NodeJS library and command line tools for controlling SSD1306 compatible I2C OLED screens on the Raspbery Pi
npm install rpi-oledThen install the software using:sudo npm install -g rpi-oled
rpi-oled writeString -t "Hello World"
This will try to connect to a 128x64 display with address 0x3C on the i2c bus 1, if any of these parameters are not correct for your setup you can change them using the following parameters:
rpi-oled writeString -t "Hello World" -a 0x3F -b "/dev/i2c-0" -w 64 -h 48
Valid combinations for screen width and height are: 128x32, 128x64, 96x16 and 64x48.
rpi-oled command line tool which can be used to display text and graphics on the OLED from the RasPi command line. All functions of the API can be executed using this tool as well.The tool works similar to oher command line tools like git in that the first parameter of the command is always the command that is to be executed, followed by further parameters. All parameters except the command parameter are always optional.
#### Available commands
clearDisplay, dimDisplay, invertDisplay, turnOnDisplay, turnOffDisplay, drawPixel, drawLine, fillRect, drawRect, drawBitmap, writeString, startScroll, stopScroll, setCursor
#### Global parameters
- --width or -w Width of the display in pixel (default 128)
- --height or -h Height of the display in pixels (default 64)
- --address or -a The OLEDs I2C address (default 0x3C)
- --bus or -b The I2C bus to be used (default "/dev/i2c-1")
- --datasize The number of bytes to send via I2C in one go (default 16)
- --microviev Add this parameter if you're using a microview display (default not enabled)
- --noclear or -n Do not clear the display before drawing command (default not enabled)
#### Command-specific parameters
- --size or -s The font size for text (default 1)
- --text or -t Text to display (default "")
- --x0 or -x X position for drawing (default 0)
- --y0 or -y Y position for drawing (default 0)
- --x1 X1 position for drawing (default 0)
- --y1 Y1 position for drawing (default 0)
- --raduis or -r Radius for circle (default 10)
- --color or -c Color to draw in, 1=white 0=black (default 1)
- --font or -f Font name to use (default "oled-font-5x7")
- --wrapping Enable wrapping for text display (default not enabled)
- --linespacing Line spacing offset for text display (default 0)
- --pixels or -p Pixel data to display in array format (no default)
- --image or -i Path to PNG image to display, will be automatically resized and converted (no default)
- --disable or -d Disable a boolean parameter (no default)
- --direction Direction for scrolling (default "left")
- --start Start position for scrolling (default 0)
- --stop Stop position for scrolling (default 0)
- --help or -? Display help
#### Examplesrpi-oled writeString -t "Hello World"
rpi-oled drawCircle -x 20 -y 20 -r 10
#### Parameters
- --width or -w Width of the display in pixel (default 128)
- --height or -h Height of the display in pixels (default 64)
- --address or -a The OLEDs I2C address (default 0x3C)
- --bus or -b The I2C bus to be used (default "/dev/i2c-1")
- --datasize The number of bytes to send via I2C in one go (default 16)
- --microviev Add this parameter if you're using a microview display (default not enabled)
- --updaterate or -u The update rate for the display in milliseconds (default 5000)
#### Examplerpi-oled-status -a 0x38
The appropriate parameters for the rpi-oled command line tool are listed as well. All parameters except the command parameter are always optional.
javascript
var oled = require('rpi-oled');var opts = {
width: 128,
height: 64,
};
var oled = new oled(opts);
// do cool oled things here
`Additional options that can be passed, with default values shown:
`javascript
var opts = {
width: 128, // screen width
height; 32, // screen height
address: 0x3C, // Pass I2C address of screen if it is not the default of 0x3C
datasize: 8, // Change the amount of bytes sent at once (default 16)
device: '/dev/i2c-1', // Pass your i2c device here if it is not /dev/i2c-1
microview: true, // set to true if you have a microview display
};
`$3
#### clearDisplay
Fills the buffer with 'off' pixels (0x00). Optional bool argument specifies whether screen updates immediately with result. Default is true.
