I am making a flame detector involving a LCD and I cant seem to get the LCD portion working

Here is my code:

/*
  LiquidCrystal Library - Hello World

 Demonstrates the use a 16x2 LCD display.  The LiquidCrystal
 library works with all LCD displays that are compatible with the
 Hitachi HD44780 driver. There are many of them out there, and you
 can usually tell them by the 16-pin interface.

 This sketch prints "Hello World!" to the LCD
 and shows the time.

  The circuit:
 * LCD RS pin to digital pin 12
 * LCD Enable pin to digital pin 11
 * LCD D4 pin to digital pin 5
 * LCD D5 pin to digital pin 4
 * LCD D6 pin to digital pin 3
 * LCD D7 pin to digital pin 2
 * LCD R/W pin to ground
 * LCD VSS pin to ground
 * LCD VCC pin to 5V
 * 10K resistor:
 * ends to +5V and ground
 * wiper to LCD VO pin (pin 3)

 Library originally added 18 Apr 2008
 by David A. Mellis
 library modified 5 Jul 2009
 by Limor Fried (http://www.ladyada.net)
 example added 9 Jul 2009
 by Tom Igoe
 modified 22 Nov 2010
 by Tom Igoe
 modified 7 Nov 2016
 by Arturo Guadalupi

 This example code is in the public domain.

 https://docs.arduino.cc/learn/electronics/lcd-displays

*/

// include the library code:
#include <LiquidCrystal.h>

// initialize the library by associating any needed LCD interface pin
// with the arduino pin number it is connected to
const int rs = 12, en = 11, d4 = 5, d5 = 4, d6 = 3, d7 = 2;
LiquidCrystal lcd(rs, en, d4, d5, d6, d7);

void setup() {
  // set up the LCD's number of columns and rows:
  lcd.begin(16, 2);
  // Print a message to the LCD.
  lcd.print("hello, world!");
}

void loop() {
  // set the cursor to column 0, line 1
  // (note: line 1 is the second row, since counting begins with 0):
  lcd.setCursor(0, 1);
  // print the number of seconds since reset:
  lcd.print(millis() / 1000);
}

And this tutorial:
https://docs.arduino.cc/learn/electronics/lcd-displays/?queryID=d7903fb11d64ad3476d4769b1684afce

And what seems to be the problem? What isn't happening that you expect to happen?

Some LCDs have a contrast potentiometer at the back and if it's set to very low contrast, you won't see anything on the LCD.

If that's not it, then please share a link to the exact LCD you are using, which arduino, which LiquidCrystal.h library you picked (there are multiple with the same name) and a quick drawing on how you wired things up and how your system is powered.

Its Showing blocks but no text

that happens if the contrast potentiometer is all the way up...

again

https://docs.arduino.cc/libraries/liquidcrystal/

Maybe at least one of the following:

Breadboard with split power rails.
Potentiometer not wired correctly or other wiring error.
Using a board other than a Uno where the pin markings are not usable GPIO pins.
Header pins badly soldered on LCD with bridged or missing contacts.
Bad hardware.
Software not correctly loaded on MCU.

Show some good photographs of the circuit you have actually created yourself.

I’m not sure what lcd I’m using bought 2 years ago and have never used

can you post pictures ?

The picture is very blurry. It seems you did not solder the headers on the LCD. Did you?

Nah I don’t have a fin tip soldering iron

But are the headers soldered?? They need to be otherwise it won’t work.

Yep

OK.

Can you post a picture of the back of the LCD, in focus if possible ?

Ah the soldering job is really bad…it needs to be done again

I have this other one

That one looks better

Can you show the back of the LCD ?