# Matrix Portal New Guide Scroller
## Overview
_Is there a new guide on the Adafruit Learning System?_ Glance over at this attention-grabbing Matrix Portal New Guide scroller. **Every hour, this project fetches the latest guides from the Adafruit Learning System and displays them on the Matrix Portal.**
You'll use **CircuitPython and the Adafruit Matrix Portal** to fetch JSON data from the Adafruit Learning System's public API, parse the data, and display it scrolling across a RGB Matrix.
This internet-connected project can easily be **adapted to a REST API of your choice to scroll data of your choice:** negative COVID-19 tests, sports scores, positive news headlines, or stock prices.
## Parts
### Adafruit Matrix Portal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display
[Adafruit Matrix Portal - CircuitPython Powered Internet Display](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4745)
Folks love our [wide selection of RGB matrices](https://www.adafruit.com/category/327) and accessories, for making custom colorful LED displays... and our RGB Matrix Shields and FeatherWings can be quickly soldered together to make the wiring much easier. But what if we made it...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4745)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4745/guides)
You can use a USB C power supply or a USB micro B with a [micro B to C adapter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4299)
### USB Type A to Type C Cable - approx 1 meter / 3 ft long
[USB Type A to Type C Cable - approx 1 meter / 3 ft long](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4474)
As technology changes and adapts, so does Adafruit. This **USB Type A to Type C** cable will help you with the transition to USB C, even if you're still totin' around a USB Type A hub, computer or laptop.
USB C is the latest industry-standard connector for...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4474)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4474/guides)
### Official Raspberry Pi Power Supply 5.1V 3A with USB C
[Official Raspberry Pi Power Supply 5.1V 3A with USB C](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4298)
The official Raspberry Pi USB-C power supply is here! And of course, we have 'em in classic Adafruit black! Superfast with just the right amount of cable length to get your Pi 4 projects up and running!
Best for use with Pi 4 series, [Pi...](https://www.adafruit.com/product/5814)
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4298)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4298/guides)
### 5V 2.5A Switching Power Supply with 20AWG MicroUSB Cable
[5V 2.5A Switching Power Supply with 20AWG MicroUSB Cable](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1995)
Our all-in-one 5V 2.5 Amp + MicroUSB cable power adapter is the perfect choice for powering single-board computers like Raspberry Pi, BeagleBone, or anything else that's power-hungry!
This adapter was specifically designed to provide 5.25V, not 5V, but we still call it a 5V USB...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1995)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1995/guides)
### Micro B USB to USB C Adapter
[Micro B USB to USB C Adapter](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4299)
As technology changes and adapts, so does Adafruit, and speaking of _adapting_, this _ **adapter** _ has a Micro B USB jack and a USB C plug.
USB C is the latest industry-standard connector for transmitting data _and_ power....
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4299)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4299/guides)
If you'd like your LEDs diffused (and if your LED matrix is 4mm pitch or smaller), some acrylic may help:
### Black LED Diffusion Acrylic Panel 12" x 12" - 0.1" / 2.6mm thick
[Black LED Diffusion Acrylic Panel 12" x 12" - 0.1" / 2.6mm thick](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4594)
A nice whoppin' slab of some lovely black acrylic to add some extra diffusion to your LED Matrix project. This material is 2.6mm (0.1") thick and is made of special cast acrylic that makes it perfect for glowy projects, especially matricies or NeoPixels.
Unlike smoke or...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4594)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/4594/guides)
Adafruit carries a number of 64x32 RGB LED Matrices, varying between the space between LEDs (pitch) and whether rigid or flexible. Choose your favorite - larger pitch means the display is larger, width and height-wise but with the same number of pixels, and larger may be easier to read further away. Smaller for near your desk, for example.
### 64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 3mm pitch
[64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 3mm pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2279)
Bring a little bit of Times Square into your home with this sweet 64 x 32 square RGB LED matrix panel. These panels are normally used to make video walls, here in New York we see them on the sides of busses and bus stops, to display animations or short video clips. We thought they looked...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2279)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2279/guides)
### 64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 4mm pitch
[64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 4mm pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2278)
Bring a little bit of Times Square into your home with this sweet 64 x 32 square RGB LED matrix panel. These panels are normally used to make video walls, here in New York we see them on the sides of busses and bus stops, to display animations or short video clips. We thought they looked...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2278)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2278/guides)
### 64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 5mm pitch
[64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 5mm pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2277)
Bring a little bit of Times Square into your home with this sweet 64x32 square RGB LED matrix panel. These panels are normally used to make video walls, here in New York we see them on the sides of busses and bus stops, to display animations or short video clips. We thought they looked really...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2277)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2277/guides)
### 64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 6mm pitch
[64x32 RGB LED Matrix - 6mm pitch](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2276)
Bring a little bit of Times Square into your home with this sweet 64x32 square RGB LED matrix panel. These panels are normally used to make video walls, here in New York we see them on the sides of busses and bus stops, to display animations or short video clips. We thought they looked really...
