Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Sense/CircuitPython display on 1.28" 240x240 GC9A01 Round IPS LCD

This exercise run on Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Sense running CircuitPython 9.2.1, to display on 1.28" 240x240 GC9A01 Round IPS LCD. Also exercises to run Turtle graphics on CircuitPython.

Libraries (or modules) gc9a01, adafruit_display_text and adafruit_turtle are needed. In old approach, you can download them from CircuitPython Libraries and copy to CircuitPython device manually. In this video, the libraries were installed using another approach CircUp. To install CircUp, read my previous post "Install and using CircUp (CircuitPython library updater) to install CircuitPython libraries".

If you use old approach to download manually, notice that gc9a01.mpy is in Community Bundle (circuitpython-community-bundle-...), not Adafruit Circuit Bundle (adafruit-circuitpython-bundle-...).

Connection:

Exercise Code:

cpy_XS3_gc9a01_color.py, simple demo exercise with color test.

"""
Color test on
Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Sense/CircuitPython 9.2.1
with 1.28" 240x240 Round GC9A01 SPI IPS LCD

Library needed:
- gc9a01.mpy
- adafruit_display_text folder

Notice that gc9a01.mpy is in Community Bundle (circuitpython-community-bundle-...),
not Adafruit Circuit Bundle (adafruit-circuitpython-bundle-...).
"""
import os, sys
import board
import time
import displayio
import busio
import terminalio
import gc9a01
from adafruit_display_text import label

displayio.release_displays()

disp_sck  = board.D8
disp_mosi = board.D10
disp_res  = board.D0
disp_dc   = board.D1
disp_cs   = board.D2
disp_blk  = board.D3

# Release any resources currently in use for the displays
displayio.release_displays()

disp_spi = busio.SPI(clock=disp_sck, MOSI=disp_mosi)

display_bus = displayio.FourWire(spi_bus=disp_spi,
                                 command=disp_dc,
                                 chip_select=disp_cs,
                                 reset=disp_res)

display = gc9a01.GC9A01(display_bus, width=240, height=240, backlight_pin=disp_blk)

#=======================================
info = os.uname()[4] + "\n" + \
       sys.implementation[0] + " " + os.uname()[3] + "\n" + \
       gc9a01.__name__ + " " + gc9a01.__version__
print("=======================================")
print(info)
print("=======================================")
print()

# Make the display context
bgGroup = displayio.Group()

#display.show(bgGroup)
display.root_group = bgGroup

bg_bitmap = displayio.Bitmap(display.width, display.height, 1)  # with one color
bg_palette = displayio.Palette(1)
bg_palette[0] = 0xFFFFFF  # White
bg_sprite = displayio.TileGrid(bg_bitmap, pixel_shader=bg_palette, x=0, y=0)
bgGroup.append(bg_sprite)

colorSet = ((0xFF0000, "RED"),
            (0x00FF00, "GREEN"),
            (0x0000FF, "BLUE"),
            (0xFFFFFF, "WHITE"),
            (0x000000, "BLACK"))

color_bitmap = displayio.Bitmap(display.width, display.height, 1)  # with one color
color_palette = displayio.Palette(1)
color_palette[0] = 0x000000  # BLACK
color_sprite = displayio.TileGrid(color_bitmap, pixel_shader=color_palette, x=0, y=0)
bgGroup.append(color_sprite)

# Draw label
text_group = displayio.Group(scale=1, x=20, y=120)
text = "Hello\n" + os.uname()[4]
text_area = label.Label(terminalio.FONT, text=text, color=0xFFFFFF)
text_group.append(text_area)  # Subgroup for text scaling
bgGroup.append(text_group)

time.sleep(2)
text_group.scale = 2
time.sleep(2)
text_group.scale = 3

while True:
    for i in colorSet:
        time.sleep(2)
        color_palette[0] = i[0]
        text_area.text = i[1]
        text_area.color = i[0] ^ 0xFFFFFF

cpy_XS3_gc9a01_turtle.py, Python Turtle graphics run on CircuitPython.

