Sketch freezes shortly after starting on pcb

I have created some custom PCBs that are basically a nano with a switch, optoisolator and ssd1306 OLED interface.

I have successfully used a nano as ISP to install a bootloader. next tried uploadeing the Adafruit ssd1306 example sketch to test the board works but..

This is where everything freezes, the Adafruit logo displays on the screen and the rest of the display example doesn't appear(normally displaying changing geometry). Ontop of this, if i disconnect the target PCB from ISP and power it on its own, nothing happens at all.

If it was a short on my pcb i would expect the board to reset so im unsure its that, perhaps its a fault in my Bootloader burn? I have treated my pcb as a nano board and burned it as such with defaults.
Im stuck at this point and feel im already stretching my ability with standalone pcb/atmega.

Can anyone suggest paths for a solution?

KInd regards

  • Show us good images of your actual wiring.

This isnt a homemade pcb, It was manufactured and assembled by JLC based on this circuit diagram. Do you want pictures of the board itself? is that helpful?

  • Images of the board’s wire connections to devices, power supply . . .

  • In the Arduino IDE, use Ctrl T or CMD T to format your code then copy the complete sketch.
    Use the < CODE / > icon from the ‘posting menu’ to attach the copied sketch.


To explain the jumper wires in the photo- the one over the chip is to bridge the two unintentionally isolated GND sides of the board.
The other was to correct a mistake i made and connect ISP to SCK. Mistake was that the original OBP interface went to SCL.

OLED test code is below from ssd1306 examples-

/**************************************************************************
 This is an example for our Monochrome OLEDs based on SSD1306 drivers

 Pick one up today in the adafruit shop!
 ------> http://www.adafruit.com/category/63_98

 This example is for a 128x32 pixel display using I2C to communicate
 3 pins are required to interface (two I2C and one reset).

 Adafruit invests time and resources providing this open
 source code, please support Adafruit and open-source
 hardware by purchasing products from Adafruit!

 Written by Limor Fried/Ladyada for Adafruit Industries,
 with contributions from the open source community.
 BSD license, check license.txt for more information
 All text above, and the splash screen below must be
 included in any redistribution.
 **************************************************************************/

#include <SPI.h>
#include <Wire.h>
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

#define SCREEN_WIDTH 128 // OLED display width, in pixels
#define SCREEN_HEIGHT 32 // OLED display height, in pixels

// Declaration for an SSD1306 display connected to I2C (SDA, SCL pins)
// The pins for I2C are defined by the Wire-library. 
// On an arduino UNO:       A4(SDA), A5(SCL)
// On an arduino MEGA 2560: 20(SDA), 21(SCL)
// On an arduino LEONARDO:   2(SDA),  3(SCL), ...
#define OLED_RESET     -1 // Reset pin # (or -1 if sharing Arduino reset pin)
#define SCREEN_ADDRESS 0x3C ///< See datasheet for Address; 0x3D for 128x64, 0x3C for 128x32
Adafruit_SSD1306 display(SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT, &Wire, OLED_RESET);

#define NUMFLAKES     10 // Number of snowflakes in the animation example

#define LOGO_HEIGHT   16
#define LOGO_WIDTH    16
static const unsigned char PROGMEM logo_bmp[] =
{ 0b00000000, 0b11000000,
  0b00000001, 0b11000000,
  0b00000001, 0b11000000,
  0b00000011, 0b11100000,
  0b11110011, 0b11100000,
  0b11111110, 0b11111000,
  0b01111110, 0b11111111,
  0b00110011, 0b10011111,
  0b00011111, 0b11111100,
  0b00001101, 0b01110000,
  0b00011011, 0b10100000,
  0b00111111, 0b11100000,
  0b00111111, 0b11110000,
  0b01111100, 0b11110000,
  0b01110000, 0b01110000,
  0b00000000, 0b00110000 };

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(9600);

  // SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC = generate display voltage from 3.3V internally
  if(!display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, SCREEN_ADDRESS)) {
    Serial.println(F("SSD1306 allocation failed"));
    for(;;); // Don't proceed, loop forever
  }

  // Show initial display buffer contents on the screen --
  // the library initializes this with an Adafruit splash screen.
  display.display();
  delay(2000); // Pause for 2 seconds

  // Clear the buffer
  display.clearDisplay();

  // Draw a single pixel in white
  display.drawPixel(10, 10, SSD1306_WHITE);

  // Show the display buffer on the screen. You MUST call display() after
  // drawing commands to make them visible on screen!
  display.display();
  delay(2000);
  // display.display() is NOT necessary after every single drawing command,
  // unless that's what you want...rather, you can batch up a bunch of
  // drawing operations and then update the screen all at once by calling
  // display.display(). These examples demonstrate both approaches...

