LCD 16x2 simulator

README.md

@@ -23,6 +23,7 @@ You can buy one of these great little I2C LCD on eBay or somewhere like [the Pi
    - [LCD demo](#lcd-demo)
    - [NetMonitor](#netmonitor)
    - [Progress bar](#progress-bar)
+   - [Simulator](#simulator)
    - [Tiny Dashboard](#tiny-dashboard)
 1. [Implementation](#implementation)
    - [Systemd](#systemd)
@@ -226,6 +227,29 @@ This is a demo of a graphical progress bar created with [custom characters](#cus
   <img src="imgs/demo_progress_bar.jpg" width="50%">
 </p>
 
+### Simulator
+
+- Author: [@Jumitti](https://github.com/Jumitti)
+
+Just 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()``.
+The other functions are similar.
+
+```Python
+import drivers
+
+display = drivers.LcdSimulator()
+cc = drivers.CustomCharactersSimulator(display)
+
+# Then the rest of your finest feats
+```
+
+<p align="center">
+  <img src="imgs/demo_simulator.gif" width="50%">
+</p>
+
 ### Tiny dashboard
 
 - Author: [@jdarias](https://github.com/jdarias)

demo_simulator.py

@@ -0,0 +1,57 @@
+# Just 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.
+
+# Import necessary libraries for communication and display use
+import drivers
+from time import sleep
+from datetime import datetime
+
+
+# Load the driver and set it to "display"
+# If you use something from the driver library use the "display." prefix first
+display = drivers.LcdSimulator()
+
+# Create object with custom characters data
+cc = drivers.CustomCharactersSimulator(display)
+
+# Redefine the default characters:
+# Custom caracter #1. Code {0x00}.
+cc.char_1_data = ["01010", "11111", "10001", "10101", "10001", "11111", "01010", "00000"]
+
+# Load custom characters data to CG RAM:
+cc.load_custom_characters_data()
+
+# Main body for code
+try:
+    i = 0
+    while True:
+        display.lcd_clear()
+
+        display.lcd_display_string(' Hello, World !', line=1)
+        if i < 1:
+            display.lcd_backlight(1)
+            text = "This is a simulation of a 16x2 LCD"
+            for j in range(len(text) - 14):
+                text2 = "{0x00}" + text[j:j + 15]
+                display.lcd_display_extended_string(text2, 2)
+                sleep(0.15)
+            i += 1
+
+        elif 1 <= i <= 10:
+            display.lcd_backlight(0)
+            display.lcd_display_string(str(datetime.now().time()), 2)
+            i += 1
+
+        if i > 10:
+            i = 0
+
+        sleep(0.5)
+
+except KeyboardInterrupt:
+    # If there is a KeyboardInterrupt (when you press ctrl+c), exit the program and cleanup
+    print("Cleaning up!")
+    display.lcd_clear()
+
+
+

drivers/__init__.py

@@ -1 +1,5 @@
-from .i2c_dev import Lcd, CustomCharacters
+try:
+    from .i2c_dev import Lcd, CustomCharacters
+except ModuleNotFoundError as e:
+    print(f"{e}, you can use LCDSimulator and CustomCharactersSimulator instead")
+from .simulator import LcdSimulator, CustomCharactersSimulator