In Stock
[Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/2276)
[Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/2276/guides)
# Matrix Portal New Guide Scroller
## Prep the MatrixPortal
## Power Prep
The MatrixPortal supplies power to the matrix display panel via two standoffs. These come with protective tape applied (part of our manufacturing process) which MUST BE REMOVED!
Use some tweezers or a fingernail to remove the two amber circles.
## Power Terminals
Next, screw in the spade connectors to the corresponding standoff.
- **red** wire goes to **+5V**
- **black** wire goes to **GND**
## Panel Power
Plug either one of the four-conductor power plugs into the power connector pins on the panel. The plug can only go in one way, and that way is marked on the board's silkscreen.
## Dual Matrix Setup
If you're planning to use a 64x64 matrix, [follow these instructions on soldering the Address E Line jumper](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-matrixportal-m4/pinouts#address-e-line-jumper-3072815).
## Board Connection
Now, plug the board into the left side shrouded 8x2 connector as shown. The orientation matters, so take a moment to confirm that the **white indicator arrow on the matrix panel is oriented pointing up and right** as seen here and the MatrixPortal overhangs the edge of the panel when connected. This allows you to use the edge buttons from the front side.
Check nothing is impeding the board from plugging in firmly. If there's a plastic nub on the matrix that's keeping the Portal from sitting flat, cut it off with diagonal cutters
Info:
# Matrix Portal New Guide Scroller
## LED Matrix Diffuser
## LED Diffusion Acrylic
You can add an [LED diffusion acrylic faceplate](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4594) to the your LED matrix display. (Pictured here with the [ON AIR project](https://learn.adafruit.com/rgb-matrix-automatic-youtube-on-air-sign))
This can help protect the LEDs as well as enhance the look of the sign both indoors and out by reducing glare and specular highlights of the plastic matrix grid.
## Measure and Cut the Plastic
You can use the sign to measure and mark cut lines on the paper backing of the acrylic sheet.
Then, use a tablesaw or bandsaw with a fine toothed blade and a guide or sled to make the cuts.
Note: it is possible to score and snap acrylic, but it can be very tricky to get an even snap without proper clamping.
Peel away the paper backing from both sides and set the acrylic onto your matrix display with the matte finished side facing out.
## Uglu Dashes
The best method we've found for adhering acrylic to the matrix display is to use [Uglu Dashes clear adhesive rectangles from Pro Tapes](https://www.protapes.com/products/uglu-600-dashes-sheets). They are incredibly strong (although can be removed if necessary), easy to apply, and are invisible once attached.
Use one at each corner and one each at the halfway point of the long edges, then press the acrylic and matrix panel together for about 20 seconds.
Here you can see the impact of using the diffusion acrylic. (Pictured here with the ON AIR sign project)
## Stand
A very simple and attractive way to display your matrix is with the adjustable [bent-wire stand](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1679).
Alternately, you can use a frame, [3D printed brackets](https://learn.adafruit.com/led-protest-sign/build-the-sign#step-3065326), tape, glue, or even large binder clips to secure the acrylic to the sign and then mount it on on a wall, shelf, or display cabinet.
[These mini-magnet feet](https://www.adafruit.com/product/4631) can be used to stick the sign to a ferrous surface.
# Matrix Portal New Guide Scroller
## Install CircuitPython
[CircuitPython](https://github.com/adafruit/circuitpython) is a derivative of [MicroPython](https://micropython.org) designed to simplify experimentation and education on low-cost microcontrollers. It makes it easier than ever to get prototyping by requiring no upfront desktop software downloads. Simply copy and edit files on the **CIRCUITPY** drive to iterate.
## Set up CircuitPython Quick Start!
Follow this quick step-by-step for super-fast Python power :)
[Download the latest version of CircuitPython for this board via circuitpython.org](https://circuitpython.org/board/matrixportal_m4/)
## Further Information
For more detailed info on installing CircuitPython, check out [Installing CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython/installing-circuitpython).