  testdrawline();      // Draw many lines

  testdrawrect();      // Draw rectangles (outlines)

  testfillrect();      // Draw rectangles (filled)

  testdrawcircle();    // Draw circles (outlines)

  testfillcircle();    // Draw circles (filled)

  testdrawroundrect(); // Draw rounded rectangles (outlines)

  testfillroundrect(); // Draw rounded rectangles (filled)

  testdrawtriangle();  // Draw triangles (outlines)

  testfilltriangle();  // Draw triangles (filled)

  testdrawchar();      // Draw characters of the default font

  testdrawstyles();    // Draw 'stylized' characters

  testscrolltext();    // Draw scrolling text

  testdrawbitmap();    // Draw a small bitmap image

  // Invert and restore display, pausing in-between
  display.invertDisplay(true);
  delay(1000);
  display.invertDisplay(false);
  delay(1000);

  testanimate(logo_bmp, LOGO_WIDTH, LOGO_HEIGHT); // Animate bitmaps
}

void loop() {
}

void testdrawline() {
  int16_t i;

  display.clearDisplay(); // Clear display buffer

  for(i=0; i<display.width(); i+=4) {
    display.drawLine(0, 0, i, display.height()-1, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display(); // Update screen with each newly-drawn line
    delay(1);
  }
  for(i=0; i<display.height(); i+=4) {
    display.drawLine(0, 0, display.width()-1, i, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }
  delay(250);

  display.clearDisplay();

  for(i=0; i<display.width(); i+=4) {
    display.drawLine(0, display.height()-1, i, 0, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }
  for(i=display.height()-1; i>=0; i-=4) {
    display.drawLine(0, display.height()-1, display.width()-1, i, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }
  delay(250);

  display.clearDisplay();

  for(i=display.width()-1; i>=0; i-=4) {
    display.drawLine(display.width()-1, display.height()-1, i, 0, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }
  for(i=display.height()-1; i>=0; i-=4) {
    display.drawLine(display.width()-1, display.height()-1, 0, i, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }
  delay(250);

  display.clearDisplay();

  for(i=0; i<display.height(); i+=4) {
    display.drawLine(display.width()-1, 0, 0, i, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }
  for(i=0; i<display.width(); i+=4) {
    display.drawLine(display.width()-1, 0, i, display.height()-1, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000); // Pause for 2 seconds
}

void testdrawrect(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  for(int16_t i=0; i<display.height()/2; i+=2) {
    display.drawRect(i, i, display.width()-2*i, display.height()-2*i, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display(); // Update screen with each newly-drawn rectangle
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000);
}

void testfillrect(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  for(int16_t i=0; i<display.height()/2; i+=3) {
    // The INVERSE color is used so rectangles alternate white/black
    display.fillRect(i, i, display.width()-i*2, display.height()-i*2, SSD1306_INVERSE);
    display.display(); // Update screen with each newly-drawn rectangle
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000);
}

void testdrawcircle(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  for(int16_t i=0; i<max(display.width(),display.height())/2; i+=2) {
    display.drawCircle(display.width()/2, display.height()/2, i, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000);
}

void testfillcircle(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  for(int16_t i=max(display.width(),display.height())/2; i>0; i-=3) {
    // The INVERSE color is used so circles alternate white/black
    display.fillCircle(display.width() / 2, display.height() / 2, i, SSD1306_INVERSE);
    display.display(); // Update screen with each newly-drawn circle
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000);
}

void testdrawroundrect(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  for(int16_t i=0; i<display.height()/2-2; i+=2) {
    display.drawRoundRect(i, i, display.width()-2*i, display.height()-2*i,
      display.height()/4, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000);
}

void testfillroundrect(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  for(int16_t i=0; i<display.height()/2-2; i+=2) {
    // The INVERSE color is used so round-rects alternate white/black
    display.fillRoundRect(i, i, display.width()-2*i, display.height()-2*i,
      display.height()/4, SSD1306_INVERSE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000);
}

void testdrawtriangle(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  for(int16_t i=0; i<max(display.width(),display.height())/2; i+=5) {
    display.drawTriangle(
      display.width()/2  , display.height()/2-i,
      display.width()/2-i, display.height()/2+i,
      display.width()/2+i, display.height()/2+i, SSD1306_WHITE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000);
}

void testfilltriangle(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  for(int16_t i=max(display.width(),display.height())/2; i>0; i-=5) {
    // The INVERSE color is used so triangles alternate white/black
    display.fillTriangle(
      display.width()/2  , display.height()/2-i,
      display.width()/2-i, display.height()/2+i,
      display.width()/2+i, display.height()/2+i, SSD1306_INVERSE);
    display.display();
    delay(1);
  }

  delay(2000);
}

void testdrawchar(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  display.setTextSize(1);      // Normal 1:1 pixel scale
  display.setTextColor(SSD1306_WHITE); // Draw white text
  display.setCursor(0, 0);     // Start at top-left corner
  display.cp437(true);         // Use full 256 char 'Code Page 437' font