drivers/simulator.py

@@ -0,0 +1,234 @@
+import tkinter as tk
+from re import match
+from time import sleep
+
+custom_chars = {}  # Storage CustomCharacters
+
+
+class LcdSimulator:
+    def __init__(self):  # Initialise the Tkinter window
+        self.LCD_BACKGROUND = "green"
+        self.LCD_FOREGROUND = "black"
+        self.SESSION_STATE_BACKLIGHT = ''
+        self.columns = 16
+        self.rows = 2
+        self.char_width = 75
+        self.char_height = 120
+        self.rectangles = []
+
+        self.rects = []
+        self.texts = []
+
+        self.root = tk.Tk()
+        self.root.title("LCD 16x2 Simulator")
+
+        self.canvas = tk.Canvas(self.root, width=self.columns * self.char_width, height=self.rows * self.char_height,
+                                bg=self.LCD_BACKGROUND)
+        self.canvas.pack()
+
+        self.chars = []
+        for row in range(self.rows):
+            for col in range(self.columns):
+                rect = self.canvas.create_rectangle(
+                    col * self.char_width,
+                    row * self.char_height,
+                    (col + 1) * self.char_width,
+                    (row + 1) * self.char_height,
+                    outline=self.LCD_FOREGROUND,
+                    width=5
+                )
+                text = self.canvas.create_text(
+                    col * self.char_width + self.char_width // 2,
+                    row * self.char_height + self.char_height // 2,
+                    text="",
+                    font=("Courier", 115),
+                    fill=self.LCD_FOREGROUND
+                )
+                self.rects.append(rect)
+                self.texts.append(text)
+                self.chars.append(text)
+
+        self.custom_characters = CustomCharactersSimulator(self)
+
+    # put string function
+    def lcd_display_string(self, text, line=0):
+        line = line - 1
+        start_index = line * self.columns
+        for i, char in enumerate(text):
+            if start_index + i < len(self.chars):
+                self.canvas.itemconfig(self.chars[start_index + i], text=char)
+
+        self.lcd_update()
+
+    # put extended string function. Extended string may contain placeholder like {0xFF} for
+    # displaying the particular symbol from the symbol table
+    def lcd_display_extended_string(self, text, line=0):
+        line = line - 1
+        i = 0
+        x_offset = 0
+        while i < len(text):
+            match_result = match(r'\{0[xX][0-9a-fA-F]{2}}', text[i:])
+            if match_result:
+                char_code = match_result.group(0)
+                custom_char_bitmap = self.custom_characters.get_custom_char(char_code)
+                self.custom_characters.draw_custom_char(custom_char_bitmap,
+                                                        x_offset * self.char_width,
+                                                        line * self.char_height, self.LCD_FOREGROUND)
+                x_offset += 1
+                i += 6
+            else:
+                self.canvas.itemconfig(self.chars[line * self.columns + x_offset], text=text[i])
+                x_offset += 1
+                i += 1
+        self.lcd_update()
+
+    # clear lcd
+    def lcd_clear(self):
+        self.root.update_idletasks()
+        self.root.update()
+        for i in range(2):
+            self.lcd_display_string("                ", i)
+        for rect_id in self.rectangles:
+            self.canvas.delete(rect_id)
+        self.rectangles.clear()
+
+    def lcd_update(self):
+        self.root.update_idletasks()
+        self.root.update()
+
+    # backlight control (on/off)
+    # options: lcd_backlight(1) = ON, lcd_backlight(0) = OFF
+    def lcd_backlight(self, state):
+        if state == 1:
+            self.LCD_BACKGROUND = "green"
+            self.LCD_FOREGROUND = "black"
+        elif state == 0:
+            self.LCD_BACKGROUND = "black"
+            self.LCD_FOREGROUND = "green"
+
+        self.canvas.configure(bg=self.LCD_BACKGROUND)
+
+        for rect in self.rects:
+            self.canvas.itemconfig(rect, outline=self.LCD_FOREGROUND)
+        for text in self.texts:
+            self.canvas.itemconfig(text, fill=self.LCD_FOREGROUND)
+
+        self.SESSION_STATE_BACKLIGHT = state
+
+
+class CustomCharactersSimulator:
+    def __init__(self, lcd):
+        self.lcd = lcd
+        # Data for custom character #1. Code {0x00}
+        self.char_1_data = ["11111",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "11111"]
+        # Data for custom character #2. Code {0x01}
+        self.char_2_data = ["11111",
+                            "10001",
+                            "10001",
+                            "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)