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Experimenter's Guide for Metro Code

Experimenter's Guide for Metro

Image for user brubell
by Brent Rubell and
Contributors:
published August 18, 2017, last updated September 13, 2024
posted in Adafruit Products Arduino Compatibles/ Learn Arduino Arduino Compatibles/ Adafruit METRO
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96
Beginner
Skill guide

Code

Copy and paste the code below into the Arduino IDE. Then, compile and upload it to your metro.

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/*
 * (PROJ03) Metro (and Metro Express) Persistence of Vision Display
 * Desc: POV display for Metro & Metro Express using 7x LEDs and 7x 560ohm Resistors
 *
 * by Brent Rubell for Adafruit Industries. Support Open Source, buy Adafruit!
*/

int spacer[8][5] = {
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int A[8][5] = {
  {0, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int B[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int C[8][5] = {
  {0, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {0, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int D[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 1, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int E[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int F[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int G[8][5] = {
  {0, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 1},
  {0, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int H[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int I[8][5] = {
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int J[8][5] = {
  {0, 0, 0, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 1},
  {0, 1, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int K[8][5] = {
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 0},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int L[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int M[8][5] = {
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int N[8][5] = {
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int O[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int P[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int Q[8][5] = {
  {0, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 0},
  {0, 1, 1, 0, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int R[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int S[8][5] = {
  {0, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 1, 0, 0, 1},
  {0, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 1, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 1, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int T[8][5] = {
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int U[8][5] = {
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int V[8][5] = {
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {0, 1, 0, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int W[8][5] = {
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 0, 1, 0, 1},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int X[8][5] = {
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {0, 1, 0, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 1, 0, 1, 0},
  {1, 0, 0, 0, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};

int Y[8][5] = {
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {0, 1, 0, 1, 0},
  {0, 1, 0, 1, 0},
  {0, 1, 1, 1, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 1, 0, 0},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};


int Z[8][5] = {
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 1, 1, 0},
  {0, 1, 1, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 0, 0, 0},
  {1, 1, 1, 1, 1},
  {0, 0, 0, 0, 0}
};


// LED pins
int LEDPins[] = {2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9};

//  space between the letters
float letterSpacing = 0.5;

void setup() {
  // start serialmon.
  Serial.begin(9600);
  // set all leds to output mode
  for (int pin = 0; pin < 8; pin++) {
    pinMode(LEDPins[pin], OUTPUT);
  }
}



void loop() {
  printLetter(M);
  printLetter(spacer);
  printLetter(E);
  printLetter(spacer);
  printLetter(T);
  printLetter(spacer);
  printLetter(R);
  printLetter(spacer);
  printLetter(O);
  printLetter(spacer);
  // delay 2s
  delay(2);

}

// outputs a letter to the POV Display
void printLetter(int letter[8][5]) {
  //  row of letter array
  for (int j = 0; j < 5; j++)
  {
      Serial.print("\nRow # ");
      Serial.print(j);
      Serial.println(".");
    //  column of letter array
    for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
      // check for 1 within column6
      if (letter[i][j] == 1) {
        Serial.println("1 detected");
        digitalWrite(LEDPins[i], HIGH);
      }
      else {
        Serial.println("0 detected");
        digitalWrite(LEDPins[i], LOW);
      }
    }
    delay(letterSpacing);
  }

}
View on GitHub

I need help

I can't get a good photograph of the MetroPOV in action

Try checking the next section of this guide. We suggest some techniques, and even an app. 

I don't see the LEDs lighting up in different patterns

Check your wiring, the led's are connected to pins 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 on the Metro or Metro Express

Nothing's working, I'm getting nowhere

Don't fear, post up in the Adafruit Support Forums and we will get back to you as soon as we can. 

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 Wiring Using MetroPOV 
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