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Programming the Arduino Uno R4 Matrix Display

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Installing VSCode

Visual Studio Code is a powerful text editor. VS Code's powerful and popular extension ecosystem can give it many of the powers of a fully-fledged IDE. You can download Visual Studio Code from here: https://code.visualstudio.com/download.

Installing PlatformIO

Install PlatformIO as a VSCode extension:

Comparison of Arduino IDE vs. VSCode + PlatformIO

Creating a New Project

Differences Between Arduino IDE's `.ino` and Using Arduino Framework Directly

Arduino Software Convention

The Arduino IDE uses .ino files
Arduino is really just C++
PlatformIO is how it really is

Arduino main:

int main(void){
    init();
    setup();
    while (true){
        loop();
    }
    return 0;
}

The `platformio.ini` Configuration File

[env:uno_r4_wifi]
platform = renesas-ra
board = uno_r4_wifi
framework = arduino

Updating Dependencies

Blink - the `Hello, World!` of Hardware

#include <Arduino.h>

// put function declarations here:
int myFunction(int, int);

void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
  int result = myFunction(2, 3);
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);
  delay(1000);
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);
  delay(1000);
}

// put function definitions here:
int myFunction(int x, int y) {
  return x + y;
}

Better Blink

#include <Arduino.h>

// put function declarations here:
constexpr unsigned long convert_seconds_to_milliseconds(const unsigned long seconds);


void setup() {
  // put your setup code here, to run once:
}

void loop() {
  // put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
  const unsigned long one_second = convert_seconds_to_milliseconds(1);
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, HIGH);
  delay(one_second);
  digitalWrite(LED_BUILTIN, LOW);
  delay(one_second);
}


// put function definitions here:
constexpr unsigned long convert_seconds_to_milliseconds(const unsigned long seconds){
  return seconds * 1000;
}

Using the Integrated Matrix on the Uno R4 Wifi

Display Pixels One By One on the Matrix

#include <Arduino.h>
#include <Arduino_LED_Matrix.h>

#define MAX_ROW 8
#define MAX_COL 12

ArduinoLEDMatrix matrix; // Create an instance of the ArduinoLEDMatrix class
byte frame[8][12] = {
  { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 },
  { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 },
  { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 },
  { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 },
  { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 },
  { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 },
  { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 },
  { 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0, 0 }
};

void setup() {
  // Initialize the LED matrix
  matrix.begin();
  matrix.renderBitmap(frame, MAX_ROW, MAX_COL);
}

void loop() {
  const unsigned long delay_in_ms = 100;
  for (int i = 0; i < MAX_ROW; i++) {
    for (int j = 0; j < MAX_COL; j++) {
      frame[i][j] = ~frame[i][j];
      matrix.renderBitmap(frame, MAX_ROW, MAX_COL);
      delay(delay_in_ms);
    }
  }
}

Using Hexadecimal Format to Save Memory Space

Matrix is 12x8 == 96 pixels
unsigned long is 32 bits
represent matrix as an array of 3 unsigned long

Using Hexadecimal Format to Save Memory Space Continued

#include <Arduino.h>
#include <Arduino_LED_Matrix.h>

ArduinoLEDMatrix matrix; // Create an instance of the ArduinoLEDMatrix class

const uint32_t happy_frame[3] = {
    0x19819,
    0x80000001,
    0x81f8000
};

// 0b110001100001001010010001000100
// 0b1000010000010000001000100000000
// 0b10100000000001000000000000000000
const unsigned long heart_frame[3] = {
  0x3184a444,
  0x42081100,
  0xa0040000};



void setup() {
  matrix.begin();
}

void loop() {
  matrix.loadFrame(happy_frame);
  delay(500);

  matrix.loadFrame(heart_frame);
  delay(500);
}

Create An Animation

Head over to: https://ledmatrix-editor.arduino.cc/

Animation Code

#include <Arduino.h>
#include <Arduino_LED_Matrix.h>
#include "four_frames.h"

ArduinoLEDMatrix matrix; // Create an instance of the ArduinoLEDMatrix class

const uint32_t happy_frame[3] = {
    0x19819,
    0x80000001,
    0x81f8000
};

// 0b110001100001001010010001000100
// 0b1000010000010000001000100000000
// 0b10100000000001000000000000000000
const unsigned long heart_frame[3] = {
  0x3184a444,
  0x42081100,
  0xa0040000};



void setup() {
  matrix.begin();
  matrix.loadWrapper(four_frames, 4);
  matrix.play(false);
  delay(2000);
}

void loop() {
  matrix.loadFrame(happy_frame);
  delay(500);

  matrix.loadFrame(heart_frame);
  delay(500);
}

Create a Scrolling Text Animation

#include <Arduino.h>
#include <ArduinoGraphics.h>
#include <Arduino_LED_Matrix.h>

