I wanted to share a small tool I have been working on for the PicoCalc: PicoEdit, a compact Python code editor designed specifically for very small terminal screens.
The idea behind PicoEdit is simple: provide a lightweight, self-contained editor that makes it comfortable to write, edit, save, and run Python scripts directly on the PicoCalc, without needing a full desktop environment or a large editor.
It is written as a single Python file, uses only the standard library and curses, and is designed around a compact terminal layout of about 53 columns by 26 rows, using a 12×6 pixel font.
Some current features:
Python syntax highlighting
Simple top menu: File, Edit, Search, Run, Help
Internal file browser for .py files
Save / Save as
Undo / Redo with 10 levels
Copy, cut, paste, and duplicate lines
Find / Find next
Run the current Python script from inside the editor
Basic Python auto-indentation
Simple retro-style terminal interface
This is not meant to replace Vim, Nano, or full desktop editors. The goal is much more modest: a practical editor that feels usable on the PicoCalc screen and keyboard, especially for quick Python experiments.
You can find the project here:
Feedback, ideas, and suggestions are very welcome.
I’d try it, but that would require installing a LuckFox Lyra in my PicoCalc, which I am avoiding opening it up (I’m still on BIOS 1.2 because upgrading to BIOS 1.6 would require opening it up) to avoid the risk of screen damage.
Yes, I understand the fear of breaking the screen. It is very fragile. I managed to replace it without any problems.
In any case, this application runs in any environment with Python + Ncurses, including a Linux PC — and possibly Windows — or a Luckfox Lyra that is NOT PHYSICALLY INSTALLED IN A PICOCALC. In fact, you could use it via ADB, with a USB cable, and see the output in the PC terminal.
Yes, of course! It works in any text terminal .
In fact, I took the screenshots on my desktop Ubuntu 24 machine for convenience, since I still don’t know how to take screenshots on the LuckFox Lyra .
I am running an old bios and did not have any issue. There is code that works with the old keyboard bios and I just installed a fresh picocalc kernel build on my luckfox in my picocalc. no issues. even updated it to read the batt level and change the backlight settings. You dont nee to go through all that. It will just work. Really.
I just tried this out and got it working an the Luckfox SDK kernel. It had a problem that the python curses module was missing. I can see why, the luckfox kernel supports many boards. and was not written for the picocalc originally. But the base kernel support was there. I asked Codex to create the missing parts. It went to Debian and found appropriate code and modified it for the luckfox/picocalc and installed it. so I now have the missing python cursor module and this editor works great on my picocalc. Thank you.
I honestly had no idea that it was possible to use Python to create graphics directly on the PicoCalc without having a full graphical environment running. Your repository was a great hint, and I was able to run a small test successfully on my Luckfox Lyra B + PicoCalc setup.
I really appreciate that you shared this information. I’m going to investigate it further, because I’d love to try porting some small applications I already made with PyGame on my PC to the PicoCalc, using this framebuffer approach or something similar.
Also, just as a note: my native language is Spanish, so sometimes it takes me a little longer to reply while I translate and make sure I understood everything correctly.
Thanks again for your work and for pointing me in the right direction!
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