LCD 16x2 simulator #79

Jumitti · 2024-08-12T15:34:27Z

fix LCD 16x2 Simulator #78 #78

I often code away from home and I don't necessarily have an LCD screen with me... So I created a 16x2 LCD screen simulator using Tkinter, allowing for easy testing and visualization of LCD displays without physical hardware. This simulator helps in developing and debugging LCD-based projects directly from a computer.
Especially if you don't have your Raspberry and LCD with you.

All you have to do is replace Lcd() and CustomCharacters() with LcdSimulator() and CustomCharactersSimulator(). I've recoded all the (hopefully) useful functions for simulation purposes and kept their names.

I've modified __init__.py to also load drivers/simulator.py which contains everything needed for the emulator.

import drivers

display = drivers.LcdSimulator()
cc = drivers.CustomCharactersSimulator(display)

# Then the rest of your finest feats

Demo

Repo

cgomesu

thanks for your submission, @Jumitti . I think an emulator would be a great addition to this repository. however, I left a few comments here that need to be addressed before merging. the gist of my comments is that the implementation of the emulator needs to work as a standalone, meaning it should not interfere with the i2c device driver interface. any user who want to use the emulator will need to install an additional dependency and then import the package that contains its logic, instead of the package that contains the i2c driver.

on a side note, I think that calling it an emulator is better than simulator. the logic emulates the physical device. the gui it generates is an actual substitute for the physical display. its like this: https://github.com/astro-pi/python-sense-emu.

cgomesu · 2024-08-25T15:22:36Z

drivers/__init__.py

this modification creates an additional dependency (namely, tkinter) for everyone trying to use the driver interface for the physical (i2c) device. this is not okay. the simulator is a good addition but its use should not interfere with the other use cases.

please undo any modifications made to this file.

cgomesu · 2024-08-25T15:27:35Z

drivers/simulator.py

move this module to its own package (simulators/) and write a __init__.py for it using the drivers/ package as template.

cgomesu · 2024-08-25T15:28:44Z

drivers/simulator.py

@@ -0,0 +1,234 @@
+import tkinter as tk


this dependency needs to be documented in the README.md as well

cgomesu · 2024-08-25T15:29:38Z

demo_simulator.py

+# in developing and debugging LCD-based projects directly from a computer.
+
+# Import necessary libraries for communication and display use
+import drivers


this import needs to change, per my other comments

cgomesu · 2024-08-25T15:31:25Z

demo_simulator.py

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# Just a 16x2 LCD screen simulator using Tkinter, allowing for easy testing and


missing shebang. make sure the file has +x permission as well.

cgomesu · 2024-08-25T15:38:36Z

drivers/simulator.py

+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "11111"]
+        # Data for custom character #3. Code {0x02}
+        self.char_3_data = ["11111",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "11111"]
+        # Data for custom character #4. Code {0x03}
+        self.char_4_data = ["11111",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "11111"]
+        # Data for custom character #5. Code {0x04}
+        self.char_5_data = ["11111",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "11111"]
+        # Data for custom character #6. Code {0x05}
+        self.char_6_data = ["11111",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "11111"]
+        # Data for custom character #7. Code {0x06}
+        self.char_7_data = ["11111",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "11111"]
+        # Data for custom character #8. Code {0x07}
+        self.char_8_data = ["11111",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "11111"]
+
+    # load custom character data to CG RAM for later use in extended string. Data for
+    # characters is hold in file custom_characters.txt in the same folder as i2c_dev.py
+    # file. These custom characters can be used in printing of extended string with a
+    # placeholder with desired character codes: 1st - {0x00}, 2nd - {0x01}, 3rd - {0x02},
+    # 4th - {0x03}, 5th - {0x04}, 6th - {0x05}, 7th - {0x06} and 8th - {0x07}.
+    def load_custom_characters_data(self):
+        char_data_list = [
+            (f"{{0x00}}", self.char_1_data),
+            (f"{{0x01}}", self.char_2_data),
+            (f"{{0x02}}", self.char_3_data),
+            (f"{{0x03}}", self.char_4_data),
+            (f"{{0x04}}", self.char_5_data),
+            (f"{{0x05}}", self.char_6_data),
+            (f"{{0x06}}", self.char_7_data),
+            (f"{{0x07}}", self.char_8_data)
+        ]
+
+        for char_name, bitmap in char_data_list:
+            if len(bitmap) != 8 or any(len(row) != 5 for row in bitmap):
+                continue
+            custom_chars[char_name] = bitmap
+
+    def get_custom_char(self, char_name):
+        return custom_chars.get(char_name, ["00000"] * 8)
+
+    # Draw CustomCharacters
+    def draw_custom_char(self, bitmap, x, y, color):
+        pixel_size = 15
+        for row, line in enumerate(bitmap):
+            for col, bit in enumerate(line):
+                if bit == '1':
+                    rect_id = self.lcd.canvas.create_rectangle(
+                        x + (col * pixel_size),
+                        y + (row * pixel_size),
+                        x + ((col + 1) * pixel_size),
+                        y + ((row + 1) * pixel_size),
+                        fill=color,
+                        outline=color
+                    )
+                    self.lcd.rectangles.append(rect_id)


i couldn't help but notice that this implementation is re-using logic from the original CustomCharacters class. can't you inherit the original and override where necessary?

cgomesu · 2024-08-25T15:40:01Z

README.md

+
+All you have to do is replace ``Lcd()`` and ``CustomCharacters()`` with ``LcdSimulator()`` and ``CustomCharactersSimulator()``.
+The other functions are similar.
+


must doc any additional dependencies as well

cgomesu · 2024-08-25T15:40:30Z

README.md

+The other functions are similar.
+
+```Python
+import drivers


this will change per my other comments

Release LCD 16x2 simulator

cfaabe8

cgomesu changed the title ~~LCD 16x2 simulator PR #78~~ LCD 16x2 simulator Aug 12, 2024

cgomesu self-requested a review August 12, 2024 16:48

cgomesu requested changes Aug 25, 2024

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LCD 16x2 simulator #79

LCD 16x2 simulator #79

Jumitti commented Aug 12, 2024 •

edited by cgomesu

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cgomesu Aug 25, 2024

		@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
		# Just a 16x2 LCD screen simulator using Tkinter, allowing for easy testing and


		All you have to do is replace ``Lcd()`` and ``CustomCharacters()`` with ``LcdSimulator()`` and ``CustomCharactersSimulator()``.
		The other functions are similar.

LCD 16x2 simulator #79

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LCD 16x2 simulator #79

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Jumitti commented Aug 12, 2024 • edited by cgomesu Loading

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Jumitti commented Aug 12, 2024 •

edited by cgomesu

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