SparkFun Qwiic Alphanumeric Display Hookup Guide

Alphanumeric Display Arduino Library

Before we get started, we'll need to download and install SparkFun's Alphanumeric Display Arduino library. You can use the Arduino Library Manager by searching "SparkFun Alphanumeric Display" to automatically install. Or you can download the library and install it using the button below.

Before we get started developing a sketch, let's look at the available functions of the library.

• bool setBrightness(uint8_t duty); --- This sets the brightness for all units
• setBrightnessSingle(uint8_t displayNumber, uint8_t duty); --- This sets the brightness for a single unit
• setBlinkRate(float rate); --- Set the refresh rate for all units.
• setBlinkRateSingle(uint8_t displayNumber, float rate); --- Set the refresh rate for a single unit
• displayOn(); --- Turn all display units on
• displayOff(); --- Turn all display units off
• displayOnSingle(uint8_t displayNumber); --- Turn a single display unit on
• displayOffSingle(uint8_t displayNumber); --- Turn a single display unit off
• setDisplayOnOff(uint8_t displayNumber, bool turnOnDisplay); --- Set or clear the display on/off bit
• enableSystemClock(); --- Turn on the system oscillator for all displays on the I2C bus
• disableSystemClock(); --- Turn off the system oscillator for all displays on the bus
• enableSystemClockSingle(uint8_t displayNumber); --- Turn on the system oscillator for normal operation mode
• disableSystemClockSingle(uint8_t displayNumber); --- Turn off the system oscillator for standby mode
• illuminateSegment(uint8_t segment, uint8_t digit); --- Given a segment and a digit, set the matching bit within the RAM of the Holtek RAM set
• illuminateChar(uint16_t disp, uint8_t digit); --- Given a binary set of segments and a digit, store this data into the RAM array
• printChar(uint8_t displayChar, uint8_t digit); --- Print a character, for a given digit, on display
• updateDisplay(); --- Push the contents of displayRAM out to the various displays in 16 byte chunks
• defineChar(uint8_t displayChar, uint16_t segmentsToTurnOn); --- Update the list to define a new segments display for a particular character
• getSegmentsToTurnOn (uint8_t charPos); --- Get the character map from the definition list or default table
• decimalOn(); --- Turn the decimal on for all displays on bus
• decimalOff(); --- Turn the decimal off for all displays on bus
• decimalOnSingle(uint8_t displayNumber); --- Turn the decimal point on for a single display
• decimalOffSingle(uint8_t displayNumber); --- Turn the decimal point off for a single display
• setDecimalOnOff(uint8_t displayNumber, bool turnOnDecimal); --- Set or clear the decimal on/off bit
• colonOn(); --- Turn the colon on for all displays on the bus
• colonOff(); --- Turn the colon off for all displays on the bus
• colonOnSingle(uint8_t displayNumber); --- Turn the colon on for a single display
• colonOffSingle(uint8_t displayNumber); --- Turn the colon off for a single display
• setColonOnOff(uint8_t displayNumber, bool turnOnColon); --- Set or clear the colon on/off bit
• shiftRight(uint8_t shiftAmt = 1); --- Shift the display content to the right one digit
• shiftLeft(uint8_t shiftAmt = 1); --- Shift the display content to the left one digit