HD44780 issues

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2014-02-15 by Owen

Hi guys,
I've got a HD44780 LCD character Display Module and I'm trying to get it working with Espruino. I've followed the guide here http://www.espruino.com/HD44780 and installed the HD33780 module, but whenever I run the code I get the following error:

// My code
var lcd = require("HD44780").connect(A4,A5,A0,A7,A2,A3);
lcd.print("Hello World!");

// Error returned
>echo(0);
ERROR: Got ':' expected '(' at line 1 col 94
{a(51,1);a(50,1);a(40,1);a(12,1);a(6,1);a(1,1);return{write:a,clear:function(){a(1,1)},print:function(b){for(var c=0;c<b.length;c++)a(Integer.valueOf(b.charAt(c)))},cursor:function(b){a(b?15:14,1)},setCursor:function(b,c){a(128|[0,64,20,84][c]+b,1)},createChar:function(b,c){a(64|(b&7)<<3,1);for(var d=0;8>d;d++)a(c[d]);a(128,1)}}}
                                                                                              ^
ERROR: Got function expected ':' at line 1 col 95
{a(51,1);a(50,1);a(40,1);a(12,1);a(6,1);a(1,1);return{write:a,clear:function(){a(1,1)},print:function(b){for(var c=0;c<b.length;c++)a(Integer.valueOf(b.charAt(c)))},cursor:function(b){a(b?15:14,1)},setCursor:function(b,c){a(128|[0,64,20,84][c]+b,1)},createChar:function(b,c){a(64|(b&7)<<3,1);for(var d=0;8>d;d++)a(c[d]);a(128,1)}}}
                                                                                               ^
at line 1 col 102
{a(51,1);a(50,1);a(40,1);a(12,1);a(6,1);a(1,1);return{write:a,clear:function(){a(1,1)},print:function(b){for(var c=0;c<b.length;c++)a(Integer.valueOf(b.charAt(c)))},cursor:function(b){a(b?15:14,1)},setCursor:function(b,c){a(128|[0,64,20,84][c]+b,1)},createChar:function(b,c){a(64|(b&7)<<3,1);for(var d=0;8>d;d++)a(c[d]);a(128,1)}}}
                                                                                                      ^
in function "HD44780" called from line 1 col 185
in function "connect" called from line 1 col 55
ERROR: Using '.' operator on non-object at line 1 col 4
lcd.print("Hello World!");
    ^
=undefined
> 

Do you have any idea what's going wrong here? I've tried writing the module code directly but I get much the same results. What should I try next to fix this?
Thanks

[gfwilliams]

Posted at 2014-02-15 by @gfwilliams

Hi. I'll try this out next week. It's possible it is some issue with the minified module.

You could try editing the options in the Web IDE so that it loads unminified code first. Just change the order of ['min.js','.js']...

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2014-02-16 by Owen

Hi Gordon,
I'm only using the unminifed code from your code example, does espruino minify it on the fly?
I tried putting all of the module code into the IDE, like this: http://pastebin.com/MatnNmhY

ERROR: Got ':' expected '(' at line 15 col 12
    print : function(str) {
            ^
ERROR: Got function expected ':' at line 15 col 14
    print : function(str) {
              ^
at line 15 col 21
    print : function(str) {
                     ^
in function "hd44780" called from line 1 col 26
ERROR: Using '.' operator on non-object at line 1 col 4
led.print("Hello World!");
    ^
=undefined

It looks like a syntax error but there is nothing wrong with it? Any ideas what I should try next?

[gfwilliams]

Posted at 2014-02-16 by @gfwilliams

Argh. Yes, sorry - i bet it is a problem with recent Espruino versions (to do with the fact that print is a built in function). I'll look into this, but for now, if you put quotes around print (or rename it) I think it will work.

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2014-03-25 by Owen

Hi Gordon,
The new Espruino update has fixed the 'print()' bug but sadly it's still not working for me. I don't get any code errors the display just shows the first row fully blocked and nothing on the second row (see photo below). It is always like this from the moment I plug it in.

Have I wired something up incorrectly? Here are the pins I'm using:

var lcd = require("HD44780").connect(A8,A9,A10,A11,A0,A1);

Any ideas? Is this a code/hardware/wiring issue?

[gfwilliams]

Posted at 2014-03-25 by @gfwilliams

I reckon something's wrong with your wiring, because pin A11 isn't even on a pin header :) http://www.espruino.com/ReferenceESPRUINOBOARD

You should be able to use any pins though - although try not to use the 3 that are also used for the LEDs.

The block of pixels happens when the display powers on - so it could be anything (but at least you know the display is working).

I just tried again here, and it still works fine (and I tried on a few different sets of pins). I'll update the docs, but these are the connections/code I'm using:

//                                   rs,en,d4,d5,d6,d7
var lcd = require("HD44780").connect(A0,A1,C0,C1,C2,C3);
lcd.print("Hello World!");

LCD	Function	Espruino
1	GND	GND
2	VCC	Bat
3	Contrast	GND (or variable resistor)
4	RS	A0
5	RW	GND
6	EN	A1
7	D0
8	D1
9	D2
10	D3
11	D4	C0
12	D5	C1
13	D6	C2
14	D7	C3
15	LED +
16	LED -

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2014-03-25 by Owen

Yep my wiring was the problem. All working now, thanks.

[gfwilliams]

Posted at 2014-03-26 by @gfwilliams

Great! :) What was it in the end? the RW line?

[espruino-discuss]

Posted at 2014-03-26 by Owen

It was my mysterious A11 pin wiring, the C pins work perfect.