CircuitPython eInk displayio Library Installation
To use displayio, you will need to install the appropriate library for your display.
First make sure you are running the latest version of Adafruit CircuitPython for your board. You will need the latest version of CircuitPython.
Next you'll need to install the necessary libraries to use the hardware--carefully follow the steps to find and install these libraries from Adafruit's CircuitPython library bundle. The introduction guide has a great page on how to install the library bundle for both Express and non-Express boards.
You will need to copy the appropriate displayio driver from the bundle lib folder to a lib folder on your CIRCUITPY drive. The displayio driver contains the initialization codes specific to your display that are needed to for it to work. Since there is more than one driver, you will need to copy the correct file over. Here is a list of each of the displays and the correct driver for that display.
The 2.7" Tri-Color shield and older 2.7" Tri-Color breakout (without the EYESPI connector) use the Adafruit_CircuitPython_IL91874 library. To easily get all the required files and libraries, you can click the Download Project Bundle link at the top of the appropriate example code below. Just unzip, open the folder that corresponds to the version of CircuitPython you have installed, and copy the contents to the CIRCUITPY drive.
Adafruit_CircuitPython_EK79686
The newer 2.7" Tri-Color Display breakout (with the EYESPI connector) use the Adafruit_CircuitPython_EK79686 library. To easily get all the required files and libraries, you can click the Download Project Bundle link at the top of the appropriate example code below. Just unzip, open the folder that corresponds to the version of CircuitPython you have installed, and copy the contents to the CIRCUITPY drive.
Image File
To show you how to use the eInk with displayio, below shows you how to draw a bitmap onto it. First start by downloading display-ruler.bmp
Copy display-ruler.bmp into the root directory of your CIRCUITPY drive.
2.7" 264x176 HD Tri-Color Breakout with EYESPI
In the examples folder for your EK79686 displayio driver, there should be a test for your display which we have listed here:
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2017 Scott Shawcroft, written for Adafruit Industries
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: Copyright (c) 2023 Melissa LeBlanc-Williams for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: Unlicense
"""
Simple test script for 2.7" 264x176 Tri-Color display
Supported products:
* `Adafruit 2.7" Tri-Color eInk / ePaper Display
with SRAM <https://www.adafruit.com/product/4098>`_
This program only requires the adafruit_ek79686 library in /lib
for CircuitPython 5.0 and above which has displayio support.
"""
import time
import board
import displayio
from fourwire import FourWire
import adafruit_ek79686
# Used to ensure the display is free in CircuitPython
displayio.release_displays()
# Define the pins needed for display use on the Metro
spi = board.SPI()
epd_cs = board.D10
epd_dc = board.D9
epd_reset = board.D5
epd_busy = board.D6
# Create the displayio connection to the display pins
display_bus = FourWire(spi, command=epd_dc, chip_select=epd_cs, reset=epd_reset, baudrate=1000000)
time.sleep(1) # Wait a bit
# Create the display object - the third color is red (0xff0000)
display = adafruit_ek79686.EK79686(
display_bus,
width=264,
height=176,
busy_pin=epd_busy,
highlight_color=0xFF0000,
rotation=90,
)
# Create a display group for our screen objects
g = displayio.Group()
# Display a ruler graphic from the root directory of the CIRCUITPY drive
pic = displayio.OnDiskBitmap("/display-ruler.bmp")
# Create a Tilegrid with the bitmap and put in the displayio group
t = displayio.TileGrid(pic, pixel_shader=pic.pixel_shader)
g.append(t)
# Place the display group on the screen (does not refresh)
display.root_group = g
# Show the image on the display
display.refresh()
print("refreshed")
# Do Not refresh the screen more often than every 180 seconds
# for eInk displays! Rapid refreshes will damage the panel.
time.sleep(180)
2.7" 264x176 HD Tri-Color Shield and non-EYESPI Breakout
In the examples folder for your IL91874 displayio driver, there should be a test for your display which we have listed here:
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2021 ladyada for Adafruit Industries
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
"""
Simple test script for 2.7" 264x176 Tri-Color display shield
Supported products:
* Adafruit 2.7" Tri-Color ePaper Display Shield
https://www.adafruit.com/product/4229
This program only requires the adafruit_il91874 library in /lib
for CircuitPython 5.0 and above which has displayio support.
"""
import time
import board
import displayio
from fourwire import FourWire
import adafruit_il91874
# Used to ensure the display is free in CircuitPython
displayio.release_displays()
# Define the pins needed for display use on the Metro
spi = board.SPI()
epd_cs = board.D10
epd_dc = board.D9
epd_reset = board.D5
epd_busy = board.D6
# Create the displayio connection to the display pins
display_bus = FourWire(spi, command=epd_dc, chip_select=epd_cs, reset=epd_reset, baudrate=1000000)
time.sleep(1) # Wait a bit
# Create the display object - the third color is red (0xff0000)
display = adafruit_il91874.IL91874(
display_bus,
width=264,
height=176,
busy_pin=epd_busy,
highlight_color=0xFF0000,
rotation=90,
)
# Create a display group for our screen objects
g = displayio.Group()
# Display a ruler graphic from the root directory of the CIRCUITPY drive
pic = displayio.OnDiskBitmap("/display-ruler.bmp")
# Create a Tilegrid with the bitmap and put in the displayio group
t = displayio.TileGrid(pic, pixel_shader=pic.pixel_shader)
g.append(t)
# Place the display group on the screen (does not refresh)
display.root_group = g
# Show the image on the display
display.refresh()
print("refreshed")
# Do Not refresh the screen more often than every 180 seconds
# for eInk displays! Rapid refreshes will damage the panel.
time.sleep(180)
In either example, you will want to double-check your settings.
For the breakout, you will want to change the epd_reset and epd_busy to the correct values. If you wired it up as shown on the Wiring page, you will want to change it to these values:
epd_reset = board.D8 epd_busy = board.D7
For the shield, you will want to change both of these values to None:
epd_reset = None epd_busy = None
The rotation of the breakout is 180 degrees different from the shield, so you may want to change the rotation value from 90 to 270:
rotation=270
Save it to your CIRCUITPY drive as code.py and it should automatically run. Your display will look something like this:
Page last edited January 22, 2025
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