how do you enable BCM mode from this ext-gpio code? The default mode is Board.

[jacksnodgrass]

In python you can switch between BCM and BOARD mode using:

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BCM) 

OR

import RPi.GPIO as GPIO
GPIO.setmode(GPIO.BOARD)

how can I go into 'BCM' mode with this ext-gpio?

I'd like to be able to use:
$doorUP = $chip->getPin(17)->asInput('softwire');
or
$doorUP = $chip->getPin(GPIO17)->asInput('softwire');

instead of figuring out what the board / header / pin number is for the GPIO17 numbering structure.

I mean I can setup an array that maps the header pins to the BCM names... but do I have to do it that way?

[flavioheleno]

Hey @jacksnodgrass, that's a great question.

The ext-gpio extension is a "low-level" access to Linux's gpio, which means that it doesn't ship any specific traits to the underlying hardware that can use it.

With that in mind, you can check embedded-php/core which is a more "high-level" access to ext-gpio and does indeed have amenities to work with Raspberry Pi's pin map (you can check this code sample).

Another possibility is to work with flavioheleno/pastry that ships an specific class called Pinout that maps pins in the same fashion as Python's RPi.GPIO.

I hope this helps with what you are looking for.