To get set up, we will need CircuitPython, a few libraries and the Conference Badge Source Code and fonts downloaded from Github.
Required CircuitPython Libraries
First, make sure you are running the latest version of Adafruit CircuitPython for your board.
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. Our introduction guide has a great page on how to install the library bundle for both express and non-express boards.
Since the fonts take up a good deal of space, Adafruit recommends that you manually install only the necessary libraries from the bundle:
- neopixel
- adafruit_bitmap_font
- adafruit_display_shapes
- adafruit_display_text
Before continuing make sure your board's lib folder or root filesystem have the neopixel, adafruit_bitmap_font, adafruit_display_shapes, and adafruit_display_text files and folders copied over.
The fonts go in a subdirectory of your PyBadge's main CIRCUITPY flash drive named /fonts.
Here is the CircuitPython code in its entirety. If you click on Download Project Zip, it will download the fonts used in this tutorial also.
# SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2019 Melissa LeBlanc-Williams for Adafruit Industries
#
# SPDX-License-Identifier: MIT
"""
This is a Conference Badge type Name Tag that is intended to be displayed on
the PyBadge. Feel free to customize it to your heart's content.
"""
from math import sqrt, cos, sin, radians
import board
from micropython import const
import displayio
import neopixel
from keypad import ShiftRegisterKeys, Event
from adafruit_display_shapes.rect import Rect
from adafruit_display_text.label import Label
from adafruit_bitmap_font import bitmap_font
# Button Constants
BUTTON_LEFT = const(7)
BUTTON_UP = const(6)
BUTTON_DOWN = const(5)
BUTTON_RIGHT = const(4)
BUTTON_SEL = const(3)
BUTTON_START = const(2)
BUTTON_A = const(1)
BUTTON_B = const(0)
# Customizations
HELLO_STRING = "HELLO"
MY_NAME_STRING = "MY NAME IS"
NAME_STRING = "Blinka"
NAME_FONTNAME = "/fonts/Noto-18.bdf"
NEOPIXEL_COUNT = 5
BACKGROUND_COLOR = 0xFF0000
FOREGROUND_COLOR = 0xFFFFFF
BACKGROUND_TEXT_COLOR = 0xFFFFFF
FOREGROUND_TEXT_COLOR = 0x000000
settings = {"brightness": 0.2, "direction": 1, "speed": 1}
# Define the NeoPixel
neopixels = neopixel.NeoPixel(
board.NEOPIXEL,
NEOPIXEL_COUNT,
brightness=settings["brightness"],
auto_write=False,
pixel_order=neopixel.GRB,
)
# Define Events and Shift Register
latest_event = Event()
last_event = Event()
pad = ShiftRegisterKeys(
clock=board.BUTTON_CLOCK,
data=board.BUTTON_OUT,
latch=board.BUTTON_LATCH,
key_count=8,
value_when_pressed=True,
interval=0.1,
max_events=1,
)
# Make the Display Background
splash = displayio.Group()
board.DISPLAY.root_group = splash
color_bitmap = displayio.Bitmap(160, 128, 1)
color_palette = displayio.Palette(1)
color_palette[0] = BACKGROUND_COLOR
bg_sprite = displayio.TileGrid(color_bitmap, pixel_shader=color_palette, x=0, y=0)
splash.append(bg_sprite)
# Draw a Foreground Rectangle where the name goes
rect = Rect(0, 50, 160, 70, fill=FOREGROUND_COLOR)
splash.append(rect)
# Load the Hello font
large_font_name = "/fonts/Verdana-Bold-18.bdf"
large_font = bitmap_font.load_font(large_font_name)
large_font.load_glyphs(HELLO_STRING.encode("utf-8"))
# Load the "My Name Is" font
small_font_name = "/fonts/Arial-12.bdf"
small_font = bitmap_font.load_font(small_font_name)
small_font.load_glyphs(MY_NAME_STRING.encode("utf-8"))
# Load the Name font
name_font_name = NAME_FONTNAME
name_font = bitmap_font.load_font(name_font_name)
name_font.load_glyphs(NAME_STRING.encode("utf-8"))
# Setup and Center the Hello Label
splash.append(
Label(
large_font,
anchor_point=(0.5, 0.5),
anchored_position=(board.DISPLAY.width // 2, 15),
text=HELLO_STRING,
color=BACKGROUND_TEXT_COLOR,
)
)
# Setup and Center the "My Name Is" Label
splash.append(
Label(
small_font,
anchor_point=(0.5, 0.5),
anchored_position=(board.DISPLAY.width // 2, 35),
text=MY_NAME_STRING,
color=BACKGROUND_TEXT_COLOR,
)
)
# Setup and Center the Name Label
splash.append(
Label(
name_font,
anchor_point=(0.5, 0.5),
anchored_position=(board.DISPLAY.width // 2, 85),
text=NAME_STRING,
color=FOREGROUND_TEXT_COLOR,
)
)
# Remap the calculated rotation to 0 - 255
def remap(vector):
return int(((255 * vector + 85) * 0.75) + 0.5)
# Calculate the Hue rotation starting with Red as 0 degrees
def rotate(degrees):
cosA = cos(radians(degrees))
sinA = sin(radians(degrees))
red = cosA + (1.0 - cosA) / 3.0
green = 1.0 / 3.0 * (1.0 - cosA) + sqrt(1.0 / 3.0) * sinA
blue = 1.0 / 3.0 * (1.0 - cosA) - sqrt(1.0 / 3.0) * sinA
return (remap(red), remap(green), remap(blue))
palette = []
pixels = []
# Generate a rainbow palette
for degree in range(0, 360):
color = rotate(degree)
palette.append(color[0] << 16 | color[1] << 8 | color[2])
# Create the Pattern
for x in range(0, NEOPIXEL_COUNT):
pixels.append(x * 360 // NEOPIXEL_COUNT)
def check_buttons(event):
if event.key_number == BUTTON_RIGHT:
settings["direction"] = -1
elif event.key_number == BUTTON_LEFT:
settings["direction"] = 1
elif (event.key_number == BUTTON_UP) and settings["speed"] < 10:
settings["speed"] += 1
elif (event.key_number == BUTTON_DOWN) and settings["speed"] > 1:
settings["speed"] -= 1
elif (event.key_number == BUTTON_A) and settings["brightness"] < 0.5:
settings["brightness"] += 0.025
elif (event.key_number == BUTTON_B) and settings["brightness"] > 0.025:
settings["brightness"] -= 0.025
# Main Loop
last_read = 0
while True:
for color in range(0, 360, settings["speed"]):
for index in range(0, NEOPIXEL_COUNT):
palette_index = pixels[index] + color * settings["direction"]
if palette_index >= 360:
palette_index -= 360
elif palette_index < 0:
palette_index += 360
neopixels[index] = palette[palette_index]
neopixels.show()
neopixels.brightness = settings["brightness"]
pad.events.get_into(latest_event)
if latest_event.pressed and latest_event.key_number != last_event.key_number:
check_buttons(latest_event)
last_event = latest_event
latest_event = Event(
key_number=8
) # An imaginary key number that doesn't exist!
After copying everything over, your PyBadge should display a Nametag with Blinka on it and the neopixels should animate. In the next few sections, we'll go over the Fonts and how to make changes.
Page last edited January 19, 2025
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