Usage:
`javascript
oled.clearDisplay();
`
Command line:rpi-oled clearDisplay#### dimDisplay
Lowers the contrast on the display. This method takes one argument, a boolean. True for dimming, false to restore normal contrast.
Usage:
`javascript
oled.dimDisplay(true|false);
`
Command line:rpi-oled dimDisplay or rpi-oled dimDisplay -d to disable dimming#### invertDisplay
Inverts the pixels on the display. Black becomes white, white becomes black. This method takes one argument, a boolean. True for inverted state, false to restore normal pixel colors.
Usage:
`javascript
oled.invertDisplay(true|false);
`
Command line:rpi-oled invertDisplay or rpi-oled invertDisplay -d to disable dimming#### turnOffDisplay
Turns the display off.
Usage:
`javascript
oled.turnOffDisplay();
`
Command line:rpi-oled turnOffDisplay#### turnOnDisplay
Turns the display on.
Usage:
`javascript
oled.turnOnDisplay();
`
Command line:rpi-oled turnOnDisplay
#### drawPixel
Draws a pixel at a specified position on the display. This method takes one argument: a multi-dimensional array containing either one or more sets of pixels.
Each pixel needs an x position, a y position, and a color. Colors can be specified as either 0 for 'off' or black, and 1 or 255 for 'on' or white.
Optional bool as last argument specifies whether screen updates immediately with result. Default is true.
Usage:
`javascript
// draws 4 white pixels total
// format: [x, y, color]
oled.drawPixel([
[128, 1, 1],
[128, 32, 1],
[128, 16, 1],
[64, 16, 1]
]);
`
Command line:rpi-oled drawPixel -p "[[128, 1, 1],[128, 32, 1],[128, 16, 1],[64, 16, 1]]"#### drawLine
Draws a one pixel wide line.
Arguments:
+ int x0, y0 - start location of line
+ int x1, y1 - end location of line
+ int color - can be specified as either 0 for 'off' or black, and 1 or 255 for 'on' or white.
Optional bool as last argument specifies whether screen updates immediately with result. Default is true.
Usage:
`javascript
// args: (x0, y0, x1, y1, color)
oled.drawLine(1, 1, 128, 32, 1);
`
Command line:rpi-oled drawline --x0 1 --y0 1 --x1 128 --y1 32 -c 1#### fillRect
Draws a filled rectangle.
Arguments:
+ int x0, y0 - top left corner of rectangle
+ int x1, y1 - bottom right corner of rectangle
+ int color - can be specified as either 0 for 'off' or black, and 1 or 255 for 'on' or white.
Optional bool as last argument specifies whether screen updates immediately with result. Default is true.
Usage:
`javascript
// args: (x0, y0, x1, y1, color)
oled.fillRect(1, 1, 10, 20, 1);
`
Command line:rpi-oled fillRect --x0 1 --y0 1 --x1 10 --y1 20 -c 1#### drawRect
Draws an empty rectangle.
Arguments:
+ int x0, y0 - top left corner of rectangle
+ int x1, y1 - bottom right corner of rectangle
+ int color - can be specified as either 0 for 'off' or black, and 1 or 255 for 'on' or white.
Optional bool as last argument specifies whether screen updates immediately with result. Default is true.
Usage:
`javascript
// args: (x0, y0, x1, y1, color)
oled.drawRect(1, 1, 10, 20, 1);
`
Command line:rpi-oled drawRect --x0 1 --y0 1 --x1 10 --y1 20 -c 1#### drawCircle
Draws an empty circle.
Arguments:
+ int x - x of circle's center
+ int y - y of circle's center
+ int r - radius of circle
+ int color - can be specified as either 0 for 'off' or black, and 1 or 255 for 'on' or white.
Optional bool as last argument specifies whether screen updates immediately with result. Default is true.
