Custom Screens

[peepshow-21]

Is is possible to send the custom TFT files to the screen via this Tasmota implementation?

If so, I guess that is all that's needed and a custom ".be" files to map that to the MTQ messages, like the current one.

Importantly, can the original TFT file be put back, when tinkering is over, without having to hardware reflash the whole firmware?

The place to be would be keeping Tasmota on, and just be able to drop differnt TFT's to the screen.

[blakadder]

It has not been attempted or tested.

You can flash back the original display firmware same as you can flash custom firmware

[peepshow-21]

I had a little look at berry and it seems it might, there are already the serial comms to the screen, and it looks like the language has an open() command for files, which return a file, which has a read(byte) on it. so I'm guess that could be used to do this. I've never seen berry until an hour ago, so just guessing for now. but wouldn't seem to hard it it all works as it reads it should. I might have a go over the weekend.

looks like berry has a webclient class too, so could maybe even do;

cmnd/nspanel/flash http://192.168.0.0/screen.tft

and have berry in the driver.to fulfill that

You's need a different nspanel.be after though, that could comunicate with the new screen firmware

[joBr99]

Take a look into the nextion upload implementation of esphome, the tft files are (or can be) bigger than the space that you have available on the flash/memory of the esp32. So you need to request parts of the file via http (Range Header) and send thoose to the display.

But there are multiple limitations that need to be solved before you can use the webclient in berry for a implemenation of the upload protocol. Copy-pasted them from tasmota doc, my comments in []

• No access to response headers [Needed to get the size of the tft file, must be send to the display at the start of flashing]
• Only supports text responses (html, json...) but not binary content yet (no NULL char allowed) [tft file is binary]

I also played a bit with the tcp class in tasmota berry, but it crashed my esp after calling tcp.available() or
tcp.connected().

[peepshow-21]

It's never as much fun, if it's too easy! :)

Yes, i saw it needs sent to the screen in 4096 chunks. Maybe encoding the file before sending, so not binary would work. Read the file via webclient twice, once to size, once to send.

Some think you can work around, it's more stuff like it not being able to send 4096 (if it were the case) or things with no workaround the ruin things! :)

Probably worth a try though.

[peepshow-21]

@joBr99 , looking at berry and I don't understand this in webclient;

read | (addr:int, reg:int, size:int) -> int or nilRead a value of 1..4 bytes from address addr and register reg. Returns nil if no response.

what is addr and reg? no idea how to use this fuunction. help?

[peepshow-21]

I've almost got it working! :)

Should have an example tomorrow :)

[peepshow-21]

Success!!!

I now have working custom screen flashing for tasmota! :)

You simply put the TFT on a accessable URL and run this command.

There is a small java program to run on the host to convert the TFT into a format the can be loaded as needed to work with some of the issues of using Berry. But you just need the standard tasmota binary and a new nextion.bc script.

I've tried flashing a test custom TFT and then flashing the stock one back. Worked fine.

Customer screens here we come.

I'll tidy it up a bit then post for those interested

Thanks to @blakadder for the ordinal script. I've not heard of berry until 2 days ago so would never have got a solution as fast without that as a starting point. Wish he'd tell me how to get my buzzer going though! :)

[joBr99]

That's really nice, guess I will ditch my esphome component than and will go back to tasmota for my custom ui.
Did you already publish your berry script and the java application somewhere?
Take your time tidy up your code, didn't read that part :)

Did you implement Upload Protocol 1.1 or 1.2?

[peepshow-21]

Early version here;

https://github.com/peepshow-21/ns-flash

Let me know how it goes!

I just did 1.1 for now as it was the first doc I saw. Will look at that next, I understand it's faster.
It's not the best way I did it, but was limited dur to the things that worked in berry!

[joBr99]

Can you also push the code of your ns-flash.jar? Would like to compile myself and not execute java bytecode of a random person on the internet :)

Btw, are you on the unoffical nextion discord?

[peepshow-21]

Source;
https://github.com/peepshow-21/ns-flash

no, I'm not on discord at all

[puca11]

@peepshow-21 have you tried setoption 111 for the buzzer, was clicking for me but setting it on fixed it (well at least it beeps).

[peepshow-21]

worked a treat thanks! :)

[peepshow-21]

NxPanel - Full featured replacement custom firmware for NsPanel

Features

• Custom button screens
• All buttons labelled (not 'outlet1...)
• All buttons have icon choice
• Unlimited depth to navigation
• Dim/Sleep configuration
• Swipe support
• Notifications
• Home screen warnings
• Alarm panel
• Thermostat
• Status Panel
• Alerts
• Standard dimmer
• Color & CT dimmer
• Media Player Panel
• Nextion 2.1 fast flashing
• Auto updates - no manual flash after initial install
• Backend automation agnostic
• Communications - JSON over MQTT

Support Thread

[kptkip]

@blakadder Is it possible to change the Icons from Widgets with own PNG/SVG/JPG-Files?

[joBr99]

No, you cannot modify the stock display firmware, you have to build your own or use one of the existing projects.

[eokgnah]

Has someone please an example custom nextion.be?
I understand how to make a custom TFT and how to upload it.
I understand the original nextion.be.

But i don't see how or where the (tasmota) values like "temperature" are connected/translated to the (nextion) Page/ID to be shown.

So my experiment to make a own tft to show the values "temperature/tmin/tmax/..." like the original one was not showing any values with the stock tasmota.be

Or did i misunderstand something?