**Click the link above and download the latest UF2 file.**
Download and save it to your desktop (or wherever is handy).
Plug your MatrixPortal M4 into your computer using a known-good USB cable.
**A lot of people end up using charge-only USB cables and it is very frustrating! So make sure you have a USB cable you know is good for data sync.**
Double-click the **Reset** button (indicated by the green arrow) on your board, and you will see the NeoPixel RGB LED (indicated by the magenta arrow) turn green. If it turns red, check the USB cable, try another USB port, etc.
If double-clicking doesn't work the first time, try again. Sometimes it can take a few tries to get the rhythm right!
You will see a new disk drive appear called **MATRIXBOOT**.
Drag the **adafruit\_circuitpython\_etc.uf2** file to **MATRIXBOOT****.**
The LED will flash. Then, the **MATRIXBOOT** drive will disappear and a new disk drive called **CIRCUITPY** will appear.
That's it, you're done! :)
# Matrix Portal New Guide Scroller
## Create Your settings.toml File
CircuitPython works with WiFi-capable boards to enable you to make projects that have network connectivity. This means working with various passwords and API keys. As of [CircuitPython 8](https://circuitpython.org/downloads), there is support for a **settings.toml** file. This is a file that is stored on your **CIRCUITPY** drive, that contains all of your secret network information, such as your SSID, SSID password and any API keys for IoT services. It is designed to separate your sensitive information from your **code.py** file so you are able to share your code without sharing your credentials.
CircuitPython previously used a **secrets.py** file for this purpose. The **settings.toml** file is quite similar.
Warning: Your **settings.toml** file should be stored in the main directory of your **CIRCUITPY** drive. It should not be in a folder.
## CircuitPython **settings.toml** File
This section will provide a couple of examples of what your **settings.toml** file should look like, specifically for CircuitPython WiFi projects in general.
The most minimal **settings.toml** file must contain your WiFi SSID and password, as that is the minimum required to connect to WiFi. Copy this example, paste it into your **settings.toml** , and update:
- `your_wifi_ssid`
- `your_wifi_password`
```auto
CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID = "your_wifi_ssid"
CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD = "your_wifi_password"
```
Many CircuitPython network-connected projects on the Adafruit Learn System involve using Adafruit IO. For these projects, you must _also_ include your Adafruit IO username and key. Copy the following example, paste it into your settings.toml file, and update:
- `your_wifi_ssid`
- `your_wifi_password`
- `your_aio_username`
- `your_aio_key`
```auto
CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID = "your_wifi_ssid"
CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD = "your_wifi_password"
ADAFRUIT_AIO_USERNAME = "your_aio_username"
ADAFRUIT_AIO_KEY = "your_aio_key"
```
Some projects use different variable names for the entries in the **settings.toml** file. For example, a project might use `ADAFRUIT_AIO_ID` in the place of `ADAFRUIT_AIO_USERNAME`. **If you run into connectivity issues, one of the first things to check is that the names in the settings.toml file match the names in the code.**
Warning: Not every project uses the same variable name for each entry in the **settings.toml** file! Always verify it matches the code.
## **settings.toml** File Tips
Here is an example **settings.toml** file.
```auto
# Comments are supported
CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID = "guest wifi"
CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD = "guessable"
CIRCUITPY_WEB_API_PORT = 80
CIRCUITPY_WEB_API_PASSWORD = "passw0rd"
test_variable = "this is a test"
thumbs_up = "\U0001f44d"
```
In a **settings.toml** file, it's important to keep these factors in mind:
- Strings are wrapped in double quotes; ex: `"your-string-here"`
- Integers are _ **not** _ quoted and may be written in decimal with optional sign (`+1`, `-1`, `1000`) or hexadecimal (`0xabcd`).
- Floats (decimal numbers), octal (`0o567`) and binary (`0b11011`) are not supported.
- Use `\u` escapes for weird characters, `\x` and `\ooo` escapes are not available in **.toml** files
- Example: `\U0001f44d` for 👍 (thumbs up emoji) and `\u20ac` for € (EUR sign)
- Unicode emoji, and non-ASCII characters, stand for themselves as long as you're careful to save in "UTF-8 without BOM" format
When your **settings.toml ** file is ready, you can save it in your text editor with the **.toml** extension.