  // Not all the characters will fit on the display. This is normal.
  // Library will draw what it can and the rest will be clipped.
  for(int16_t i=0; i<256; i++) {
    if(i == '\n') display.write(' ');
    else          display.write(i);
  }

  display.display();
  delay(2000);
}

void testdrawstyles(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  display.setTextSize(1);             // Normal 1:1 pixel scale
  display.setTextColor(SSD1306_WHITE);        // Draw white text
  display.setCursor(0,0);             // Start at top-left corner
  display.println(F("Hello, world!"));

  display.setTextColor(SSD1306_BLACK, SSD1306_WHITE); // Draw 'inverse' text
  display.println(3.141592);

  display.setTextSize(2);             // Draw 2X-scale text
  display.setTextColor(SSD1306_WHITE);
  display.print(F("0x")); display.println(0xDEADBEEF, HEX);

  display.display();
  delay(2000);
}

void testscrolltext(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  display.setTextSize(2); // Draw 2X-scale text
  display.setTextColor(SSD1306_WHITE);
  display.setCursor(10, 0);
  display.println(F("scroll"));
  display.display();      // Show initial text
  delay(100);

  // Scroll in various directions, pausing in-between:
  display.startscrollright(0x00, 0x0F);
  delay(2000);
  display.stopscroll();
  delay(1000);
  display.startscrollleft(0x00, 0x0F);
  delay(2000);
  display.stopscroll();
  delay(1000);
  display.startscrolldiagright(0x00, 0x07);
  delay(2000);
  display.startscrolldiagleft(0x00, 0x07);
  delay(2000);
  display.stopscroll();
  delay(1000);
}

void testdrawbitmap(void) {
  display.clearDisplay();

  display.drawBitmap(
    (display.width()  - LOGO_WIDTH ) / 2,
    (display.height() - LOGO_HEIGHT) / 2,
    logo_bmp, LOGO_WIDTH, LOGO_HEIGHT, 1);
  display.display();
  delay(1000);
}

#define XPOS   0 // Indexes into the 'icons' array in function below
#define YPOS   1
#define DELTAY 2

void testanimate(const uint8_t *bitmap, uint8_t w, uint8_t h) {
  int8_t f, icons[NUMFLAKES][3];

  // Initialize 'snowflake' positions
  for(f=0; f< NUMFLAKES; f++) {
    icons[f][XPOS]   = random(1 - LOGO_WIDTH, display.width());
    icons[f][YPOS]   = -LOGO_HEIGHT;
    icons[f][DELTAY] = random(1, 6);
    Serial.print(F("x: "));
    Serial.print(icons[f][XPOS], DEC);
    Serial.print(F(" y: "));
    Serial.print(icons[f][YPOS], DEC);
    Serial.print(F(" dy: "));
    Serial.println(icons[f][DELTAY], DEC);
  }

  for(;;) { // Loop forever...
    display.clearDisplay(); // Clear the display buffer

    // Draw each snowflake:
    for(f=0; f< NUMFLAKES; f++) {
      display.drawBitmap(icons[f][XPOS], icons[f][YPOS], bitmap, w, h, SSD1306_WHITE);
    }

    display.display(); // Show the display buffer on the screen
    delay(200);        // Pause for 1/10 second

    // Then update coordinates of each flake...
    for(f=0; f< NUMFLAKES; f++) {
      icons[f][YPOS] += icons[f][DELTAY];
      // If snowflake is off the bottom of the screen...
      if (icons[f][YPOS] >= display.height()) {
        // Reinitialize to a random position, just off the top
        icons[f][XPOS]   = random(1 - LOGO_WIDTH, display.width());
        icons[f][YPOS]   = -LOGO_HEIGHT;
        icons[f][DELTAY] = random(1, 6);
      }
    }
  }
}

  • Check the Yellow area soldering connections, clean with IPA.

  • Are the OLED wires connected as coloured lines indicated in the image ?


