Not exactly revolutionary stuff, but getting an OLED running is a spiritual experience if you’ve never done it before. And actually, I never get tired of it myself.
Here’s the quick and dirty guide on running your own OLED code.
Step One: Install Libraries
You may already have these installed, but if not, go to SKETCH >> INCLUDE LIBRARY >> MANAGE LIBRARIES… and download the following:
- Adafruit_GFX
- Adafruit_SSD1306
Step Two: Wiring
Don’t mess up GND and 3V3. I write this to make you feel bad when you do it one day, regardless of how experienced you are (speaking from experience…)
Step Three: Code
Plug you NodeMCU or whatever in, check the COM port (TOOLS >> PORT… >>> COMX whatever), put the following code into the editor and upload. If it give you a warning like:
esptool.FatalError: Failed to connect to ESP8266: Timed out waiting for packet header
…just relax. Upload again, adn this time when it starts saying Connecting……..__, hold the BOOT/FLASH button, and press the RESET button on the device.
Do this a few times if your timing isn’t great. You can’t really break it this way, but its a bit fiddly, and you should come right.
#include <SPI.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>
#define SCREEN_ADDRESS 0x3C
Adafruit_SSD1306 display(128, 64, &Wire, LED_BUILTIN);
void setup() {
Serial.begin(9600);
display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, SCREEN_ADDRESS);
display.clearDisplay();
display.setTextSize(1);
display.setTextColor(SSD1306_WHITE);
}
void loop() {
testdrawtriangle();
testfilltriangle();
display.invertDisplay(true);
delay(1000);
display.invertDisplay(false);
delay(1000);
display.clearDisplay();
display.setCursor(0, 0);
display.println(F("Consider buying Paul"));
display.println(F("some coffee. He was"));
display.println(F("up till super late "));
display.println(F("testing and making"));
display.println(F("for all to enjoy."));
display.display();
delay(6000);
display.clearDisplay();
display.setCursor(0, 0);
display.println(F("Or just subscribe to his instagram : "));
display.setCursor(0,30);
display.println(F("@paulhoets"));
display.display();
delay(6000);
}
void testdrawtriangle(void) {
display.clearDisplay();
for (int16_t i = 0; i < max(display.width(), display.height()) / 2; i += 5) {
display.drawTriangle(
display.width() / 2 , display.height() / 2 - i,
display.width() / 2 - i, display.height() / 2 + i,
display.width() / 2 + i, display.height() / 2 + i, SSD1306_WHITE);
display.display();
delay(1);
}
delay(2000);
}
void testfilltriangle(void) {
display.clearDisplay();
for (int16_t i = max(display.width(), display.height()) / 2; i > 0; i -= 5) {
display.fillTriangle(
display.width() / 2 , display.height() / 2 - i,
display.width() / 2 - i, display.height() / 2 + i,
display.width() / 2 + i, display.height() / 2 + i, SSD1306_INVERSE);
display.display();
delay(1);
}
delay(2000);
}
Enjoy. More to come!
Paul Hoets is a freelance maker who lives in South Korea. If you liked this article and would like to contribute to his empire of dirt, silicon and tech. education, buy him a coffee!
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