## Accessing Your **settings.toml** Information in **code.py**
In your **code.py** file, you'll need to `import` the `os` library to access the **settings.toml** file. Your settings are accessed with the `os.getenv()` function. You'll pass your settings entry to the function to import it into the **code.py** file.
```python
import os
print(os.getenv("test_variable"))
```
In the upcoming CircuitPython WiFi examples, you'll see how the **settings.toml ** file is used for connecting to your SSID and accessing your API keys.
# Matrix Portal New Guide Scroller
## Internet Connect!
# Connect to WiFi
OK, now that you have your **settings.toml** file set up - you can connect to the Internet.
To do this, you need to first install a few libraries, into the lib folder on your **CIRCUITPY** drive. Then you need to update **code.py** with the example script.
Thankfully, we can do this in one go. In the example below, click the **Download Project Bundle** button below to download the necessary libraries and the **code.py** file in a zip file. Extract the contents of the zip file, open the directory **examples/** and then click on the directory that matches the version of CircuitPython you're using and copy the contents of that directory to your **CIRCUITPY** drive.
Your **CIRCUITPY** drive should now look similar to the following image:
Info: Update to CircuitPython 9.2.x or later to use this example.
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ESP32SPI/blob/main/examples/esp32spi_simpletest.py
And save it to your board, with the name **code.py**.
Don't forget you'll also need to create the **settings.toml** file as seen above, with your WiFi ssid and password.
In a serial console, you should see something like the following. For more information about connecting with a serial console, view the guide [Connecting to the Serial Console](https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython/kattni-connecting-to-the-serial-console).
```terminal
>>> import wifitest
ESP32 SPI webclient test
ESP32 found and in idle mode
Firmware vers. 1.7.5
MAC addr: 24:C9:DC:BD:0F:3F
HomeNetwork RSSI: -46
HomeNetwork RSSI: -76
Fios-12345 RSSI: -92
FiOS-AB123 RSSI: -92
NETGEAR53 RSSI: -93
Connecting to AP...
Connected to HomeNetwork RSSI: -45
My IP address is 192.168.1.245
IP lookup adafruit.com: 104.20.39.240
Ping google.com: 30 ms
Fetching text from http://wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/index.html
----------------------------------------
This is a test of Adafruit WiFi!
If you can read this, its working :)
----------------------------------------
Fetching json from http://wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/sample.json
----------------------------------------
{'fun': True, 'company': 'Adafruit', 'founded': 2005, 'primes': [2, 3, 5], 'pi': 3.14, 'mixed': [False, None, 3, True, 2.7, 'cheese']}
----------------------------------------
Done!
```
Going over the example above, here's a breakdown of what the program is doing:
- Initialize the ESP32 over SPI using the SPI port and 3 control pins:
```python
esp32_cs = DigitalInOut(board.ESP_CS)
esp32_ready = DigitalInOut(board.ESP_BUSY)
esp32_reset = DigitalInOut(board.ESP_RESET)
#...
else:
spi = busio.SPI(board.SCK, board.MOSI, board.MISO)
esp = adafruit_esp32spi.ESP_SPIcontrol(spi, esp32_cs, esp32_ready, esp32_reset)
```
- Get the socket pool and the SSL context, and then tell the `adafruit_requests` library about them.
```python
pool = adafruit_connection_manager.get_radio_socketpool(esp)
ssl_context = adafruit_connection_manager.get_radio_ssl_context(esp)
requests = adafruit_requests.Session(pool, ssl_context)
```
- Verify an ESP32 is found, checks the firmware and MAC address
```auto
if esp.status == adafruit_esp32spi.WL_IDLE_STATUS:
print("ESP32 found and in idle mode")
print("Firmware vers.", esp.firmware_version)
print("MAC addr:", ":".join("%02X" % byte for byte in esp.MAC_address))
```
- Perform a scan of all access points it can see and print out the name and signal strength.
```python
for ap in esp.scan_networks():
print("\t%-23s RSSI: %d" % (ap.ssid, ap.rssi))
```
- Connect to the AP we've defined here, then print out the local IP address. Then attempt to do a domain name lookup and ping google.com to check network connectivity. (Note sometimes the ping fails or takes a while; this isn't a big deal.)
