.. _heading out:

Printing heading output
=======================

Simply print the output from pixhawk to the screen. This is useful
if only to verify that it is working at all.

.. code:: python

    from fish_hawk import PixhawkNode, pause
    from serial import SerialException
    from time import time

    update_period = 0.05
    # Mac OSX address of pixhawk
    device = '/dev/tty.usbmodem1'
    pn = PixhawkNode(device)

    # try loop is used to ensure that communication with pixhawk is
    # terminated.
    try:
        # startup data stream
        pn.isactive(True)
        while True:
            loop_start = time()
            pn.check_readings()
            print("Current heading: %.2f"%pn.heading)
            # sleep to maintain constant rate
            pause(loop_start, update_period)
    except SerialException:
        print('Pixhawk is not connected to %s'%device)
    finally:
        print('Shutting down communication with Pixhawk')
        pn.isactive(False)