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ePaper Calendar Featuring Metro M4 Express Airlift and Tri-Color ePaper Shield Arduino Code

ePaper Calendar Featuring Metro M4 Express Airlift and Tri-Color ePaper Shield

by Dan Cogliano
published May 11, 2019, last edited January 21, 2025
posted in Internet of Things - IOT/ Adafruit IO Arduino Compatibles/ Adafruit METRO LCDs & Displays/ eInk / ePaper
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Beginner
Project guide

Arduino Code

If you don't have it already, you will need the Arduino IDE installed on your computer to upload this sketch to the Metro M4 Express Airlift. You will find information on installing Arduino in this learning guide. 

Installing The Libraries

You will need to install these libraries, which are needed by the sketch:

  • Adafruit EPD (ePaper display) library
  • Adafruit GFX library
  • Adafruit BusIO
  • Adafruit NeoPixel library
  • Adafruit variant of the WiFiNINA library

You can manually install the libraries needed for this sketch using the links below. The sketch uses a variant of the Arduino WiFiNINA library developed by Adafruit in order to support the Airlift coprocessor. Make sure you use this version of the library with your sketch, which is included in the links below.

You will also need to setup an Adafruit IO account if you do not have one already. This learning guide about Airlift and Adafruit IO will help you get started with Adafruit IO. You will need a user name and key in order for the sketch to retrieve the current date and time from Adafruit IO.

Open up the Arduino library manager:

adafruit_io_library_manager_menu.png

Search for the Adafruit epd library and install it

adafruit_io_epd.png

Search for the Adafruit gfx library and install it

adafruit_io_gfx.png

If using an earlier version of the Arduino IDE (prior to 1.8.10), also locate and install Adafruit_BusIO (newer versions will install this dependency automatically).

Search for the Adafruit neopixel library and install it

adafruit_io_neopixel.png

To install the Adafruit WiFiNINA library, click the link below to download the library as a zip file:

Within the Arduino IDE, select Install library from ZIP...

eink___epaper_adafruit_products_image.png

And select the zip files you just downloaded.

Installing the Sketch

There are two files used by this sketch: the secrets.h file and the main project sketch file. The secrets.h file contains the WiFi connection credentials as well as the Adafruit IO account details. This information must be entered before running the sketch.

You can download a skeleton of a secrets.h file from the window below, just fill in the details for the WiFi access point and Adafruit IO account.

Download File
Copy Code 
// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019 Anne Barela for Adafruit Industries
//
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

#ifndef _SECRETS_H THEN
#define _SECRETS_H

// define your WIFI and Adadfruit IO credentials in this file

#define WIFI_SSID "your_SSID"
#define WIFI_PASSWORD "your_password"
#define AIO_USERNAME "your_adafruit_io_username"
#define AIO_KEY "your_adafruit_io_key"

#endif
View on GitHub

The main project sketch is named adafruit_airlift_calendar.ino. A customization that you can do with the calendar is choose how to highlight the current day in the calendar. You have the option of showing the current day as a red circle, black circle, bold text or no highlighting, which displays the current day just like any other day. Uncomment the option you will want to use.

Download File
Copy Code 
enum dayhighlight {RedCircle, BlackCircle, Bold, None};

// pick one of these options for displaying the current day in the current month

dayhighlight currentday = RedCircle;
//dayhighlight currentday = BlackCircle;
//dayhighlight currentday = Bold;
//dayhighlight currentday = None;

The sketch is available for download below.