```python
print("Connecting to AP...")
while not esp.is_connected:
try:
esp.connect_AP(ssid, password)
except OSError as e:
print("could not connect to AP, retrying: ", e)
continue
print("Connected to", esp.ap_info.ssid, "\tRSSI:", esp.ap_info.rssi)
print("My IP address is", esp.ipv4_address)
print(
"IP lookup adafruit.com: %s" % esp.pretty_ip(esp.get_host_by_name("adafruit.com"))
)
```
Now we're getting to the really interesting part of the example program. We've written a library for web fetching web data, named [adafruit\_requests](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests). It is a lot like the regular Python library named [requests](https://requests.readthedocs.io/en/latest/). This library allows you to send HTTP and HTTPS requests easily and provides helpful methods for parsing the response from the server.
- Here is the part of the example program is fetching text data from a URL.
```python
TEXT_URL = "http://wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/index.html" # Further up in the program
# ...
print("Fetching text from", TEXT_URL)
r = requests.get(TEXT_URL)
print('-' * 40)
print(r.text)
print('-' * 40)
r.close()
```
- Finally, here the program is fetching some JSON data. The `adafruit_requests` library will parse the JSON into a Python dictionary whose structure is the same as the structure of the JSON.
```auto
JSON_URL = "http://wifitest.adafruit.com/testwifi/sample.json" # Further up in the program
# ...
print("Fetching json from", JSON_URL)
r = requests.get(JSON_URL)
print('-' * 40)
print(r.json())
print('-' * 40)
r.close()
```
# Advanced Requests Usage
Want to send custom HTTP headers, parse the response as raw bytes, or handle a response's http status code in your CircuitPython code?
We've written an example to show advanced usage of the requests module below.
To use with CircuitPython, you need to first install a few libraries, into the lib folder on your **CIRCUITPY** drive. Then you need to update **code.py** with the example script.
Thankfully, we can do this in one go. In the example below, click the **Download Project Bundle** button below to download the necessary libraries and the **code.py** file in a zip file. Extract the contents of the zip file, open the directory **examples/** and then click on the directory that matches the version of CircuitPython you're using and copy the contents of that directory to your **CIRCUITPY** drive.
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Requests/blob/main/examples/esp32spi/requests_esp32spi_advanced.py
Your **CIRCUITPY** drive should now look similar to the following image:
# WiFi Manager
The way the examples above connect to WiFi works but it's a little finicky. Since WiFi is not necessarily so reliable, you may have disconnects and need to reconnect. For more advanced uses, we recommend using the `WiFiManager` class. It will wrap the connection/status/requests loop for you - reconnecting if WiFi drops, resetting the ESP32 if it gets into a bad state, etc.
Here's a more advanced example that shows using the `WiFiManager` and also how to fetch the current time from a web source.
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_ESP32SPI/blob/main/examples/esp32spi_localtime.py
# Further Information
For more information on the basics of doing networking in CircuitPython, see this guide:
### Networking in CircuitPython
[Networking in CircuitPython](https://learn.adafruit.com/networking-in-circuitpython)
# Matrix Portal New Guide Scroller
## Code the Matrix Portal
## Text Editor
Adafruit recommends using the Mu editor for editing your CircuitPython code. You can get more info in [this guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/welcome-to-circuitpython/installing-mu-editor).
Alternatively, you can use any text editor that saves simple text files.
## Add Font
Instead of the standard terminalio typeface, this project uses a lovely typeface converted to a bitmap font for use on the matrix display.
- If you want to make your own font, follow [this excellent guide](https://learn.adafruit.com/custom-fonts-for-pyportal-circuitpython-display/overview).
We'll be using a 64x32 version of the [IBM Plex Mono Medium](https://www.ibm.com/plex/) typeface. Download and uncompress the zip file and then drag it onto the board's **CIRCUITPY** drive.
[IBMPlexMono-Medium-24_jep.bdf.zip](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/094/096/original/IBMPlexMono-Medium-24_jep.bdf.zip?1597451956)
## Secrets Setup
Instead of relying on a real-time-clock or the microcontroller's software timers, this code uses Adafruit IO's time service to query an exact time for your location. You will need an Adafruit IO account to use this service. If you don't already have an Adafruit login, create [one here](https://accounts.adafruit.com/users/sign_up).
Once you have logged into your account, there are two pieces of information you'll need to place in your **settings.toml** file: your **Adafruit IO username** , and **Adafruit IO key**. Head to [io.adafruit.com](https://io.adafruit.com/) and simply click the **Adafruit IO Key** link on the left hand side of the Adafruit IO page to obtain this information.
