M2TKLIB - A User-Interface-Toolkit for the Arduino Hardware

Using Arduino Displays
1

Hi All

I have released a first version of M2TKLIB, a graphical and character user interface library for the Arduino Environment.
M2TKLIB is portable und uses existing libraries to build menues and dialog boxes. Supported libraries are

  • LiquidCrystal (so M2TKLIB should work with any Character LCD which is supported by the LiquidCrystal library),
  • GLCDv3 Library,
  • DOGM128 Library.

Project URL: Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.

Please let us know

  • which output devices are working and not working,
  • what is missing (elements, output devices, touchpanel, docs, tutorials, examples, ...).

Oliver

2

Oliver,
I added a link to your library on the main glcd-arduino code page (it's there now) and I've also updated
the glcd library's included html documentation to include a link to it as well in a new "resources" section.
It will show up in the next glcd library release.

--- bill

3

Thanks,
A link to glcd-arduino is part if the install instructions (Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.)
Oliver

4

Created v1.01 for GLCD.
Includes "read-only" option for fields and a frequency generator (http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,66088.0.html)

Oliver

5

Very nice! I am going to try it on my displays!

6

Oliver,

Thanks for killing another one of my projects (no, really... I can get on with what I need to do rather than write yet another semi-custom form handler).

One thing that seems to be missing is a way to send input events to M2TLKLIB from e.g. an interrupt handler connected to a rotary encoder or a custom keypad matrix.

Here are a couple of tiny diffs that add an event source message that soft-presses any of the keys, so that platform-specific input handling code can be used instead of hard buttons. I've only added support for the message to the Arduino eventsource, but I'm sure it would be portable.

= Mike

--- ../orig/m2tklib/src/m2.h	2011-07-09 20:09:56.000000000 -0700
+++ m2tklib/src/m2.h	2011-07-09 20:01:03.000000000 -0700
@@ -712,6 +712,8 @@
 /* first call to the event source handler is this message */
 #define M2_ES_MSG_INIT 1
 
+/* events in this range are a request to soft-press M2_KEY_* (event - M2_ES_MSG_SET_KEY) */
+#define M2_ES_MSG_SET_KEY 100
 
 /*==============================================================*/
 uint8_t m2_nav_user_up(m2_nav_p nav) M2_NOINLINE;						/* m2usrupdn.c */
--- ../orig/m2tklib/dev/arduino/m2esarduino.c	2011-07-09 20:09:56.000000000 -0700
+++ m2tklib/src/m2esarduino.c	2011-07-09 20:08:57.000000000 -0700
@@ -32,6 +32,8 @@
 static uint8_t m2_arduino_check_key(uint8_t key) M2_NOINLINE;
 static uint8_t m2_arduino_get_key(void) M2_NOINLINE;
 
+static uint8_t m2_arduino_soft_keys;
+
 static void m2_arduino_setup_key(uint8_t key)
 {
   uint8_t pin;
@@ -65,10 +67,20 @@
 
 static uint8_t m2_arduino_get_key(void)
 {
+  uint8_t key;
+
   if ( m2_arduino_check_key(M2_KEY_SELECT) ) return M2_KEY_SELECT;
   if ( m2_arduino_check_key(M2_KEY_EXIT) ) return M2_KEY_EXIT;
   if ( m2_arduino_check_key(M2_KEY_NEXT) ) return M2_KEY_NEXT;
   if ( m2_arduino_check_key(M2_KEY_PREV) ) return M2_KEY_PREV;
+
+  for (key = 0; key <= M2_KEY_CNT; key++) {
+    if (m2_arduino_soft_keys & (1<<key)) {
+      m2_arduino_soft_keys &= ~(1<<key);
+      return M2_KEY_EVENT(key);
+    }
+  }
+
   return M2_KEY_NONE;
 }
 
@@ -83,6 +95,13 @@
       m2_arduino_setup();
       return 0;
   }
+  if (msg >= M2_ES_MSG_SET_KEY) {
+    msg -= M2_ES_MSG_SET_KEY;
+    if (msg <= M2_KEY_CNT) {
+      m2_arduino_soft_keys |= (1<<msg);
+    }
+  }
+
   return 0;
 }
7

Hi All

Version 1.02 has been released.
http://code.google.com/p/m2tklib/

  • New GLCD graphics handler with setFont() support
  • Bugfix for KEY_PREV
  • Display "." with M2_U32NUM
  • Documentation completed and updated
  • Read-only option (v1.01)

Thanks to MikeSmith for the bug reports and enhancement requests.

Oliver

8

New release v1.03 of M2tklib is available:
http://code.google.com/p/m2tklib/

It contains two new elements (widgets) and a scrollbar:

The new INFO and INFOP elements show a string (RAM or PROGMEM) with up to 254 lines. The scrollbar is also available:

The STRLIST element allows the selection of one line out of up to 254 lines:

The library is available for the dogm128 library, for the GLCDv3 library and the LiquidCrystal library. For the LiquidCrystal library, M2tklib redefines up to 4 characters to display a scrollbar:

Oliver

9

Hahaha! Good work! I had the info as text_area to align with Java names and I had scroll bar too. Both elements were big pains to debug for me I bet the same for you!