Download File
Copy Code 
// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019 Dan Cogliano for Adafruit Industries
//
// SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT

/***************************************************
 * ePaper Tri Color Calendar Demo
 * For use with Adafruit Metro M4 Express Airlift and tricolor e-Paper Display Shield
 * 
 * Adafruit invests time and resources providing this open source code.
 * Please support Adafruit and open source hardware by purchasing
 * products from Adafruit.com!
 * 
 * Written by Dan Cogliano for Adafruit Industries
 * Copyright (c) 2019 Adafruit Industries
 * 
 * Notes: 
 * Update the secrets.h file with your WiFi details and Adafruit IO credentials
 */
#include <time.h>
#include "secrets.h" 
#include <Adafruit_GFX.h>    // Core graphics library
#include <Adafruit_EPD.h>
#include <Adafruit_NeoPixel.h>

#include <Fonts/FreeSans9pt7b.h>
#include <Fonts/FreeSansBold9pt7b.h>

#include <SPI.h>
#include <WiFiNINA.h>

enum dayhighlight {RedCircle, BlackCircle, Bold, None};

// pick one of these options for displaying the current day in the current month

dayhighlight currentday = RedCircle;
//dayhighlight currentday = BlackCircle;
//dayhighlight currentday = Bold;
//dayhighlight currentday = None;
 
// Configure the pins used for the ESP32 connection
#if !defined(SPIWIFI_SS)  // if the wifi definition isnt in the board variant
  // Don't change the names of these #define's! they match the variant ones
  #define SPIWIFI     SPI
  #define SPIWIFI_SS    10  // Chip select pin
  #define SPIWIFI_ACK   7   // a.k.a BUSY or READY pin
  #define ESP32_RESETN  5   // Reset pin
  #define ESP32_GPIO0   -1  // Not connected
#endif

const char *wifi_ssid = WIFI_SSID;
const char *wifi_password = WIFI_PASSWORD;
const char *aio_username = AIO_USERNAME;
const char *aio_key = AIO_KEY;

#define SRAM_CS     8
#define EPD_CS      10
#define EPD_DC      9  
#define EPD_RESET -1
#define EPD_BUSY -1

#define NEOPIXELPIN   40

/* This isfor the 2.7" tricolor EPD */
Adafruit_IL91874 gfx(264, 176 ,EPD_DC, EPD_RESET, EPD_CS, SRAM_CS, EPD_BUSY);

WiFiSSLClient client;

Adafruit_NeoPixel neopixel = Adafruit_NeoPixel(1, NEOPIXELPIN, NEO_GRB + NEO_KHZ800);


struct tm *today;
struct tm *pickdate = new struct tm;

int8_t readButtons(void) {
  uint16_t reading = analogRead(A3);
  //Serial.println(reading);

  if (reading > 600) {
    return 0; // no buttons pressed
  }
  if (reading > 400) {
    return 4; // button D pressed
  }
  if (reading > 250) {
    return 3; // button C pressed
  }
  if (reading > 125) {
    return 2; // button B pressed
  }
  return 1; // Button A pressed
}

bool isLeapYear(int year) {
  if (((year % 4 == 0) && (year % 100 != 0)) || (year % 400 == 0))
    return true;
  return false;
}

int getDaysInMonth(int month, int year) {
  int daysInMonth[12] = {31, 28, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31, 31, 30, 31, 30, 31};
  if (month != 2)
    return daysInMonth[(month-1)%12];
  if(isLeapYear(year))
    return 29;
  return 28;
}

int getDayOfWeek(int year, int month, int day)
{
  uint16_t months[] = {
    0, 31, 59, 90, 120, 151, 181, 212, 243, 273, 304, 334, 365         };   // days until 1st of month

  uint32_t days = year * 365;        // days until year 
  for (uint16_t i = 4; i < year; i += 4) if (isLeapYear(i) ) days++;     // adjust leap years, test only multiple of 4 of course

  days += months[month-1] + day;    // add the days of this year
  if ((month > 2) && isLeapYear(year)) days++;  // adjust 1 if this year is a leap year, but only after febr

  // make Sunday 0
  days--;
  if(days < 0)
    days+= 7;
  return days % 7;   // remove all multiples of 7
}

void drawCalendar(struct tm * today, struct tm * pickdate)
{
  char *dows[7] = {"Sunday","Monday","Tuesday","Wednesday","Thursday","Friday","Saturday"};
  char *months[12] = {"January","February","March","April","May","June","July","August","September","October","November","December"};

  pickdate->tm_wday = getDayOfWeek(pickdate->tm_year,pickdate->tm_mon,pickdate->tm_mday);

