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[on:]

an Itead with the UTFT libraries, is it possible to add a vector value to the X/Y print and draw functions in the UTFT library. Perhaps by using a set of co-ordinates centered and using a +/- value for each to move the displayed data around. I wonder what it would take to make the locations responsive to printing/drawing on a changeable axis. I have one of the displays working well with a mega and a nearly full weather station and GPS clock and I'd like to page menu's for touch input access and control moving them from Icons to full screen and back...?

Bob

[Reply #1 on:]

Sounds like the job for some MCU with enough memory can do. Unless the display has on board memory to do moves, arduino will have to store a buffer of the background of the entire screen, buffers for vector graphs or sprites and be able to move these sprites around and restore background so the move won't leave the background full of garbage. Apple ][ was able to do sprites but it had up to 64KB memory for such things. You could try Rugged Circuit's QuadRAM to boost your Arduino MEGA to 512KB memory but you have to have a MEGA to use the QuadRAM.

[Reply #2 on:]

I think I didn't do a good job of posing the question, my intent wasn't sprites... but the ability to move a block of print information by changing this statement:
myGLCD.printNumF(VarX.X,2,64 ,48); where the numbers are number of digits after the Dec point (2) and 64, 48 refer to the column and row for locating the message being printed, in this case a floating point number. What I had thought to do was "myGLCD.printNumF(VarX.X,2,64 + x,48 + y); and to be able to move the print location by changing X and Y, perhaps from a table located in a menu function so as to change the 'focus' of the function to center or just to move it... One at a time, the active one only, perhaps to make room for an additional data frame or command frame neft to the central status display frame. Menu choices will be touch sensed it at all possible. I have all my basic information working now GLCD, GPS clock baro temp and R.H. and from there choices can be made about lights in the room, music from and to and fans and motorized windows for temperature control,,, and several other things... yet to be, security,. It would be nice to do a bblock move that way because the information could be part of the menu. I do hope I cleared up my intent and goal.

Bob

[Reply #3 on:]

Can you do a loop to increment the x and refresh at a rate of say 5 per second? You will have to consider the mess you leave behind so a plain background is best. You first fill the number with background, then print the number in a new location, delay, then do it again until the numbers at finally at the right spot, if you want animation.

[Reply #4 on:]

From my original post to now I've figured out that I can draw a filled box and then supply the vector or better, location information and just print on a clean background. I hadn't intended it for more than a means of creating a simpler graphical menuing system for a touch screen display. More a swap screen idea than an actual graphics machine. Ex.1 set  "screens" to 0,0 location or to an "offscreen" location and refresh the co-ordinates for the desired display data; Clock, Lighting via X10 control and Control for a proposed entertainment control block to control source and destination of radio and television. I will be using a series of graphics co-ordinated via the touch screen to link the control modules to the touch screen... All when I get the rest of the module code completed. X10 is next followed by a 3208 2 panel room display for time, date and temp. I have 2 Sure  3208 modules and I haven't completely decided whether to use them or build new ones based on MAX7219's and some red/green 8X8 displays I own. I have all the parts for either instance. I just haven't yet figured out how to use the second color and until I can figure out a way to do so the room display is still very much in the planning stage... All of this will be controlled from the graphics screen.

Bob