Then, add them to the **settings.toml** file:
```python
CIRCUITPY_WIFI_SSID = "your_wifi_ssid"
CIRCUITPY_WIFI_PASSWORD = "your_wifi_password"
AIO_USERNAME = "your_aio_username"
AIO_KEY = "your_aio_key"
```
## Install Code
To use with CircuitPython, you need to first install a few libraries, into the lib folder on your **CIRCUITPY** drive. Then you need to update **code.py** with the example script.
Thankfully, we can do this in one go. In the example below, click the **Download Project Bundle** button below to download the necessary libraries and the **code.py** file in a zip file. Extract the contents of the zip file, open the directory **Matrix\_Portal\_Learn\_Stats/** and then click on the directory that matches the version of CircuitPython you're using and copy the contents of that directory to your **CIRCUITPY** drive.
Your **CIRCUITPY** drive should now look similar to the following image:
## Connect to the Internet
Once you have CircuitPython setup and libraries installed, next is to get your board connected to the Internet. The process for connecting can be found [here](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-matrixportal-m4/internet-connect). Once you've connected to WiFi using the code on that guide, come back to this page.
## Code
If you copied a different **code.py ** over when testing the internet connection, make sure to copy the one from this project over again.
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Learning_System_Guides/blob/main/Matrix_Portal/Matrix_Portal_Learn_Stats/code.py
## Code Usage
**Every hour, the code will fetch and scroll the five latest guides from the Adafruit Learning System**. The number of guides on the Adafruit Learning System will be displayed on top of the scrolling text.
### Customize Colors
You can change the colors of the scrolling text. In the code, the scrolling text's color is defined as a list of hex color values.
```python
# Colors for guide name
colors = [0xffa500, 0xffff00,
0x008000, 0x0000ff,
0x4b0082, 0xee82ee]
```
To add a new color, [convert a RGB color to a hex color](https://www.rapidtables.com/convert/color/rgb-to-hex.html) and add it to the `colors` list.
### Customize Fonts
This code uses the IBMPlexMono Medium typeface to display the number of guides in the Adafruit Learning System. To change the font, you'll first need to convert it to a single bitmap font in a size that works for the 64x32 pixel matrix display.
- [Read this guide for more information about making a custom font for the Matrix Portal](https://learn.adafruit.com/network-connected-metro-rgb-matrix-clock/custom-font).
Then, change the following code in this guide to the name of your new font:
`FONT = "/IBMPlexMono-Medium-24_jep.bdf"`
### Change the Scrolling Speed
You can also change the speed of text scrolling across the bottom of the MatrixPortal by editing the following line. The scrolling delay is measured in seconds.
`# Delay for scrolling the text`
`SCROLL_DELAY = 0.03`
# Matrix Portal New Guide Scroller
## Code Walkthrough
## Import Libraries
The code first imports the libraries it needs. The `terminalio` library is used for the built-in terminal-style font. The `adafruit_matrixportal` library handles the matrix portal's graphics and networking.
```python
import time
import board
from random import randrange
import terminalio
from adafruit_matrixportal.matrixportal import MatrixPortal
```
## Data Setup
The next chunk of code configures the data source displayed by the Matrix Portal. You can access the Adafruit Learning System's public API endpoint to display data about new guides by navigating to https://learn.adafruit.com/api/guides.json?count=5.
This API is unique in that the URL contains a count parameter at the end of it. You can increase/decrease this number and see how many guides are loaded on the webpage:
[**https://learn.adafruit.com/api/guides.json?count=5**](https://learn.adafruit.com/api/guides.json?count=5)
The code stores the number of guides to display using the `DISPLAY_NUM_GUIDES` variable. The `DATA_SOURCE` The variable contains the URL along with the number of guides to display. The `TITLE_DATA_LOCATION` is a list of json traversals used to obtain the data we'll want.
Finally, a new matrixportal object is created using the `DATA_SOURCE` and `TITLE_DATA_LOCATION`.
```python
# --- Data Setup --- #
# Number of guides to fetch and display from the Adafruit Learning System
DISPLAY_NUM_GUIDES = 5
# Data source URL
DATA_SOURCE = (
"https://learn.adafruit.com/api/guides.json?count=d" % DISPLAY_NUM_GUIDES
)
TITLE_DATA_LOCATION = ["guides"]
matrixportal = MatrixPortal(
url=DATA_SOURCE,
json_path=TITLE_DATA_LOCATION,
status_neopixel=board.NEOPIXEL,
)
```
## Display Setup
The scrolling text displaying guide names changes colors as it scrolls by. Colors are defined by the `colors` list. Then, the scrolling delay measured in seconds is defined as `SCROLL_DELAY` and the path for the custom font is also defined here.
