HI at 55 I am back to school with coding, I did get really good with BASIC back in the 19080's, but this is all really new to me and 'you're never too old to learn'.
I decide to try my hand with an Arduino UNO and a Mega, I have purchased through Amazon a 3,5" touchscreen shield
however I have spent the last 2 day just trying to get it to display anything !!!
Can anyone offer some advice please
Help us help you.
A possible library to use Waveshare ILI9486 - Arduino Reference. When you try the library examples did they work?
Many thanks for the pointers.
here is the Sketch (from the Examples library) I have uploaded to a Brand New Arduino Mega
'''
// IMPORTANT: Adafruit_TFTLCD LIBRARY MUST BE SPECIFICALLY
// CONFIGURED FOR EITHER THE TFT SHIELD OR THE BREAKOUT BOARD.
// SEE RELEVANT COMMENTS IN Adafruit_TFTLCD.h FOR SETUP.
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h> // Core graphics library
#include <Adafruit_TFTLCD.h> // Hardware-specific library
// The control pins for the LCD can be assigned to any digital or
// analog pins...but we'll use the analog pins as this allows us to
// double up the pins with the touch screen (see the TFT paint example).
#define LCD_CS A3 // Chip Select goes to Analog 3
#define LCD_RS A2 // Command/Data goes to Analog 2
#define LCD_WR A1 // LCD Write goes to Analog 1
#define LCD_RD A0 // LCD Read goes to Analog 0
#define LCD_RESET A4 // Can alternately just connect to Arduino's reset pin
// When using the BREAKOUT BOARD only, use these 8 data lines to the LCD:
// For the Arduino Uno, Duemilanove, Diecimila, etc.:
// D0 connects to digital pin 8 (Notice these are
// D1 connects to digital pin 9 NOT in order!)
// D2 connects to digital pin 2
// D3 connects to digital pin 3
// D4 connects to digital pin 4
// D5 connects to digital pin 5
// D6 connects to digital pin 6
// D7 connects to digital pin 7
// For the Arduino Mega, use digital pins 22 through 29
// (on the 2-row header at the end of the board).
// Assign human-readable names to some common 16-bit color values:
#define BLACK 0x0000
#define BLUE 0x001F
#define RED 0xF800
#define GREEN 0x07E0
#define CYAN 0x07FF
#define MAGENTA 0xF81F
#define YELLOW 0xFFE0
#define WHITE 0xFFFF
Adafruit_TFTLCD tft(LCD_CS, LCD_RS, LCD_WR, LCD_RD, LCD_RESET);
// If using the shield, all control and data lines are fixed, and
// a simpler declaration can optionally be used:
// Adafruit_TFTLCD tft;
void setup(void) {
Serial.begin(9600);
Serial.println(F("TFT LCD test"));
#ifdef USE_ADAFRUIT_SHIELD_PINOUT
Serial.println(F("Using Adafruit 2.8\" TFT Arduino Shield Pinout"));
#else
Serial.println(F("Using Adafruit 2.8\" TFT Breakout Board Pinout"));
#endif
Serial.print("TFT size is "); Serial.print(tft.width()); Serial.print("x"); Serial.println(tft.height());
tft.reset();
uint16_t identifier = tft.readID();
if(identifier == 0x9325) {
Serial.println(F("Found ILI9325 LCD driver"));
} else if(identifier == 0x9328) {
Serial.println(F("Found ILI9328 LCD driver"));
} else if(identifier == 0x7575) {
Serial.println(F("Found HX8347G LCD driver"));
} else if(identifier == 0x9341) {
Serial.println(F("Found ILI9341 LCD driver"));
} else if(identifier == 0x8357) {
Serial.println(F("Found HX8357D LCD driver"));
} else {
Serial.print(F("Unknown LCD driver chip: "));
Serial.println(identifier, HEX);
Serial.println(F("If using the Adafruit 2.8\" TFT Arduino shield, the line:"));
Serial.println(F(" #define USE_ADAFRUIT_SHIELD_PINOUT"));
Serial.println(F("should appear in the library header (Adafruit_TFT.h)."));
Serial.println(F("If using the breakout board, it should NOT be #defined!"));
Serial.println(F("Also if using the breakout, double-check that all wiring"));
Serial.println(F("matches the tutorial."));
return;
}
tft.begin(identifier);
Serial.println(F("Benchmark Time (microseconds)"));
Serial.print(F("Screen fill "));
Serial.println(testFillScreen());
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Text "));
Serial.println(testText());
delay(3000);
