lcdcreatechar

LCDCreateChar

Syntax:

    LCDCreateChar char, chardata()

Command Availability:

Available on all microcontrollers.

Explanation:

The LCDCreateChar command is used to send a custom character to the LCD.

Each character on the LCD is made up from an 8 row by 5 column (5x8) matrix of pixels. The data to be sent to the LCD is composed of an 8 element array, where each element corresponds to a row. Inside each element, the 5 lowest bits make up the data for the corresponding row. When a bit is set a dot will be drawn at the matching location; when it is cleared, no dot will appear.

An array of more than 8 elements may be used, but only the first 8 will be read.

char is the ASCII value of the character to create. ASCII codes 0 through 7 are usually used to store custom characters.
chardata() is an array containing the data for the character.

Example:

    'This program draws a smiling face character

    'General hardware configuration
    #chip 16F877A, 20

    'LCD connection settings
    #define LCD_IO 8
    #define LCD_DATA_PORT PORTC
    #define LCD_RS PORTD.0
    #define LCD_RW PORTD.1
    #define LCD_Enable PORTD.2

    'Create an array to store the character until it is copied
    Dim CharArray(8)

    'Set the array to hold the character
    'Binary has been used to improve the readability of the code, but is not essential
    CharArray(1) = b'00011011'
    CharArray(2) = b'00011011'
    CharArray(3) = b'00000000'
    CharArray(4) = b'00000100'
    CharArray(5) = b'00000000'
    CharArray(6) = b'00010001'
    CharArray(7) = b'00010001'
    CharArray(8) = b'00001110'

    'Copy the character from the array to the LCD
    LCDCreateChar 0, CharArray()

    'Draw the custom character
    LCDWriteChar 0

For more help, see LCDWriteChar, LCD Overview

Supported in <LCD.H>