```python
# Colors for guide name
colors = [0xffa500, 0xffff00,
0x008000, 0x0000ff, 0x4b0082,
0xee82ee]
# Delay for scrolling the text
SCROLL_DELAY = 0.03
FONT = "/IBMPlexMono-Medium-24_jep.bdf"
```
The matrix portal library includes handy functions to make controlling the graphics on the Matrix Portal easy. The `add_text` function adds text labels to the Matrix Portal's display. You can also pass it settings including the label's font, position, color, and animation.
The first label displays the number of guides currently in the Adafruit Learning system and uses the custom font defined earlier in the code. The `preload_font` function is used to pre-load the glyphs used by the custom font so it doesn't need to be rendered each time. Since the code is only displaying the number of guides in the learning system, the code preloads all the possible numbers glyphs which could be displayed.
The second label displays the learn guide title. Since this text label scrolls, the scrolling parameter is set to `True`.
```python
# Learn guide count (ID = 0)
matrixportal.add_text(
text_font=FONT,
text_position=((matrixportal.graphics.display.width // 12) - 1, (matrixportal.graphics.display.height // 2) - 4),
text_color=0x800000,
)
matrixportal.preload_font("0123456789")
# Learn guide title (ID = 1)
matrixportal.add_text(
text_font=terminalio.FONT,
text_position=(2, 25),
text_color=0x000080,
scrolling = True
)
```
## Main Loop
Every 15 minutes, the code fetches the time from the Adafruit IO Server. If a new hour is elapsed, the `DATA_SOURCE` is queried and the resulting JSON data blob is stored into the `als_data` variable. Instead of fetching and parsing the URL it each time we want to display data, the code uses the `als_data` variable as a simple way of caching the data from the learning system API. We also update the `prv_hour` variable to reflect the numerical value of the new hour.
```python
while True:
if (not refresh_time) or (time.monotonic() - refresh_time) > 900:
try:
print("obtaining time from adafruit.io server...")
matrixportal.get_local_time()
refresh_time = time.monotonic()
except RuntimeError as e:
print("Unable to obtain time from Adafruit IO, retrying - ", e)
continue
if time.localtime()[3] != prv_hour:
print("New Hour, fetching new data...")
# Fetch and store guide info response
als_data = matrixportal.network.fetch(DATA_SOURCE)
prv_hour = time.localtime()[3]
```
The next chunk of code cycles through the data returned by the Adafruit Learning System API. A call to `get_guide_info` is made using the current guide number.
```python
# Cycle through guides retrieved
if guide_idx < DISPLAY_NUM_GUIDES:
get_guide_info(guide_idx)
```
The `get_guide_info` method parses the JSON data returned by the `DATA_SOURCE` to obtain the number of guides and current guide title. Then, it sets up the text labels and displays them on the Matrix Portal.
```python
def get_guide_info(index):
"""Parses JSON data returned by the DATA_SOURCE
to obtain the ALS guide title and number of guides and
sets the text labels.
:param int index: Guide index to display
"""
if index > DISPLAY_NUM_GUIDES:
raise RuntimeError("Provided index may not be larger than DISPLAY_NUM_GUIDES.")
print("Obtaining guide info for guide %d..."%index)
# Traverse JSON data for title
guide_count = matrixportal.network.json_traverse(als_data.json(), ["guides_total_count"])
# Set guide count
matrixportal.set_text(guide_count, 0)
# Reset prv_num_guides to the current guide count
prv_num_guides = guide_count
guides = matrixportal.network.json_traverse(als_data.json(), TITLE_DATA_LOCATION)
guide_title = guides[index]["guide"]["title"]
print("Guide Title", guide_title)
# Select color for title text
color_index = randrange(0, len(colors))
# Set the title text color
matrixportal.set_text_color(colors[color_index], 1)
# Set the title text
matrixportal.set_text(guide_title, 1)
```
Back in the main loop, the code scrolls the scrollable text label and increments the guide index.
```python
# Scroll the scrollable text blocks
matrixportal.scroll_text(SCROLL_DELAY)
guide_idx += 1
else:
guide_idx = 0
time.sleep(0.05)
```
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