make a 12864 LCD board run

Hi there,
I recently bought a 12864 LCD board, but I do not know how to make it work. I plugged in, on my Ramps 1.4 and when I turn on my printer, the screen turns on too, with a beautiful blue light, but it remains blue and nothing is displayed ...
Can someone help me make it work?
One told me that the printer could be operated through the mean of that LCD board, without the need for a computer. Is it true ?
Thank you in advance,
Jepigepas

You need new firmware on your controller to talk to the display.

This could be a simple as changing a few lines in your configuration.h and recompiling and uploading the new firmware. If firmware was provided.

Or as complicated as building a replacement firmware form scratch if you don’t have firmware code provided.


Yes, once working you can put your gcode files on a SD card and print without a computer

You still need a computer... to slice and transfer gcode files

Thank you for your response Dust,
Perhaps do you remember me ?
You have already help me when I was beginning to use my new MendelMax 2, last year.
The firmware I use is a Arduino.
Could you please tel me how I can modify it so that it can talk to the display?
Best regards,
Jacques

load your firmware in the arduino program (something ending in a .ino file)

Set the board type to mega 2560 in the menus

Without making any changed click the verify button, does it compile ok? (some firmwares are picky about what version of arduino they like)
Need to get it to compile first before making changes.

If that works then find the configuration.h tab in the arduino program

Now you need to identify your 12864 lcd and enable it

eg if you have a RepRapDiscount FULL GRAPHIC Smart Controller
find the line //#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER and remove the two // to enable it

hit verify in the arduino program

If it errors and mentions u8glib you have to install this library
Download and install docs are here [code.google.com]

After you can verify it, plug in your board,set the arduino program to use the com port your board is on and upload
NB this will wipe your current firmware and firmware settings.

Hello dear Dust,
I have removed the two // as you said, but when I hit "verify" an error message appears and I don't know what to do.
I have put in attachment the screen copy of the Arduino window.
Best regards,
Jacques

The errors mentions u8glib you have to install this library
Download and install docs are here [code.google.com]

Dear Dust,
Following the advice of the video, that I found in
[www.youtube.com]
I have draged the folder u8glib to the librairies of Arduino and then try again to hit "verify" in the Arduino program.
The problem is that the speaker speaks to fast for me and I think I have missed some explanations.
After hit "verify" I have had a new error message that I put in attachement.
Could you help me further ?
Best regards,
Jacques

That is not an error I have seen before.

Things that concern me

Your using a older version of arduinio IDE 1.6.5
The current marlin wont even compile on such an old version and tell you such.

So where did you get your firmware from?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2017 12:30AM by Dust.

Hello,
I have downloaded the new version Arduino 1.8 and run it without success.
Now, I have an error notification when I let the 2 // before the "#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER"
(see the screen capture in attachment)
I have also try to hit "verify" without the 2 //, but then, I obtain 2 pages of error list. Too much to do a screen capture.
Are you still ready to help me ?
I thank you in advance,
regards,
Jacques

I believe the later versions of arduino have problems compiling marlin(or they used too)
I use arduino ver. 1.6.12 with no problems

For u8glib goto u8gli d/l
download the zip at bottom of page
unzip the u8glib folder into your arduino/libraries folder

Hi,
Unfortunately, it seems to be impossible to download an earlier version of Arduino than the current version "Arduino 1.8.0" !
When you search for Arduino 1.6.12 you are automatically redirected to Arduino 1.8.0 !
That is to say that I have lost my version 1.6.5 wich were running well, for nothing...
And my current setings can no more be changed.
And the 12864 LCD board is still not running.
Just in case, I have put in attachment the list of errors due to the attempt to configure the LCD board.
Thank you for your help, but I begin to wonder if drive a printer from a LCD 12864 is possible or not.
Best regards,
Jacques

Hi again,
In case you are interested you or someone else, I also tried to configure my Arduino board with my Mac.
I have attached the error notification for that try.
I point out that until now, I have always privileged the control of my printer by my Mac, but none of the versions of Arduino that I have installed on my Mac did never work!
In opposite, the "Printrun-Mac" runs perfectly well.
It has just a little default : when you are runing a print you can not leave the window of "Macpronterface" more than 10 seconds.
Because after 10s the print stops (it turns to pause), and you can not use your computer for anything else.
That was the main raison why I wanted to make my printer drived by a LCD board.
My best regards DUST,
Jacques

previous version of arduino, make sure you scroll down the page past the latest version.