ArduinoLEDMatrix matrix; // Create an instance of the ArduinoLEDMatrix class

#define ARDUINO_GRAPHICS_DEFAULT_COLOR 0xFFFFFF // Default for Graphics Library to Write as On

void setup() {
  matrix.begin();
}

void loop() {
  char message[] = " The current time is 00:00:00 ";
  int one_hundred_ms = 100;
  matrix.beginDraw();
  matrix.stroke(ARDUINO_GRAPHICS_DEFAULT_COLOR);
  matrix.textScrollSpeed(one_hundred_ms);
  matrix.textFont(Font_5x7);
  matrix.beginText(0, 1, ARDUINO_GRAPHICS_DEFAULT_COLOR);
  matrix.println(message);
  matrix.endText(SCROLL_LEFT);
  matrix.endDraw();
}

Installing Libraries Using PlatformIO

Using the Real Time Clock (RTC) Module

#include <Arduino.h>
#include <ArduinoGraphics.h>
#include <Arduino_LED_Matrix.h>
#include <RTC.h>
ArduinoLEDMatrix matrix; // Create an instance of the ArduinoLEDMatrix class

#define ARDUINO_GRAPHICS_DEFAULT_COLOR 0xFFFFFF // Default for Graphics Library to Write as On

void setup() {
    Serial.begin(115200);
    matrix.begin();
    RTC.begin();
    int dayOfMonth = 10;
    int year = 2024;
    int hourInMilitaryTime = 14;
    int minute = 30;
    int second = 0;
    RTCTime startTime(dayOfMonth, Month::JUNE, year, hourInMilitaryTime, minute, second, DayOfWeek::WEDNESDAY, SaveLight::SAVING_TIME_ACTIVE);
    RTC.setTime(startTime);
}


void loop() {
    RTCTime currentTime;
    // Get current time from RTC
    RTC.getTime(currentTime);
    int hour = currentTime.getHour();
    int minutes = currentTime.getMinutes();
    int seconds = currentTime.getSeconds();
    String spacesBuffer = " ";
    String currentTimeMessage = spacesBuffer + "The current time is " + String(hour) + ":" + String(minutes) + ":" + String(seconds) + spacesBuffer;
    int fiftyMilliseconds = 50;
    int hundredMilliseconds = 100;
    matrix.beginDraw();
    matrix.stroke(ARDUINO_GRAPHICS_DEFAULT_COLOR);
    matrix.textScrollSpeed(hundredMilliseconds);
    matrix.textFont(Font_5x7);
    matrix.beginText(0, 1, ARDUINO_GRAPHICS_DEFAULT_COLOR);
    matrix.println(currentTimeMessage);
    matrix.endText(SCROLL_LEFT);
    matrix.endDraw();
}

Additional Resources

VSCode Documentation: https://code.visualstudio.com/Docs
PlatformIO's Documentation: https://docs.platformio.org/en/latest/
Arduino Documentation: https://docs.arduino.cc/
C++ Programming Language: https://www.learncpp.com/
The C Programming Language by Brian Kernighan and Dennis Ritchie: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_C_Programming_Language
Purchase the Arduino Uno R4 Wifi (US Store): https://store-usa.arduino.cc/products/uno-r4-wifi

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Programming the Arduino Uno R4 Matrix Display

Installing VSCode

Installing PlatformIO

Comparison of Arduino IDE vs. VSCode + PlatformIO

Creating a New Project

Differences Between Arduino IDE's `.ino` and Using Arduino Framework Directly

Arduino Software Convention

The `platformio.ini` Configuration File

Updating Dependencies

Blink - the `Hello, World!` of Hardware

Better Blink

Using the Integrated Matrix on the Uno R4 Wifi

Display Pixels One By One on the Matrix

Using Hexadecimal Format to Save Memory Space

Using Hexadecimal Format to Save Memory Space Continued

Create An Animation

Animation Code

Create a Scrolling Text Animation

Installing Libraries Using PlatformIO

Installing Libraries Using PlatformIO

Using the Real Time Clock (RTC) Module

Additional Resources

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Programming the Arduino Uno R4 Matrix Display

Installing VSCode

Installing PlatformIO

Comparison of Arduino IDE vs. VSCode + PlatformIO

Creating a New Project

Differences Between Arduino IDE's .ino and Using Arduino Framework Directly

Arduino Software Convention

The platformio.ini Configuration File

Updating Dependencies

Blink - the Hello, World! of Hardware

Better Blink

Using the Integrated Matrix on the Uno R4 Wifi

Display Pixels One By One on the Matrix

Using Hexadecimal Format to Save Memory Space

Using Hexadecimal Format to Save Memory Space Continued

Create An Animation

Animation Code

Create a Scrolling Text Animation

Installing Libraries Using PlatformIO

Installing Libraries Using PlatformIO

Using the Real Time Clock (RTC) Module

Additional Resources

Differences Between Arduino IDE's `.ino` and Using Arduino Framework Directly

The `platformio.ini` Configuration File

Blink - the `Hello, World!` of Hardware