"""
Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Sense/CircuitPython 9.2.1
with 1.28" 240x240 Round GC9A01 SPI IPS LCD

Python Turtle graphics run on CircuitPython - squares

Library needed:
- gc9a01.mpy
- adafruit_turtle.mpy

Notice that gc9a01.mpy is in Community Bundle (circuitpython-community-bundle-...),
not Adafruit Circuit Bundle (adafruit-circuitpython-bundle-...).
"""
import os, sys
import board
import time
import displayio
import busio
import gc9a01
from adafruit_turtle import Color, turtle

displayio.release_displays()

disp_sck  = board.D8
disp_mosi = board.D10
disp_res  = board.D0
disp_dc   = board.D1
disp_cs   = board.D2
disp_blk  = board.D3

# Release any resources currently in use for the displays
displayio.release_displays()

disp_spi = busio.SPI(clock=disp_sck, MOSI=disp_mosi)

display_bus = displayio.FourWire(spi_bus=disp_spi,
                                 command=disp_dc,
                                 chip_select=disp_cs,
                                 reset=disp_res)

display = gc9a01.GC9A01(display_bus, width=240, height=240, backlight_pin=disp_blk)
turtle = turtle(display)
#=======================================
info = os.uname()[4] + "\n" + \
       sys.implementation[0] + " " + os.uname()[3] + "\n" + \
       gc9a01.__name__ + " " + gc9a01.__version__
print("=======================================")
print(info)
print("=======================================")
print()

def drawSquare(t,size,angle):
    t.left(angle)
    halfsize = size * .5
    t.pu()
    t.setpos(0,0)
    t.backward(halfsize)
    t.left(90)
    t.backward(halfsize)
    t.right(90)
    t.pd()

    for i in range(0,4):
        t.fd(size)
        t.left(90)

def drawSquarePattern(t):
    t.pencolor(Color.WHITE)
    drawSquare(t,240,0)
    for i in range(0,20):
        size = 240 * pow(1/1.2,i+1)
        drawSquare(t,size,12.5)

drawSquarePattern(turtle)

print("~ bye ~")

cpy_XS3_gc9a01_turtle_circles.py, another exercise using Turtle graphics on CircuitPython to draw circle.

"""
Seeed Studio XIAO ESP32S3 Sense/CircuitPython 9.2.1
with 1.28" 240x240 Round GC9A01 SPI IPS LCD

Python Turtle graphics run on CircuitPython - circles

Library needed:
- gc9a01.mpy
- adafruit_turtle.mpy

Notice that gc9a01.mpy is in Community Bundle (circuitpython-community-bundle-...),
not Adafruit Circuit Bundle (adafruit-circuitpython-bundle-...).
"""
import os, sys
import board
import time
import displayio
import busio
import gc9a01
from adafruit_turtle import Color, turtle

displayio.release_displays()

disp_sck  = board.D8
disp_mosi = board.D10
disp_res  = board.D0
disp_dc   = board.D1
disp_cs   = board.D2
disp_blk  = board.D3

# Release any resources currently in use for the displays
displayio.release_displays()

disp_spi = busio.SPI(clock=disp_sck, MOSI=disp_mosi)

display_bus = displayio.FourWire(spi_bus=disp_spi,
                                 command=disp_dc,
                                 chip_select=disp_cs,
                                 reset=disp_res)

display = gc9a01.GC9A01(display_bus, width=240, height=240, backlight_pin=disp_blk)
turtle = turtle(display)
#=======================================
info = os.uname()[4] + "\n" + \
       sys.implementation[0] + " " + os.uname()[3] + "\n" + \
       gc9a01.__name__ + " " + gc9a01.__version__
print("=======================================")
print(info)
print("=======================================")
print()

def drawSimplestCircles(t):
    t.clear()
    t.pencolor(Color.WHITE)
    t.pendown()
    r = 50
    t.circle(r)
    t.penup()
    
def drawCircles(t):
    t.clear()
    t.pencolor(Color.YELLOW)
    
    for i in range(10):
        r = i * (120/10)
        t.pendown()
        t.circle(r)
        t.penup()
        t.sety(-r)

def drawBigCircles(t):
    t.clear()
    t.pencolor(Color.RED)
    t.pendown()
    
    for i in range(10):
        r = i * (120/10)
        t.circle(r)
        
    t.penup()
    
drawSimplestCircles(turtle)
time.sleep(2)

drawCircles(turtle)
time.sleep(2)

drawBigCircles(turtle)
print("~ bye ~")