[www.arduino.cc]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/09/2017 04:14PM by Dust.

I would still like to know where you got your firmware from... I suspect its a 'modified' version and they have broken things they arent using.

We could then also download it and verify the issue

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/2017 02:26AM by Dust.

Hi DUST,
When I have built my printer, I have followed the guide from "https://docs.google.com/document/d/1t9vNjTLJwbnoEtX60ynx6bEp0iOvgd9OiE9jiO9BOi4/edit?pli=1#"
for the hardware,
then the" https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_MyhZGxlDHwk-ViArRlaPgt9GyoxVRLRHwys3SZJgiI/edit#"
for the electronics.
On the last page of the "electronics" guide I have followed the link
"http://makerstoolworks.com/support-and-docs/download-center/"
to load 3 kinds of softwares :
The Arduino 1.6.5 for Mac (it has never worked),
the Arduino 1.6.5 for Windows x64 (which correspond to my Windows OS),
a slicer "Slic3r",
and a software to drive the printer "Printrun-Mac" also named "Macpronterface".
Thus, to summarize I have configured my Arduino board with a software which runs under Windows x 64, and for my prints, I use a slicer to configure the ".gcode", and a software to drive the printer which both run on Mac OS.

Now, according to our different exchanges, and my researches I have downloaded the new version of Arduino 1.8.1 and install it on my both OS (Windows and Mac).
The consequences are that the initiale versions Arduino 1.6.5 for Mac and Windows have totaly disapear!
And cherry on the cake none of the new versions do work! Neither on Windows nor Mac.
So at this moment, I have no more software to modifiy the Arduino board configuration of my printer, with and without LCD board.
However, by luck, my printer can still work.

Sorry to give you all these problems, dear DUST
When we see the video it seem so simple to add a LCD board to a printer!
very simple indeed...
best regards,
Jacques

Hi Dust,
The good news is that my printer is always able to run and works well in spite of the trouble I have with the Arduino settings.
I thank you for the links to Arduino 1.6.12 for MAc and for Windows.
Of course I have uninstaled the Arduino 1.8.1 on both Mac and Windows, before install Arduino 1.6.12.
So, on the Mac, I have always the same error notification that I put in attachment.
Curriously the error says that the instruction "#include "thermistortables.h" is missing whereas you can see that it is well present at the end of instructions!

Concerning the Windows version, after install the version Arduino 1.6.12, I have seach to open the "Marlin" file... But I never found it !

I am not a computer scientist and to operate Arduino, I am totally unable to create lines of instructions.
At worst, I can modify values of mechanical parameters such as length to extrude by motor step that kind of things, but if I have to add a program line then, surely my card will never work.
Do you see any way to go further in your help?
Best regards,
Jacques

Hi DUST,
I have a better news this evening.
Restarting the setting from the beginning, using the guide "MendelMax 2.0 Electronics Guide", I have recovered a "Marlin" file, and I restored communication with my Arduino board.
Ouf !

I can modify again my setings if necessary.

