LCD library

[F6EEQ]

Hello you who are already mastering the beast!!!!!

 

I would like to begin a small project with the ZPuino and I have several questions.

 

If I understand correctly, I must load the ZPU bootloader first, then the ZPU program written on the ARDUINO IDE, and then the VHDL sketch.

 

My idea is to set-up a LCD display with ZPU (2 lines 80 characters) and to write some text depending upon the position of a/several switch(es) from the LS wing and/or light some LEDS. This will allow me to interface VHDL and ZPU program.

 

Does the ZPU IDE accept the ARDUINO LCD functions? Of course adapted to the right GPIO.

 

If I link directly a GPIO "pin" with a PPro physical pin, do I need to have a minimum UCF and VHDL sketch?

 

Sorry to ask those questions, but the tutorials are not very precise.

 

I would like to let beginners like me take advantage of my experience. Is there a way to write in detail what I did, without overusing this forum? May be in the new "learning site"?

 

Thanks a lot to all.

[F6EEQ]

Well,

 

I should have tried better!!!

 

I succeeded to blink a led on my LS with ZPUino. That's a first step

 

I've still a question:

I was unable to use the configuration "ZPUino 2 on PPro" because it was impossible to download the initialisation sequence.

It worked only with ZP1 variant Vanilla (I did not try Hyperion).

 

For info, a copy of the error: as appeared in the lower window of the IDE with ZP2

 

java.lang.NullPointerException
    at java.util.HashMap.putAll(HashMap.java:498)
    at processing.app.debug.BasicUploader.burnBootloader(BasicUploader.java:295)
    at processing.app.Editor$47.run(Editor.java:2540)
    at java.awt.event.InvocationEvent.dispatch(InvocationEvent.java:209)
    at java.awt.EventQueue.dispatchEvent(EventQueue.java:597)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpOneEventForFilters(EventDispatchThread.java:269)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForFilter(EventDispatchThread.java:184)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEventsForHierarchy(EventDispatchThread.java:174)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:169)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.pumpEvents(EventDispatchThread.java:161)
    at java.awt.EventDispatchThread.run(EventDispatchThread.java:122)
 

[RorschachUK]

Hi,  check to make sure that in the Tools / Programmer menu, 'Papilio Programmer' is the selected programmer?

 

Also, if you pick the Hyperion variant for LogicStart and LX9, there's examples included for outputting LCD 16x2 text to a 'virtual' LCD on a VGA screen, via a drop-in replacement for the Arduino LiquidCrystal.h library.

[F6EEQ]

Programmer is OK, and I do not wish to use VGA!!!

 

I'd like to have some kind of standalone project, and so VGA and screen are banned!!

 

Thanks anyway.

[Jack Gassett]

Hello,

 

This might help you get started:

http://papilio.cc/index.php?n=Papilio.VGALiquidCrystalDemo

 

It is the library to simulate a LCD module over VGA, but all examples started with the LCD module and it should be as simple as changing the following line in this example code:

Invaders Simple

 

Comment out the line that initializes the VGALiquidCrystal:

//VGALiquidCrystal lcd(14, 13, 12, 11, 10, 9, 8);

Instead uncomment and use the line that initializes a standard LiquidCrystal device:

// initialize the library with the numbers of the interface pins:LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2);

Be sure to refer to the LiquidCrystal reference page and connect the pins of the LCD to the Papilio and adjust the pin numbers in the line of code above according to how you have your LCD module connected.

 

Also, don't forget about the contrast pin, if you leave it floating you might be driving everything correctly but the display will be too light to see anything.

 

Hope that helps,
Jack.

[F6EEQ]

Thanks Jack.

 

Hopefully a rainy week-end is forecasted, and I will have plenty of time to try this.