I've ordered a 4 digit led display from ebay because it was cheap and looked cool 
haha.. But I'm a bit clueless about how to use it. I'm able to show numbers, but the 4 digits show the same number/symbol..
I have hooked the digit led display to my arduino (it's a common anode display).
I just seem to be unable to have 4 different numbers, as all 4 numbers are always the same.
here is my code
-- Controlpin is the positive pin from the arduino, actually doesn't need any control but it's just in order to give power to the LED.
the pins of my display are like this
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I've called them
A B C D E F
G H I J K L
in order to make it easier for myself and defined them in variables (corresponding pin).
char controlPin = 13;
char a = 12;
char b = 11;
char e = 10;
char g = 9;
char h = 8;
//char i = 7;
char j = 7;
char k = 6;
void setup()
{
int i = 0;
pinMode(controlPin, OUTPUT);
digitalWrite(controlPin, HIGH);
for(i = 12; i >= 6; i--)
pinMode(i, OUTPUT);
for(i = 12; i >= 6; i--)
digitalWrite(i, LOW); //low is ground -- current can flow through! common anode
delay(500);
for(i = 12; i >= 6; i--)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH);
}
void loop()
{
randomShow(50);
randomShow(70);
countUp();
randomShow(50);
randomShow(70);
countDown();
randomShow(50);
randomShow(70);
randomShow(50);
countUp();
countDown();
//randomShowInvert(50);
}
void countUp()
{
showZero();
delay(1000);
showOne();
delay(1000);
showTwo();
delay(1000);
showThree();
delay(1000);
showFour();
delay(1000);
showFive();
delay(1000);
showSix();
delay(1000);
showSeven();
delay(1000);
showEight();
delay(1000);
showNine();
delay(1000);
}
void countDown()
{
showNine();
delay(1000);
showEight();
delay(1000);
showSeven();
delay(1000);
showSix();
delay(1000);
showFive();
delay(1000);
showFour();
delay(1000);
showThree();
delay(1000);
showTwo();
delay(1000);
showOne();
delay(1000);
showZero();
delay(1000);
}
void randomShow(int time)
{
int i = 0;
for(i = 12; i >= 6; i--)
{
digitalWrite(i, LOW); //All off
if(i < 10)
digitalWrite(i+2, LOW);
if(i > 8)
digitalWrite(i-2, LOW);
delay(time);
digitalWrite(i, HIGH);
if(i < 10)
digitalWrite(i+2, HIGH);
if(i > 8)
digitalWrite(i-2, HIGH);
delay(time);
}
}
void realRandomShow(int time)
{
int i = 0, rander;
for(i = 12; i >= 6; i--)
{
digitalWrite(i, LOW); //All off
//Get a rand() that does not exceed limits
rander = 0;
rander = (rand() % 7) + 6;
while(rander == i)
rander = (rand() % 7) + 6;
if(i < 10)
// digitalWrite(i+2, LOW);
digitalWrite(i+(rander %2), LOW);
if(i > 8)
// digitalWrite(i-2, LOW);
digitalWrite(i-(rander % 2), LOW);
delay(time);
digitalWrite(i, HIGH);
if(i < 10)
// digitalWrite(i+2, LOW);
digitalWrite(i+(rander %2), HIGH);
if(i > 8)
// digitalWrite(i-2, LOW);
digitalWrite(i-(rander % 2), HIGH);
delay(time);
}
/* for(i = 12; i >= 6; i--)
{
digitalWrite(i, LOW);
delay(time);
}*/
}
void randomShowInvert(int time)
{
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
delay(time);
}
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
{
digitalWrite(i, LOW);
delay(time);
}
}
void showZero()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// ABEJHG
digitalWrite(a, LOW);
digitalWrite(b, LOW);
digitalWrite(e, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
digitalWrite(h, LOW);
digitalWrite(g, LOW);
}
void showOne()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// E, J on
digitalWrite(e, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
}
void showTwo()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// A, E, K, G, H
digitalWrite(a, LOW);
digitalWrite(e, LOW);
digitalWrite(k, LOW);
digitalWrite(g, LOW);
digitalWrite(h, LOW);
}
void showThree()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// A, E, K, J, H
digitalWrite(a, LOW);
digitalWrite(e, LOW);
digitalWrite(k, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
digitalWrite(h, LOW);
}
void showFour()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// BKEJ
digitalWrite(b, LOW);
digitalWrite(k, LOW);
digitalWrite(e, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
}
void showFive()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// ABKJH
digitalWrite(a, LOW);
digitalWrite(b, LOW);
digitalWrite(k, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
digitalWrite(h, LOW);
}
void showSix()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// A, E, K, J, H, H
digitalWrite(a, LOW);
digitalWrite(b, LOW);
digitalWrite(k, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
digitalWrite(h, LOW);
digitalWrite(g, LOW);
}
void showSeven()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// A, E, J
digitalWrite(a, LOW);
digitalWrite(e, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
}
void showEight()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// A,B E, K, J, H G
digitalWrite(a, LOW);
digitalWrite(b, LOW);
digitalWrite(e, LOW);
digitalWrite(k, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
digitalWrite(h, LOW);
digitalWrite(g, LOW);
}
void showNine()
{
//Turn all others off
int i = 0;
for(i = 0; i <= 12; i++)
digitalWrite(i, HIGH); //All off
// A,B E, K, J, H
digitalWrite(a, LOW);
digitalWrite(b, LOW);
digitalWrite(e, LOW);
digitalWrite(k, LOW);
digitalWrite(j, LOW);
digitalWrite(h, LOW);
}
All of above works, but all 4 digits do the same.. I don't see how I would make other digits do other things since there are only 12 pins? Hmm :/..
Thanks for the help!