But, concerning the LCD 12864, nothing has changed.
I have always a lot of errors in the compilation and the screen of the LCD keeps always bleu.
Nothing is displayed.
Thank you for your help.
Best regards,
Jacques

Hi again,
I have found a video where the person seems to have the same problem as me:
[www.youtube.com]
What do you think about this video, is it a fake ? or has the person realy solved a problem of display of his LCD?
His accessories are exactly the same as mine.
But I don't understand all what he says. At the time where he seems to solve the issue, I hear that he add a line in an Arduino sketch, but the line he adds is exactly the same as the line he says to have modified.
I would be pleased to have your comment about it.
Thank you in advance,
Jacques

The video is about making the display run outside of the marlin firmware.

Which is interesting, as I have seem many request for this information.

But this has no relation to you not being able to compile.

But if you wish to try it. (you could at least see if your display works)

start up arduino, select a u8glib demo graphics test
Find the section
"// setup u8g object, please remove comment from one of the following constructor calls"
and add the following line, and don't un comment any others.
U8GLIB_ST7920_128X64_1X u8g(23, 17, 16); // SPI Com: SCK = en = 23, MOSI = rw = 17, CS = di = 16

This compiles and should run (it compiles for me, I don't have a display handy to try)

Oh... the comments do say this might be related... will read some more.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2017 08:05AM by Dust.

lets take a step back..

You seem to be grabbing old and weird firmwares from all over the planet. and trying to compile them, some are clearly very old from the errors.

Get the latest marlin from the official source [github.com]

Get the version 1.6.13 of arduino from [www.arduino.cc]

Start up the arduino program

Navigate to sketch | Include Library | Manage libraries...
In the filter your search at the top right enter: u8glib
Select more info on the u8glib section.
Select the latest version and click install

Now open up the Marlin.ino file

Select the Aduino mega 2560 board

open the configuration.h tab

At this stage only change the following

Find
#define MOTHERBOARD
check it is
#define MOTHERBOARD BOARD_RAMPS_14_EFB

find
//#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER
change it to
#define REPRAP_DISCOUNT_FULL_GRAPHIC_SMART_CONTROLLER

find
#define BAUDRATE
set it to the baudrate you normally use
eg
#define BAUDRATE 250000

Hit verify (this should compile without issues)

If it does you can put it on your controller, but don't try to print with it yet. But all going well the display will come alive.

Now if this works copy the values from a known to work on your machine configuration.h into the new configuration.h (do not copy the file over. it will not be compatible)
ie you have to go threw the new configuration.h and work out what each value should be set to
Do this little by little and check it still compiles as you go. That way if you break it you can work out what you changed last

most important are endstop setting, thermistor settings, steps/mm settings and max feedrate settings

Good luck

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2017 08:54AM by Dust.

Hi DUST,
Thanks to you, I have been able to make a compilation without any error on my Mac.
This is my first time.
For the LCD, there is also a progress, now when I push the knob, it emits sometimes a small beep!
However, as there was still no display on the screen, I have tried several configurations proposed in the sketch "GraphicTest" as shown in the video, but with a very small result for the moment.
For two or three lines of the sketch, a square spot (1x1 cm) has appeared and has crossed the screen on 4 lines...
Best regards,
Jacues

Hello,
Here is where I am today in my search to use a LCD 12864 board to drive my 3D printer:
The link that I activated on the sketch "GraphicTest" is the only one that allows me to communicate with the LCD.
This link is:
U8GLIB_SSD1309_128X64 u8g (13, 11, 10, 9); // SPI Com: SCK = 13, MOSI = 11, CS = 10, A0 = 9
A small green light blinks on the printer board and a sqarre white spotlight flashes on the screen.IMAG2826.pdf
This progress let me think that, to find the right line to write on the "GraphicTest" sketch could well be the solution of the issue.
But, I have no idea of what I have to write...
Have you one ?
With best regards,
Jacques

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2017 10:08AM by jepigepas.

Hello DUST,
This post will stand the end of the issue.
Thanks to you, my printer can finally be controlled by my LCD 12864 !
Yes,
I have changed the Arduino card and with the new one, following yours last advices all can work now.
So I thank you very much for your help.
My best regards,
Jacques