  • Try this SKETCH.
//********************************************^************************************************
//  OLED_Counter.ino
//
//  LarryD
//  Version   YY/MM/DD     Comments
//  =======   ========     ===============================================
//  1.00      22/04/21     Running code
//
//

//https://lastminuteengineers.com/oled-display-arduino-tutorial/

#include <Wire.h>
//#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>
#include <Adafruit_SSD1306.h>

//********************************************^************************************************

const byte heartbeatLED     = 13;

#define SCREEN_WIDTH        128   //OLED display width,  in pixels
#define SCREEN_HEIGHT       32   //OLED display height, in pixels


//SSD1306 display
//size 1 is 5X7   pixels therefore, 6X8   to acount for spacing,  21 characters per line
//size 2 is 10X14 pixels therefore, 11X15 to account for spacing, 10 characters per line
//size 4 is 20X28 pixels therefore, 21X29 to account for spacing,  5 characters per line

//Declaration for an SSD1306 display connected to I2C (SDA, SCL pins)
Adafruit_SSD1306 display(SCREEN_WIDTH, SCREEN_HEIGHT, &Wire, -1);

unsigned long counter       = 0;

//timing stuff
unsigned long heartbeatTime;
unsigned long displayTime;


//                                       s e t u p ( )
//********************************************^************************************************
//
void setup()
{
  Serial.begin(115200);

  pinMode(heartbeatLED, OUTPUT);

  if (!display.begin(SSD1306_SWITCHCAPVCC, 0x3C))
  {
    Serial.println(F("SSD1306 allocation failed"));
    for (;;);
  }

  display.clearDisplay();

  //display.setTextColor(textColor, backgroundColor);
  display.setTextColor(WHITE, BLACK);

} //END of   setup()


//                                        l o o p ( )
//********************************************^************************************************
//
void loop()
{
  //*********************************                         heartbeat TIMER
  //is it time to toggle the heartbeatLED (every 500ms)?
  if (millis() - heartbeatTime >= 500ul)
  {
    //restart this TIMER
    heartbeatTime = millis();

    //toggle the heartbeat LED
    digitalWrite(heartbeatLED, digitalRead(heartbeatLED) == HIGH ? LOW : HIGH);
  }

  //*********************************                         displayTime TIMER
  //is time to update the display ?
  if (millis() - displayTime >= 250ul)
  {
    //restart this TIMER
    displayTime = millis();

    //clear SSD1306 display
    display.clearDisplay();

    //************************************
    display.setTextSize(1);
    display.setCursor(0, 0);

    //Size 1 line is  000000000111111111122
    //21 characters   123456789012345678901
    //Example         ..OLED Counter Demo..
    display.print("  OLED Counter Demo  ");

    //************************************
    //display.setCursor(0,9);
    //Size 1 line is  000000000111111111122
    //21 characters   123456789012345678901
    //display.print ("ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTU");

    //************************************
    display.setTextSize(2);
    //2 = current text size, 16 is the pixel row we want to postion to
    display.setCursor(centering(counter, 2), 16);

    //Size 2 line     0000000001
    //10 characters   1234567890
    //Example           100000
    display.print(counter++);

    //************************************
    //degree symbol
    //using CP437 ASCII
    //display.cp437(true);
    //display.write(248);

    //************************************
    //  display.setTextSize(2);
    //  display.setCursor(0,16);
    //  display.setCursor(0,32);
    //  //temperature
    //  //Size 2 line is  0000000001
    //  //10 characters   1234567890
    //  //Example         ABCDEFGHIJ
    //  display.print("ABCDEFGHIJ");

    //************************************
    display.display();
  }

  //************************************
  //other non blocking code goes here
  //************************************


} //END of   loop()


//                                 c o u n t D i g i t s ( )
//********************************************^************************************************
//return the number of digits in a number
byte countDigits(int num)
{
  byte count = 0;

  while (num)
  {
    num = num / 10;
    count++;
  }

  return count;

} //END of   countDigits()


//                                    g e t D i g i t ( )
//********************************************^************************************************
//return the selected digit
byte getDigit(unsigned int number, int digit)
{
  for (int i = 0; i < digit - 1; i++)
  {
    number = number / 10;
  }

  return number % 10;

} //END of   getDigit()


//                                   c e n t e r i n g ( )
//********************************************^************************************************
//return the position to print the MSD
byte centering(unsigned long number, byte textSize)
{
  byte count = 0;
  byte charaterCellWidth = 0;

  //a basic character is 5X7, we must scale for this text size
  charaterCellWidth = (5 * textSize) + 1;

  //number of digits in our number
  while (number)
  {
    number = number / 10;
    count++;
  }

  //center location where the MSD character will be displayed
  return (SCREEN_WIDTH / 2 - (charaterCellWidth * count / 2));

} //END of   centering()

//

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