Serial.print(F("Lines "));
Serial.println(testLines(CYAN));
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Horiz/Vert Lines "));
Serial.println(testFastLines(RED, BLUE));
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Rectangles (outline) "));
Serial.println(testRects(GREEN));
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Rectangles (filled) "));
Serial.println(testFilledRects(YELLOW, MAGENTA));
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Circles (filled) "));
Serial.println(testFilledCircles(10, MAGENTA));
Serial.print(F("Circles (outline) "));
Serial.println(testCircles(10, WHITE));
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Triangles (outline) "));
Serial.println(testTriangles());
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Triangles (filled) "));
Serial.println(testFilledTriangles());
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Rounded rects (outline) "));
Serial.println(testRoundRects());
delay(500);
Serial.print(F("Rounded rects (filled) "));
Serial.println(testFilledRoundRects());
delay(500);
Serial.println(F("Done!"));
}
void loop(void) {
for(uint8_t rotation=0; rotation<4; rotation++) {
tft.setRotation(rotation);
testText();
delay(2000);
}
}
unsigned long testFillScreen() {
unsigned long start = micros();
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
tft.fillScreen(RED);
tft.fillScreen(GREEN);
tft.fillScreen(BLUE);
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testText() {
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
unsigned long start = micros();
tft.setCursor(0, 0);
tft.setTextColor(WHITE); tft.setTextSize(1);
tft.println("Hello World!");
tft.setTextColor(YELLOW); tft.setTextSize(2);
tft.println(1234.56);
tft.setTextColor(RED); tft.setTextSize(3);
tft.println(0xDEADBEEF, HEX);
tft.println();
tft.setTextColor(GREEN);
tft.setTextSize(5);
tft.println("Groop");
tft.setTextSize(2);
tft.println("I implore thee,");
tft.setTextSize(1);
tft.println("my foonting turlingdromes.");
tft.println("And hooptiously drangle me");
tft.println("with crinkly bindlewurdles,");
tft.println("Or I will rend thee");
tft.println("in the gobberwarts");
tft.println("with my blurglecruncheon,");
tft.println("see if I don't!");
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testLines(uint16_t color) {
unsigned long start, t;
int x1, y1, x2, y2,
w = tft.width(),
h = tft.height();
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
x1 = y1 = 0;
y2 = h - 1;
start = micros();
for(x2=0; x2<w; x2+=6) tft.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, color);
x2 = w - 1;
for(y2=0; y2<h; y2+=6) tft.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, color);
t = micros() - start; // fillScreen doesn't count against timing
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
x1 = w - 1;
y1 = 0;
y2 = h - 1;
start = micros();
for(x2=0; x2<w; x2+=6) tft.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, color);
x2 = 0;
for(y2=0; y2<h; y2+=6) tft.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, color);
t += micros() - start;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
x1 = 0;
y1 = h - 1;
y2 = 0;
start = micros();
for(x2=0; x2<w; x2+=6) tft.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, color);
x2 = w - 1;
for(y2=0; y2<h; y2+=6) tft.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, color);
t += micros() - start;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
x1 = w - 1;
y1 = h - 1;
y2 = 0;
start = micros();
for(x2=0; x2<w; x2+=6) tft.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, color);
x2 = 0;
for(y2=0; y2<h; y2+=6) tft.drawLine(x1, y1, x2, y2, color);
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testFastLines(uint16_t color1, uint16_t color2) {
unsigned long start;
int x, y, w = tft.width(), h = tft.height();
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
start = micros();
for(y=0; y<h; y+=5) tft.drawFastHLine(0, y, w, color1);
for(x=0; x<w; x+=5) tft.drawFastVLine(x, 0, h, color2);
