20x4 i2c lcd display arduino code factory
Including
Yes, the IDE may still compile the LiquidCrystal_I2C library (if it happens to be installed) but the sketch should use NewLiquidCrystal for the LiquidCrystal_I2C class due to the way the IDE builds the -I include paths.
In this situation, if it isn"t already working, looking at or attempting to use the bundled LiquidCrystal_I2c i/o class example is useless since it uses a default constructor with no pin mappings. When no pin mappings are specified, the library will default to the pin mappings for fm"s LCD xio "backpack" which nobody will have and is a different pin mapping from any of the backpacks that are sold on places like amazon, e-bay, bangGood, etc....
For those that don"t know how to fill in the constructor for the newLiquidCrystal LiquidCrystal_I2C object, my suggestion is to use the hd44780 library instead as it is easier to use since it can figure out i2c address and pin mappings so all the examples should "just work" out of the box and sketch code can use a simple / generic constructor to use the self configuration capabilities of the hd44780_I2Cexp i/o class.
On previous tutorials on our website, we have covered the use of several displays, LCDs, and TFTs, with diverse Arduino boards. From Nokia 5110 LCD display to different types of OLEDs, the reason for the tutorials has been to ensure that, as a reader, you know how to use many of the most popular displays so this help you make the best choice when trying to select the perfect display for your project. For today’s tutorial, we will continue in that line and examine how to use the 20×4 I2C Character LCD Display with Arduino.
The 20×4 LCD display is essentially a bigger (increased number of rows and columns) version of the 16×2 LCD display with which we have built several projects. The display has room to display 20 columns of characters on 4 rows which makes it perfect for displaying a large amount of text without scrolling. Each of the columns has a resolution of 5×8 pixels which ensures its visibility from a substantial distance. Asides its size, the interesting thing about this version of the display being used for today’s tutorial is the fact that it communicates via I2C, which means we will only require 2 wires asides GND and VCC to connect the display to the Arduino. This is possible via the Parallel to I2C module coupled to the display as shown in picture below. The I2C module can also be bought individually, and coupled to the 16 pins version of the display.
To demonstrate how to use this display, we will build a real-time clock which will display date and time on the LCD. To generate and keep track of date and time, we will use the DS3231 Real time clock. We covered the use of the DS3231 RTC module in the tutorial on DS3231 based Real-time Clock, you can check it out to learn more about its use with the Arduino.
The exact component used for this tutorial can be bought via the links attached and the power bank is only required to run the Arduino when not connected to the computer. You can replace this with a 9V battery and a center-positive power jack.
Since the display and the real-time clock are both I2C devices, they will be connected to the same pins on the Arduino. For the Arduino Uno, the I2C pins are located on Pin A5 (SCL) and A4 (SDA). This may differ on any of the other Arduino boards. Connect the components as shown in the schematics below;
To write the code for this project, we will use three main libraries; the DS1307 Library to easily interface with the DS3231 module, the liquid crystal I2C library to easily interface with the LCD display, and the Wire library for I2C communication. While the Wire library comes built into the Arduino IDE, the other two libraries can be downloaded and installed via the links attached to them.
As mentioned during the introduction, our task for today is to obtain time and date information from the RTC module and display on the LCD. As usual, I will do a breakdown of the code and try to explain some of the concepts within it that may be difficult to understand.
We start the code by including the libraries that will be used. After which we create an object of the Liquid crystal library, with the I2C address of the LCD as an argument. The I2C address can be obtained from the seller or as described in our tutorial on using the 16×2 LCD display to ESP32.
Next, we create a set of variables which comprises of byte arrays that represent custom characters to be created and displayed. The custom characters are usually 5pixels in width and 8 pixels in height, representing each box in the rows or columns of the LCD. The byte array represents which pixels of the box to be turned on or off.
Next, we write the void setup function and start by initializing the library using the lcd.begin() function, with the first argument representing the number of columns, and the second argument representing the number of rows. After this, the CreateCustomCharacters() function is called to convert the char variables created above into characters that can be displayed on the LCD. One of the characters created is then used to create a UI/frame which is displayed using the printFrame() function.
The first function is the printTime() which breaks down the time data stored in the “tm” variable to extract seconds, minutes and hour values. These values are then displayed on the LCD using the lcd.print() function.
The printDate function is similar to the printTime function. It extracts date information from the variable tm and uses the lcd.print() function to display it.
