. Discovery message

The session IDs are dynamically assigned to devices connecting to the Webifi server. If you need to send data to a specific device or devices then you need to know their session IDs. The discovery message is an easy way to find the session IDs of all your connected devices. When you call the Send Discovery function the following message will be sent:

• data_type: Discovery
• data: ? (A question mark character needs to be sent)
• to_networks: When empty the discovery message will be sent to the default networks the sending device is listening to. If a list of networks are specified then all the discoverable devices on these networks will respond.

There isn’t a special event handler for the discovery response, the responses will be received by the data received event. This gives the most flexibility for the user to process the discovery responses any way the user needs. The discovery response looks as follows:

• data_type: Discovery Response
• data: User defined name on the responding device
• from_who: The session ID that was discovered. This needs to be stored by the device doing the discovery.

Below is an example of how the discovery can be implemented by the user:

def data_received_callback(self, data, data_type, from_who):
    if data_type == 'Discovery Response':
        # device discovered, name will be in data and the session ID will be in the from_who variable
        pass
    else:
        # data was received, process...
        pass