GPIO Input Question Moderators: adafruit_support_bill, adafruit

[Sigma_San]

I'm working on a project that involves a lot of buttons. Would it be possible to map multiple buttons to one M4 Express GPIO pin using CircuitPython?

[danhalbert]

There's several ways to do this. You use an external device that can support many pins and then ask it for their values:

I2C GPIO expanders: Look at the first few hits on this: https://www.adafruit.com/?q=expander&sort=BestMatch. We have CircuitPython drivers for these devices, and there are Learn Guides:
https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-aw9 ... led-driver
https://learn.adafruit.com/using-mcp230 ... cuitpython

shift registers: https://www.adafruit.com/?q=shift+regis ... =BestMatch. Also have libraries and Learn Guides:
https://learn.adafruit.com/74hc595

[Sigma_San]

Is there a method that doesn't involve additional hardware?

[danhalbert]

You need a way to distinguish one button being pushed from another. Another trickier way is to add a chain of resistors to the buttons, and measure the voltage, which will vary based on which buttons are pressed. But that's still extra hardware

[danhalbert]

Or you can use a grid and devote multiple pins to multiple buttons. See
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/q ... ton-inputs
https://electronics.stackexchange.com/q ... th-arduino

[Sigma_San]

So will the method with the resistors still work on GPIO pins?

[danhalbert]

With resistors you'd need a pin that can be analog, so you might want to use the button grids with or without diodes.

[Sigma_San]

OK. Thanks!