...Eok

[joBr99]

You need to implement a serial parser in nextion, take a look at my berry script and the HMI Project

https://github.com/joBr99/nspanel-lovelace-ui

[eokgnah]

Thanks, i looked at lovelace and tried it. but without luck.
Maybe i ask the wrong things.

Ok, for example.

1. i installed tasmota (OK)
2. i made my own HMI/TFT with NextionEditor (OK)
3. i installed the tft on the display (OK)

On (for example) Page "0" i have a text field with ID "3" and objname "temperature"
Where and how do i send values to this 0/3 from the console or later over mqtt?

Without homeassistant or anything else.
Just my HMI and tasmota and mqtt to fill the pages with data.

I see some parsing in the .be, but i don't get where the "switch" from the variable "temperature" to "0/3" happens.

I thought i just have to know the page/id which i want to fill and then send something there to see it on the screen?
So i thought there might somewhere a table with "name" <-> "page/id". But i don't find it.
Or is my understanding about this part wrong?

If i understand it with one value, i can do it with any. It feels like just a small step to do.
But i don't see what you are trying to show me at the moment. :-(

[joBr99]

If you are in the waiting for content screen it will periodically send this message: event,startup,39,eu

To get out of this screen you have to navigate away from this page, Try the following commands in tasmota console. (You can also send it over mqtt to the CutomSend Topic)

time/date are stored in a global variable, but only used on screensaver
CustomSend time~09:07~
CustomSend date~Samstag, 6. August 2022
timeout is a timer on all pages (execpt the screensaver that will send a message after X seconds to allow the backend to naviagte back to the screensaver)
CustomSend timeout~20
settings for brightness (and background color)
CustomSend dimmode~10~100~0
change the current page to the screensaver
CustomSend pageType~screensaver
update the weather on screensaver
CustomSend weatherUpdate~X~1C~So.~Y~2C~Mo.~X~2C~Di.~Z~3C~Mi.~A~4C~~

If you are touching the screensaver the firmware will send the following message: event,buttonPress2,screensaver,bExit,1

change current page to cardEntities
CustomSend pageType~cardEntities
set some content of cardEntities (stipped this a bit down, also I replaced the icons in this command, so it works in tasmota console)
CustomSend entityUpd~Title~1|1~shutter~cover.rolladenfenster_cover_1~A~17299~E1 Name~X|Y|Z|disable|enable|enable~

Which HomeAutomation System are you using? If you are planing to implement a backend for a new HA System, I'm going to help you understand the serial protocol of this firmware, it can be confusing from time to time, because a lot of stuff is packend into the entityUpd commands to save computing time on nextion display.

[eokgnah]

I just use MQTT in the center and for some logic NodeRed and some shell-scripts.

So i hoped for a kind of "standalone" solution.
After all, thats what tasmota is famous for. Simple, and with no need for a backend.

So i thought sonoff is the right choice.
Just a simple custom HMI which works on the display.
And some mqtt-messages to fill the values or set the icons.
In my simplified mind, i aimed for something like:
mosquitto_pub -t "NSDisplay/cmnd" -m "temperature:23.7"
To set the temperature value on the display.
Nothing more, nothing less.
I dont need/want a new backend.
Just some simple mqtt messages which display things.

But maybe thats not how it works?
It feels like i am so close, but still so far.

Mabe i have to look for something else than tasmota to talk to the hmi over mqtt.
But what?

[eokgnah]

I'm in...
I see the time and date.

sending:
CustomSend date~Samstag, 6. August 2022
on the console shows it on the screen!

Exactly what i want.
So now i have to search for it and delete all the other code to don't be confused and get it down to the bare minimum to reach this task.
So it is more like:
mosquitto_pub -t "NSDisplay/cmnd/CustomSend" -m "date~Samstag, 6. August 2022"
Which is totally perfect and fine!
And if that works, buttons.
I have a Picture of my flat. Rendered in a 3d-programm. With Doors and Windows in red/green according to their status.
I want to have this as a Background on the Display, showing the status.
Looks like im getting there after all.
I'm again a bit confident to reach this goal at the moment. ;-)

[joBr99]

The berry script is just translating mqtt messages to serial. You are setting the content over mqtt with thoose ~ sperated commands. But you have to set the whole content of the page with one command (usally entityUpd in my firmware), because otherwise you will have really long loading times.

mosquitto_pub -t "NSDisplay/cmnd/CustomSend" -m "dimmode~20~100~0"
mosquitto_pub -t "NSDisplay/cmnd/CustomSend" -m "pageType~screensaver"
mosquitto_pub -t "NSDisplay/cmnd/CustomSend" -m "time~XX:XX"

I started with a nodered backend (with the HA node module), but this was too complicated, so I switched to AppDaemon.

Last Firmware compatible with nodered version: https://nspanel.pky.eu/lui-nodered.tft
NodeFlow: https://github.com/joBr99/nspanel-lovelace-ui/tree/v1.5.0/nodered

---

If you want to build such a page, start with modifying one of the existing card like cardQR, just change the gui elements and then modify the entityUpd command to your needs.

From the waiting for content screen you can get there with pageType~cardQR If you are a litte bit more expienced you can also add your own page to the pageType command on the other pages (eg the startup/waiting for content page)

[eokgnah]

https://github.com/eokgnah/NSPanel-Nextion/
found a cheat sheet with all possible instructions and made some examples.
thanks for the help to get me there.