Here is my recent work: a serial LCD keypad panel

It also has a full size 20X4 cousin. They're both sold on inmojo.com

blog:

Arduino forum thread:

http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,72206.0.html

10

Ahh, yes, after a lot of debugging, i decided to write a SDL interface for the graphics output. So now i can debug most of the M2TKLIB code with classical unix tools (gdb and friends). Still the remaining (hardware dependent) software parts make me trouble enough: it took me some hours to make the character redefinition correct :~

Oliver

11

olikraus:
Ahh, yes, after a lot of debugging, i decided to write a SDL interface for the graphics output. So now i can debug most of the M2TKLIB code with classical unix tools (gdb and friends). Still the remaining (hardware dependent) software parts make me trouble enough: it took me some hours to make the character redefinition correct :~

Oliver

My biggest headache was integer math in the calculations. I realized that I was never used to it. Maybe should have taken a discrete math in college but too busy with other stuff and didn't taken any class from CSCI.

12

Hi

M2tklib has been updated to v1.05.

Project Home: Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.

At the moment, I have uploaded the GLCD version only. Please let me know, if there is need for the LiquidCrystal or dogm128 release.

Oliver

13

Hi All

Topic 1:

I have released M2tklib (Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.) for U8glib (http://code.google.com/p/u8glib/).

M2tklib builds menus and dialog windows on top of an existing graphics or
character library. Currently, M2tklib supports the following libraries:

  • Graphic LCDs:
    GLCDv3
    dogm128 lib
    U8glib

  • Character LCDs:
    LiquidCrystal
    DogLcd lib (send PM)

Other character LCD libraries could be added on request.

Dialog elements include: Radio Buttons, Toggle Button, Combo Box, Text Entry,
Number Entry, Push Buttons, Dynamic length menues, Scrollbar (also for character LCDs),
Container Widgets (Grid, XY-List, ...)

With U8glib as graphics subsystem, M2tklib can be used on a large number of
displays (Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.). This includes Adafruit
and DFRobot displays.

Topic 2: M2tklib for character LCDs

Related to the current discussion on character menues: I recently developed a small menu for a user in the international part of this forum: http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,99105.0.html
Here are some screenshots of the character version of M2tklib:

Main menu with four entries, focus on the first:

A single selection menu with scrollbar (the scrollbar is composed of 4 user defined characters with pixel exact resolution):

A simple number entry dialog, focus on the number:

Same dialog, focus on the ok button:

The source code for these dialog entry screens is very simple and portable betwen graphics and character LCDs.

Oliver

14

Great work! I posted some features of my library in the products forum. These are the features that need programming, other than just calling library functions.

http://arduino.cc/forum/index.php/topic,101503.0.html

15

Hello, I'm starting with this.
I'm testing the library and it seems to work great with GLCD

But I find the following difficulties.

M2_COMBO want the number of elements is dynamic from another variable to change at any time. For example from a configuration menu.
U8NUM (32) is the same with min and max value.

I miss an item type M2_DUMMY , that does not perform visual nothing but only to call a function.

That improvements could be made?

Thanks

16

Hi

M2_STRLIST with the "l" format option set to 1 could replace M2_COMBO. M2_STRLIST is more powerful and has a dynamic number of elements. Let me know if M2_STRLIST will be ok for your application.

I miss an item type M2_DUMMY , that does not perform visual nothing but only to call a function.

I do not fully understand this. You need something which does not display anything, but will call a function.
Maybe you can describe your desired application for this so that i get a better understanding for this. Also note that there is now an additional callback procedure which might help: Google Code Archive - Long-term storage for Google Code Project Hosting.

Oliver

17

Thanks, I will try your suggestions.
I will update the library (was with 1.08.1)

Thank's

18

I have added an issue on the project page to implement M2_COMBO with changeable number of elements. Hope this is what you have requested.
M2_STRLIST is close to your request, but maybe an improved M2_COMBO might be better.

Oliver

19

M2_STRLIST, ok the msg parameter and operation.
But he is in between of other elements, and I can not move to the next or previous item.

In COMBO would be interesting to know if the value of combo has changed by a msg in cb function.

setRootChangeCallback , i think not server:

m2_menu_entry m2_2lmenu_data[] = 
{
  { "Menu 1", NULL },
  { "Menu 2", NULL },
  { "Execute", &top_el_dummy },
  { NULL, NULL },
};

void dummy_fn(m2_el_fnarg_p fnarg)
{
  arr = (TimeAlarmsClass *) malloc(sizeof(TimeAlarmsClass) * 10);
  for(int i = 0; i < 10; i++)
	Serial.println(arr[i].getTriggeredAlarmId());
        digitalWrite(RL1,ON);
	delay (1000);
	digitalWrite(RL1,OFF);

	m2.setRoot(&m2_null_element);
}

M2_BUTTON(top_el_dummy,NULL,"CONFIRMAR",dummy_fn);

From a menu item. I want to execute a function
It is made with a button but I do not want to use the button.
I need an item that does not show anything and know that the menu item was who called

Thanks very much by the interest

Best Regards

20

Hi

M2_STRLIST: Yes, M2_STRLIST is more like a toplevel element and is difficult to use in between other elements.
I will add a more flexible M2_COMBO with dynamic number of elements.

In COMBO would be interesting to know if the value of combo has changed by a msg in cb function.

There is no value change callback. Instead you can observe the value, which is modified by M2_COMBO

uint8_t var_for_m2_combo;  // adr of this var is given to M2_COMBO
uint8_t prev_value;             // this is a backup value to detect changes by M2_COMBO
...
void loop(void)
{
   ...
   if ( prev_value != var_for_m2_combo )
  {
     // value has changed, do some action
    ...
    prev_value = var_for_m2_combo;
  }
}

From a menu item. I want to execute a function

With M2_2LMENU you can only call other menus. Use M2_STRLIST, which allows you to call other menues or execute procedures.

BTW: You should free the allocated memory in your callback proc.

Oliver