The printFrame() function, on the other hand, was used to create a sort of user interface for the project. it makes use of the characters created above. Each of the custom characters created is displayed using the lcd.write(byte(x)) function with x being the character number of the character to be displayed. The characters are positioned on the LCD using the lcd.setCursor() function which takes numbers representing the column and row on which the character is to be displayed, as arguments.
As usual, go over the schematics to be sure everything is connected as it should be, then connect the Arduino board to your PC and upload the code to it. Ensure all the libraries have been installed to avoid errors.
Different projects, come with different screen requirements. If you need to display a large amount of information and the size is not a constraint, the 20×4 I2C display is definitely one of the options you should consider.
I2C_LCD is an easy-to-use display module, It can make display easier. Using it can reduce the difficulty of make, so that makers can focus on the core of the work.
We developed the Arduino library for I2C_LCD, user just need a few lines of the code can achieve complex graphics and text display features. It can replace the serial monitor of Arduino in some place, you can get running informations without a computer.
More than that, we also develop the dedicated picture data convert software (bitmap converter)now is available to support PC platform of windows, Linux, Mac OS. Through the bitmap convert software you can get your favorite picture displayed on I2C_LCD, without the need for complex programming.
Select the board: Click Tools > Board > "Arduino Duemilanove or Diecimila"(Seeeduino V3.0 Or early version), "Arduino Uno"(Seeeduino Lotus or Seeeduino V4.0).
I have a student group who is attempting to integrate this LCD into their project. It"s almost certainly an issue with the code, but they are experiencing a truncation of strings that are printed to the screen, specifically when strings are longer than 30 characters.
For context, they are using the Qwic connection, using the Wire library to communicate with the screen via I2C. The long strings are successfully wrapped from the first 20-character-long line down to the second line, but as I said, strings are consistently truncated to 30 characters (cutting off in the middle of the second row)...
This article includes everything you need to know about using acharacter I2C LCD with Arduino. I have included a wiring diagram and many example codes to help you get started.
In the second half, I will go into more detail on how to display custom characters and how you can use the other functions of the LiquidCrystal_I2C library.
Once you know how to display text and numbers on the LCD, I suggest you take a look at the articles below. In these tutorials, you will learn how to measure and display sensor data on the LCD.
Each rectangle is made up of a grid of 5×8 pixels. Later in this tutorial, I will show you how you can control the individual pixels to display custom characters on the LCD.
They all use the same HD44780 Hitachi LCD controller, so you can easily swap them. You will only need to change the size specifications in your Arduino code.
The 16×2 and 20×4 datasheets include the dimensions of the LCD and you can find more information about the Hitachi LCD driver in the HD44780 datasheet.
Note that an Arduino Uno with the R3 layout (1.0 pinout) also has the SDA (data line) and SCL (clock line) pin headers close to the AREF pin. Check the table below for more details.
After you have wired up the LCD, you will need to adjust the contrast of the display. On the I2C module, you will find a potentiometer that you can turn with a small screwdriver.
The LiquidCrystal_I2C library works in combination with the Wire.h library which allows you to communicate with I2C devices. This library comes pre-installed with the Arduino IDE.
To install this library, go to Tools > Manage Libraries (Ctrl + Shift + I on Windows) in the Arduino IDE. The Library Manager will open and update the list of installed libraries.
*When using the latest version of the LiquidCrystal_I2C library it is no longer needed to include the wire.h library in your sketch. The other library imports wire.h automatically.
Note that counting starts at 0 and the first argument specifies the column. So lcd.setCursor(2,1) sets the cursor on the third column and the second row.
Next the string ‘Hello World!’ is printed with lcd.print("Hello World!"). Note that you need to place quotation marks (” “) around the text since we are printing a text string.
The example sketch above shows you the basics of displaying text on the LCD. Now we will take a look at the other functions of the LiquidCrystal_I2C library.
This function turns on automatic scrolling of the LCD. This causes each character output to the display to push previous characters over by one space.
If the current text direction is left-to-right (the default), the display scrolls to the left, if the current direction is right-to-left, the display scrolls to the right.
I would love to know what projects you plan on building (or have already built) with these LCDs. If you have any questions, suggestions or if you think that things are missing in this tutorial, please leave a comment down below.
The LCD has always been a device that acts as a window in human-computer interaction. For example, the prompt window on some instrument devices, the temperature and humidity prompt box, the device running status monitor, and the prompt screen of the counting device all have LCD figures.
It is a high-performance serial bus with bus rules and high-speed or low-speed device synchronization required for multi-master systems. The I2C bus has only two bidirectional signal lines, a serial data line (SDA) and a serial clock line (SCL).
Ms.Josey 
Ms.Josey