  Serial.println("drawing calendar for " + String(months[pickdate->tm_mon-1]) + " " + String(pickdate->tm_year));
  neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 255, 0));
  neopixel.show();
  
  // draw calendar
  String stryear = String(pickdate->tm_year);
  gfx.powerUp();
  gfx.clearBuffer();
  //gfx.setFont(&FreeSans9pt7b);
  gfx.setFont();
  gfx.setTextColor(EPD_BLACK);
  gfx.setCursor(8,4);
  gfx.print(stryear);
  
  String strmonth = months[pickdate->tm_mon-1];

  int daysinmonth = getDaysInMonth(pickdate->tm_mon,pickdate->tm_year);
  gfx.setTextColor(EPD_BLACK);
  gfx.setFont(&FreeSansBold9pt7b);
  int16_t fx, fy;
  uint16_t w, h;
  gfx.getTextBounds((char *)strmonth.c_str(), 0,0, &fx, &fy, &w, &h);

  gfx.setCursor((gfx.width() - w)/2,14);
  gfx.print(strmonth);
  
  int curday = pickdate->tm_mday - pickdate->tm_wday;
  while(curday > 1)
    curday -= 7;

  int x = 0;
  int y = 26;
  for(int i = 0 ; i < 7; i++)
  {
    x = 4 + i * (gfx.width()-8)/7;
    gfx.setTextColor(EPD_BLACK);
    gfx.setFont();
    gfx.getTextBounds(String(dows[i]).substring(0,3), 0,0, &fx, &fy, &w, &h);
    gfx.setCursor(x + (gfx.width()/7-w)/2, y-8);
    gfx.print(String(dows[i]).substring(0,3));
  }
  gfx.drawLine(0,27,gfx.width(),27,EPD_BLACK);
  y = 45;
  while(curday <= daysinmonth)
  {
    for(int i = 0; i < 7; i++)
    {
      x = 4 + i * (gfx.width()-8)/7;
      if(curday >= 1 && curday <= daysinmonth)
      {
          gfx.setCursor(x,y);
          gfx.setTextColor(EPD_BLACK);
          gfx.setFont(&FreeSans9pt7b);          
          int16_t fx, fy;
          uint16_t w, h;
          String strday = String(curday);
          if((today->tm_year == pickdate->tm_year) &&
            (today->tm_mon == pickdate->tm_mon) &&
            (curday == pickdate->tm_mday))
          {
            if(currentday != None)
            {
              gfx.setFont(&FreeSansBold9pt7b);           
            }
            if(currentday == BlackCircle)
            {
              gfx.setTextColor(EPD_INVERSE);
              gfx.fillCircle(x + (gfx.width()-8)/7/2, y, 16, EPD_BLACK);  
            }
            else if(currentday == RedCircle)
            {
              gfx.setTextColor(EPD_RED);
              gfx.fillCircle(x + (gfx.width()-8)/7/2, y, 16, EPD_RED);              
            }
          }
          gfx.getTextBounds(strday.c_str(), 0,0, &fx, &fy, &w, &h);
          gfx.setCursor(x+(gfx.width()-8)/7/2-w/2-fx,y+h/2);
          gfx.setColorBuffer(1, true);  // red is inverted
          gfx.print(curday);
          gfx.setColorBuffer(1, false);  // red is not inverted
      }
      curday++;
    }
    y += 24;
  }
  gfx.display();
  Serial.println("display update completed");
  gfx.powerDown();
  neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 0));
  neopixel.show(); 
}

