Enable and Test I2C LCD Displays on the Raspberry Pi

README.md

I2C Hello World for Rasperry Pi

1. With the Pi powered off, wire the I2C to the Pi correctly
2. Boot the Pi and enable I2C via raspi-config
3. Reboot
4. Determine the I2C backback address with sudo i2cdetect -y 1 (Rev 2+) or sudo i2cdetect -y 0 (Rev 1)
5. Save I2C_LCD_driver.pyin a suitable place
6. Change line 23 to correspond to the I2C bus address (0 or 1 in step 1) which returned the information
7. Change line 26 to correspond with the I2C device address (e.g. 0x27) returned by the tool in step 1
8. Set execution bit: chmod +x I2C_LCD_driver.py
9. Save hello_world.py in the same directory
10. Set execution bit: chmod +x hello_world.py
11. Execute hello_world.py and the screen should display appropriately.

hello_world.py

import I2C_LCD_driver
import time
mylcd = I2C_LCD_driver.lcd()


while True:
    mylcd.lcd_display_string("Time: %s" %time.strftime("%H:%M:%S"), 1)
    
    mylcd.lcd_display_string("Date: %s" %time.strftime("%m/%d/%Y"), 2)

I2C_LCD_driver.py

# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-

# Saved from:
# https://www.circuitbasics.com/raspberry-pi-i2c-lcd-set-up-and-programming/

# Original code found at:
# https://gist.github.com/DenisFromHR/cc863375a6e19dce359d

"""
Compiled, mashed and generally mutilated 2014-2015 by Denis Pleic
Made available under GNU GENERAL PUBLIC LICENSE

# Modified Python I2C library for Raspberry Pi
# as found on http://www.recantha.co.uk/blog/?p=4849
# Joined existing 'i2c_lib.py' and 'lcddriver.py' into a single library
# added bits and pieces from various sources
# By DenisFromHR (Denis Pleic)
# 2015-02-10, ver 0.1

"""

# i2c bus (0 -- original Pi, 1 -- Rev 2 Pi)
I2CBUS = 1

# LCD Address
ADDRESS = 0x27

import smbus
from time import sleep

class i2c_device:
   def __init__(self, addr, port=I2CBUS):
      self.addr = addr
      self.bus = smbus.SMBus(port)

# Write a single command
   def write_cmd(self, cmd):
      self.bus.write_byte(self.addr, cmd)
      sleep(0.0001)

# Write a command and argument
   def write_cmd_arg(self, cmd, data):
      self.bus.write_byte_data(self.addr, cmd, data)
      sleep(0.0001)

# Write a block of data
   def write_block_data(self, cmd, data):
      self.bus.write_block_data(self.addr, cmd, data)
      sleep(0.0001)

# Read a single byte
   def read(self):
      return self.bus.read_byte(self.addr)

# Read
   def read_data(self, cmd):
      return self.bus.read_byte_data(self.addr, cmd)

# Read a block of data
   def read_block_data(self, cmd):
      return self.bus.read_block_data(self.addr, cmd)


# commands
LCD_CLEARDISPLAY = 0x01
LCD_RETURNHOME = 0x02
LCD_ENTRYMODESET = 0x04
LCD_DISPLAYCONTROL = 0x08
LCD_CURSORSHIFT = 0x10
LCD_FUNCTIONSET = 0x20
LCD_SETCGRAMADDR = 0x40
LCD_SETDDRAMADDR = 0x80

# flags for display entry mode
LCD_ENTRYRIGHT = 0x00
LCD_ENTRYLEFT = 0x02
LCD_ENTRYSHIFTINCREMENT = 0x01
LCD_ENTRYSHIFTDECREMENT = 0x00

# flags for display on/off control
LCD_DISPLAYON = 0x04
LCD_DISPLAYOFF = 0x00
LCD_CURSORON = 0x02
LCD_CURSOROFF = 0x00
LCD_BLINKON = 0x01
LCD_BLINKOFF = 0x00

# flags for display/cursor shift
LCD_DISPLAYMOVE = 0x08
LCD_CURSORMOVE = 0x00
LCD_MOVERIGHT = 0x04
LCD_MOVELEFT = 0x00

# flags for function set
LCD_8BITMODE = 0x10
LCD_4BITMODE = 0x00
LCD_2LINE = 0x08
LCD_1LINE = 0x00
LCD_5x10DOTS = 0x04
LCD_5x8DOTS = 0x00

# flags for backlight control
LCD_BACKLIGHT = 0x08
LCD_NOBACKLIGHT = 0x00

En = 0b00000100 # Enable bit
Rw = 0b00000010 # Read/Write bit
Rs = 0b00000001 # Register select bit

class lcd:
   #initializes objects and lcd
   def __init__(self):
      self.lcd_device = i2c_device(ADDRESS)

      self.lcd_write(0x03)
      self.lcd_write(0x03)
      self.lcd_write(0x03)
      self.lcd_write(0x02)

      self.lcd_write(LCD_FUNCTIONSET | LCD_2LINE | LCD_5x8DOTS | LCD_4BITMODE)
      self.lcd_write(LCD_DISPLAYCONTROL | LCD_DISPLAYON)
      self.lcd_write(LCD_CLEARDISPLAY)
      self.lcd_write(LCD_ENTRYMODESET | LCD_ENTRYLEFT)
      sleep(0.2)


   # clocks EN to latch command
   def lcd_strobe(self, data):
      self.lcd_device.write_cmd(data | En | LCD_BACKLIGHT)
      sleep(.0005)
      self.lcd_device.write_cmd(((data & ~En) | LCD_BACKLIGHT))
      sleep(.0001)

   def lcd_write_four_bits(self, data):
      self.lcd_device.write_cmd(data | LCD_BACKLIGHT)
      self.lcd_strobe(data)

   # write a command to lcd
   def lcd_write(self, cmd, mode=0):
      self.lcd_write_four_bits(mode | (cmd & 0xF0))
      self.lcd_write_four_bits(mode | ((cmd << 4) & 0xF0))

   # write a character to lcd (or character rom) 0x09: backlight | RS=DR<
   # works!
   def lcd_write_char(self, charvalue, mode=1):
      self.lcd_write_four_bits(mode | (charvalue & 0xF0))
      self.lcd_write_four_bits(mode | ((charvalue << 4) & 0xF0))
  
   # put string function with optional char positioning
   def lcd_display_string(self, string, line=1, pos=0):
    if line == 1:
      pos_new = pos
    elif line == 2:
      pos_new = 0x40 + pos
    elif line == 3:
      pos_new = 0x14 + pos
    elif line == 4:
      pos_new = 0x54 + pos

    self.lcd_write(0x80 + pos_new)

    for char in string:
      self.lcd_write(ord(char), Rs)

   # clear lcd and set to home
   def lcd_clear(self):
      self.lcd_write(LCD_CLEARDISPLAY)
      self.lcd_write(LCD_RETURNHOME)

   # define backlight on/off (lcd.backlight(1); off= lcd.backlight(0)
   def backlight(self, state): # for state, 1 = on, 0 = off
      if state == 1:
         self.lcd_device.write_cmd(LCD_BACKLIGHT)
      elif state == 0:
         self.lcd_device.write_cmd(LCD_NOBACKLIGHT)

   # add custom characters (0 - 7)
   def lcd_load_custom_chars(self, fontdata):
      self.lcd_write(0x40);
      for char in fontdata:
         for line in char:
            self.lcd_write_char(line)