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testRects(uint16_t color) {
unsigned long start;
int n, i, i2,
cx = tft.width() / 2,
cy = tft.height() / 2;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
n = min(tft.width(), tft.height());
start = micros();
for(i=2; i<n; i+=6) {
i2 = i / 2;
tft.drawRect(cx-i2, cy-i2, i, i, color);
}
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testFilledRects(uint16_t color1, uint16_t color2) {
unsigned long start, t = 0;
int n, i, i2,
cx = tft.width() / 2 - 1,
cy = tft.height() / 2 - 1;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
n = min(tft.width(), tft.height());
for(i=n; i>0; i-=6) {
i2 = i / 2;
start = micros();
tft.fillRect(cx-i2, cy-i2, i, i, color1);
t += micros() - start;
// Outlines are not included in timing results
tft.drawRect(cx-i2, cy-i2, i, i, color2);
}
return t;
}
unsigned long testFilledCircles(uint8_t radius, uint16_t color) {
unsigned long start;
int x, y, w = tft.width(), h = tft.height(), r2 = radius * 2;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
start = micros();
for(x=radius; x<w; x+=r2) {
for(y=radius; y<h; y+=r2) {
tft.fillCircle(x, y, radius, color);
}
}
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testCircles(uint8_t radius, uint16_t color) {
unsigned long start;
int x, y, r2 = radius * 2,
w = tft.width() + radius,
h = tft.height() + radius;
// Screen is not cleared for this one -- this is
// intentional and does not affect the reported time.
start = micros();
for(x=0; x<w; x+=r2) {
for(y=0; y<h; y+=r2) {
tft.drawCircle(x, y, radius, color);
}
}
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testTriangles() {
unsigned long start;
int n, i, cx = tft.width() / 2 - 1,
cy = tft.height() / 2 - 1;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
n = min(cx, cy);
start = micros();
for(i=0; i<n; i+=5) {
tft.drawTriangle(
cx , cy - i, // peak
cx - i, cy + i, // bottom left
cx + i, cy + i, // bottom right
tft.color565(0, 0, i));
}
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testFilledTriangles() {
unsigned long start, t = 0;
int i, cx = tft.width() / 2 - 1,
cy = tft.height() / 2 - 1;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
start = micros();
for(i=min(cx,cy); i>10; i-=5) {
start = micros();
tft.fillTriangle(cx, cy - i, cx - i, cy + i, cx + i, cy + I,
tft.color565(0, i, i));
t += micros() - start;
tft.drawTriangle(cx, cy - i, cx - i, cy + i, cx + i, cy + I,
tft.color565(i, i, 0));
}
return t;
}
unsigned long testRoundRects() {
unsigned long start;
int w, i, i2,
cx = tft.width() / 2 - 1,
cy = tft.height() / 2 - 1;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
w = min(tft.width(), tft.height());
start = micros();
for(i=0; i<w; i+=6) {
i2 = i / 2;
tft.drawRoundRect(cx-i2, cy-i2, i, i, i/8, tft.color565(i, 0, 0));
}
return micros() - start;
}
unsigned long testFilledRoundRects() {
unsigned long start;
int i, i2,
cx = tft.width() / 2 - 1,
cy = tft.height() / 2 - 1;
tft.fillScreen(BLACK);
start = micros();
for(i=min(tft.width(), tft.height()); i>20; i-=6) {
i2 = i / 2;
tft.fillRoundRect(cx-i2, cy-i2, i, i, i/8, tft.color565(0, i, 0));
}
return micros() - start;
}
'''
as you can see the screen lights up when powered and with the sketch uploaded the screen flickers
Why is a USB connector being used to connect the MCU to the display? It looks like the display is a HAT/shield and can be plugged into the proper MCU pins.
Looks like the Bodmer's TFT library has been found to work well with this display.
It might be of help to read through the Amazon comments as well as utilizing the sellers
offer to help.
That's all I got for you.
Welcome
Your topic has been moved to a more suitable location on the forum. Installation and Troubleshooting is not for problems with (nor for advice on) your project 
See About the Installation & Troubleshooting category.
many thank for your advice and assistance, I shall get in contact with the to see if they are able to offer any help.
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