#define SERVER "io.adafruit.com"
#define PATH "/api/v2/%s/integrations/time/strftime?x-aio-key=%s"
// our strftime is %Y-%m-%d %H:%M:%S.%L %j %u %z %Z see http://strftime.net/ for decoding details
// See https://apidock.com/ruby/DateTime/strftime for full options
#define TIME_SERVICE_STRFTIME "&fmt=%25Y-%25m-%25d+%25H%3A%25M%3A%25S.%25L+%25j+%25u+%25z+%25Z"

struct tm *getDate(bool force = false)
{
  static tm date;
  char buff[500];
  char pathbuff[500];
  sprintf(pathbuff, PATH,aio_username, aio_key);
  String path = String(pathbuff) + String(TIME_SERVICE_STRFTIME);
  //Serial.println(String("path to check: " ) + String(SERVER) + path);
  wget(SERVER, path.c_str(), 443, buff);
  Serial.println("wget got: " + String(buff));
  String datestr = String(buff);
  date.tm_year = atoi(datestr.substring(0,4).c_str());
  date.tm_mon = atoi(datestr.substring(5,7).c_str());
  date.tm_mday = atoi(datestr.substring(8,10).c_str());
  date.tm_wday = atoi(datestr.substring(28,29).c_str());
  date.tm_hour = atoi(datestr.substring(11,13).c_str());
  date.tm_min = atoi(datestr.substring(14,16).c_str());
  date.tm_sec = atoi(datestr.substring(17,19).c_str());
  return &date;
}

void *wget(const char *host, const char *path, int port, char *buff)
{
  neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 255));
  neopixel.show(); 
  if (client.connect(host, port)) {
    Serial.println("connected to server");
    // Make a HTTP request:
    // Using HTTP/1.1 to avoid "Transfer-Encoding: chunked" reply
    client.println(String("GET ") + path + String(" HTTP/1.0"));
    client.println("Host: " + String(host));
    client.println("Connection: close");
    client.println();

    uint32_t bytes = 0;
    int capturepos = 0;
    bool capture = false;
    int linelength = 0;
    char lastc = '\0';
    while(true) 
    {
      while (client.available()) {
        char c = client.read();
        if((c == '\n') && (lastc == '\r'))
        {
          if(linelength == 0)
          {
            capture = true;
          }
          linelength = 0;
        }
        else if(capture)
        {
          buff[capturepos++] = c;
          //Serial.write(c);
        }
        else
        {
          if((c != '\n') && (c != '\r'))
            linelength++;
        }
        lastc = c;
        bytes++;
      }
    
      // if the server's disconnected, stop the client:
      if (!client.connected()) {
        //Serial.println();
        Serial.println("disconnecting from server.");
        client.stop();
        buff[capturepos] = '\0';
        Serial.println("read " + String(bytes) + " bytes");
        Serial.println("captured " + String(capturepos) + " bytes");
        break;
      }
    }
  }
  neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 0));
  neopixel.show(); 
}

void setup() {
  Serial.begin(115200);
  //while(!Serial);
  delay(2000);
  Serial.println("Adafruit Airlift ePaper Calendar");
    
  neopixel.begin();
  neopixel.show();
  
  Serial.print("Connecting to WiFi ");

  WiFi.setPins(SPIWIFI_SS, SPIWIFI_ACK, ESP32_RESETN, ESP32_GPIO0, &SPIWIFI);

  // check for the WiFi module:
  while (WiFi.status() == WL_NO_MODULE) {
    Serial.println("Communication with WiFi module failed!");
    // slow red blink
    while(1)
    {
      neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(255, 0, 0));
      neopixel.show(); 
      delay(900);
      neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 0));
      neopixel.show(); 
      delay(100);      
    }
  }