Usage:
`javascript
// args: (x, y, r, color)
oled.drawCircle(30, 10, 5, 1);
`
Command line:rpi-oled drawCircle -x 30 -y 10 -r 5 -c 1
#### drawBitmap
Draws a bitmap using raw pixel data returned from an image parser. The image sourced must be monochrome, and indexed to only 2 colors. Resize the bitmap to your screen dimensions first. Using an image editor or ImageMagick might be required.
Optional bool as last argument specifies whether screen updates immediately with result. Default is true.
Tip: use a NodeJS image parser to get the pixel data, such as pngparse. A demonstration of using this is below.
Example usage:
`
npm install pngparse
``javascript
var pngparse = require('pngparse');pngparse.parseFile('indexed_file.png', function(err, image) {
oled.drawBitmap(image.data);
});
`This method is provided as a primitive convenience. A better way to display images is to use NodeJS package png-to-lcd instead. It's just as easy to use as drawBitmap, but is compatible with all image depths (lazy is good!). It will also auto-dither if you choose. You should still resize your image to your screen dimensions. This alternative method is covered below:
`
npm install png-to-lcd
``javascript
var pngtolcd = require('png-to-lcd');pngtolcd('nyan-cat.png', true, function(err, bitmap) {
oled.buffer = bitmap;
oled.update();
});
`
Command line:rpi-oled drawBitmap ./path/to/image.png#### startScroll
Scrolls the current display either left or right.
Arguments:
+ string direction - direction of scrolling. 'left' or 'right'
+ int start - starting row of scrolling area
+ int stop - end row of scrolling area
Usage:
`javascript
// args: (direction, start, stop)
oled.startscroll('left', 0, 15); // this will scroll an entire 128 x 32 screen
`
Command line:rpi-oled startScroll --direction left --start 0 --stop 15#### stopScroll
Stops all current scrolling behaviour.
Usage:
`javascript
oled.stopscroll();
`
Command line:rpi-oled stopScroll#### setCursor
Sets the x and y position of 'cursor', when about to write text. This effectively helps tell the display where to start typing when writeString() method is called.
Call setCursor just before writeString().
Usage:
`javascript
// sets cursor to x = 1, y = 1
oled.setCursor(1, 1);
`
Command line:rpi-oled setCursor -x 1 -y 1#### writeString
Writes a string of text to the display.
Call setCursor() just before, if you need to set starting text position.
Arguments:
+ obj font - font object in JSON format (see note below on sourcing a font)
+ int size - font size, as multiplier. Eg. 2 would double size, 3 would triple etc.
+ string text - the actual text you want to show on the display.
+ int color - color of text. Can be specified as either 0 for 'off' or black, and 1 or 255 for 'on' or white.
+ bool wrapping - true applies word wrapping at the screen limit, false for no wrapping. If a long string without spaces is supplied as the text, just letter wrapping will apply instead.
+ int linespacing - amount of spacing between lines of text on the screen. Negative numbers are also ok.
Optional bool as last argument specifies whether screen updates immediately with result. Default is true.
Before all of this text can happen, you need to load a font buffer for use. A good font to start with is NodeJS package oled-font-5x7.
Usage:
`
npm install oled-font-5x7
``javascript
var font = require('oled-font-5x7');// sets cursor to x = 1, y = 1
oled.setCursor(1, 1);
oled.writeString(font, 1, 'Cats and dogs are really cool animals, you know.', 1, true);
`
Command line:rpi-oled writeString -f "oled-font-5x7" -s 1 -t "Hello World" -c 1 --wrapping --linespacing 3 -x 1 -y 1Note that the rpi-oled tool allows you to combine the setCursor and writeString command by simply supplying x and y parameters.
#### update
Sends the entire buffer in its current state to the oled display, effectively syncing the two. This method generally does not need to be called, unless you're messing around with the framebuffer manually before you're ready to sync with the display. It's also needed if you're choosing not to draw on the screen immediately with the built in methods.
Usage:
`javascript
oled.update();
`
Command line:No equivalent`