2 replies to this topic

[marcoe]

Hi guys,

 

        I want to share this small code that I created based on a Arduino implementation of a LCD Special Character Creator code. ( http://playground.ar...n/LiquidCrystal )

 

        The .NET Micro Framework Toolbox has the Hd44780LCD class ( https://netmftoolbox...d/Hd44780Lcd.cs ) is great but it only implements basic character output to the LCD display, and I needed to display a low battery sign and this character does not exist on the LCD ROM, so I found out that this kind of display has 8 addresses that we can write to any 5x7 "bitmap" of our choice and then display it.

        public void CreateSpecial(byte[] character, byte location)
        {
            location &= 0x7;
            LCD.Write((byte)(0x40 | (location << 3)), true);
            for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++)
            {
                LCD.Write(character[i]);
            }
        }

           LCD on the code above is the Hd44780Lcd from MFToolbox.

    private static byte[] box1 = { 31, 17, 17, 17, 17, 17, 31 };
    private static byte[] box2 = { 14, 27, 17, 17, 17, 17, 31 };
.
.
.
.

    LCD.CreateSpecial(box1, 0x0);
    LCD.CreateSpecial(box2, 0x1);

    LCD.Write(0x0);
    LCD.Write(0x1);

This website lets you draw your character and just paste it's numbers, makes it a lot easier.

( http://www.quinapalu...hd44780udg.html )

 

[Chris Walker]

Hi marcoe,

Thanks for sharing this... Did you contact the NETMF toolbox creator, to see if you could contribute this back to the library? I see a really cool blog post in your future showing off this new feature, perhaps?

Chris

[marcoe]

Hi Chris,

 

    did not contact him, but will do. For sure is a nice feature to be added to the Toolbox.

 

Thanks.