  String fv = WiFi.firmwareVersion();
  if (fv < "1.0.0") {
    Serial.println("Please upgrade the firmware");
  }

  neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 255));
  neopixel.show(); 
  if(WiFi.begin(wifi_ssid, wifi_password) == WL_CONNECT_FAILED)
  {
    Serial.println("WiFi connection failed!");
    // fast red blink
    while(1)
    {
      neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(255, 0, 0));
      neopixel.show(); 
      delay(400);
      neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 0));
      neopixel.show(); 
      delay(100);      
    }    
  }

  int wifitimeout = 15;
  while (WiFi.status() != WL_CONNECTED && wifitimeout > 0) {
    delay(900);
    Serial.print(".");
    neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 80));
    neopixel.show();
    delay(100);
    wifitimeout--;
  }
  if(wifitimeout == 0)
  {
    Serial.println("WiFi connection failed!");
    // fast red blink
    while(1)
    {
      neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(255, 0, 0));
      neopixel.show(); 
      delay(400);
      neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 0));
      neopixel.show(); 
      delay(100);      
    }    

  }
  neopixel.setPixelColor(0, neopixel.Color(0, 0, 0));
  neopixel.show(); 
  Serial.println("Connected to wifi");
  gfx.begin();
  Serial.println("ePaper display initialized");
  gfx.clearBuffer();
  gfx.setRotation(2);

  today = getDate();
  Serial.println("today is " + String(today->tm_mon) + "/" + String(today->tm_mday) + "/" + String(today->tm_year));
  pickdate->tm_year = today->tm_year;
  pickdate->tm_mon = today->tm_mon;
  pickdate->tm_mday = today->tm_mday;
  pickdate->tm_hour = today->tm_hour;
  pickdate->tm_min = today->tm_min;
  pickdate->tm_sec = today->tm_sec;
  drawCalendar(today,pickdate);

}

void loop() {
  static uint32_t timer = millis();
  static uint8_t lastbutton = 2;
  static uint8_t direction = 1;
  if(millis() > (timer + 1000*60*60))
  {
    timer = millis();
    // update date once an hour
    today = getDate();
    if(lastbutton == 2)
    {
      // refresh calendar of current month in case date has since changed.
      Serial.println("Refreshing calendar display");
      today = getDate();
      pickdate->tm_year = today->tm_year;
      pickdate->tm_mon = today->tm_mon;
      pickdate->tm_mday = today->tm_mday;
      drawCalendar(today,pickdate);        
    }
  }
  int button = readButtons();
  if (button == 0) {
    return;
  }
  Serial.print("Button "); Serial.print(button); Serial.println(" pressed");
  if (button == 1) {
    Serial.println("Previous month");
    direction = -1;
    pickdate->tm_mday = 1;
    pickdate->tm_mon--;
    if(pickdate->tm_mon < 1)
    {
      pickdate->tm_mon = 12;
      pickdate->tm_year--;
    }
    drawCalendar(today,pickdate);
    lastbutton = 1;
  }

  if (button == 2) {
    Serial.println("Current month");
    direction = 1;
    pickdate->tm_year = today->tm_year;
    pickdate->tm_mon = today->tm_mon;
    pickdate->tm_mday = today->tm_mday;
    pickdate->tm_hour = today->tm_hour;
    pickdate->tm_min = today->tm_min;
    pickdate->tm_sec = today->tm_sec;
    drawCalendar(today,pickdate);
    lastbutton = 2;
  }

  if (button == 3) {
    Serial.println("Next month");
    direction = 1;
    pickdate->tm_mday = 1;
    pickdate->tm_mon++;
    if(pickdate->tm_mon > 12)
    {
      pickdate->tm_mon = 1;
      pickdate->tm_year++;
    }
    drawCalendar(today,pickdate);
    lastbutton = 3;
  }

  if (button == 4) {
    if(direction >= 0)
        Serial.println("Next year");
    else
      Serial.println("Previous year");

    // next or previous year, depending on previous button press
    pickdate->tm_year = pickdate->tm_year + direction;      
    drawCalendar(today,pickdate);
    lastbutton = 3;
  }

  // wait until button is released
  while (readButtons()) {
    delay(10);
  }

}
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Page last edited January 21, 2025

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