bootstrap.py

#!/usr/bin/python

"""
use "from bootstrap import *" from any script to do all the standard setup 
and checks needed by any script
"""

from raspledstrip.ledstrip import *
from raspledstrip.LPD8806 import LPD8806Native
import os.path
import sys

# Check that the system is set up like we want it
dev = '/dev/spidev0.0'

if not os.path.exists(dev):
    sys.stderr.write("""
The SPI device /dev/spidev0.0 does not exist. You may need to load
the appropriate kernel modules. Try:

sudo modprobe spi_bcm2708 ; sudo modprobe spidev

You may also need to unblacklist the spi_bcm2708 module in 
/etc/modprobe.d/raspi-blacklist.conf

""")
    sys.exit(2)

#permissions check
try:
    open(dev)
except IOError as  e:
    if e.errno == 13:
        sys.stderr.write("""
It looks like SPI device /dev/spidev0.0 has the wrong permissions.
Try making it world writable:

sudo chmod a+rw /dev/spidev0.0

""")
    sys.exit(2)

led_count = 36
led = LEDStrip(LPD8806Native(led_count, dev))
#led.setChannelOrder(ChannelOrder.BRG) #Only use this if your strip does not use the GRB order
#led.setMasterBrightness(0.5) #use this to set the overall max brightness of the strip
led.all_off()