The Engineering Projects

Scrolling Text on LCD with Arduino

Hello everyone! hope you all will be fine. In this article I am going to share the knowledge about displaying Scrolling Text on LCD with Arduino. A Liquid Crystal Display is usually known as LCD in the market. It is a display unit made up of liquid crystal. When we want to made electronics based projects, we need a device on which we can show the system’s output and the desired messages. There are a lot of such devices which are helpful to display the output messages and the most common is a seven segment display. Alternate good option is LCD, which are now available in different size having different qualities. 16×2 LCD Module is a most frequently used device for the electronic projects out of all the other types of LCD’s available in the market. 32 ASCII characters can be displayed on it simultaneously in 2 rows i.e. it has a capacity to show 16 characters per row. 20×4 LCD, 128×64 graphical LCD and 2.4 inch TFT Touch screen LCD are also used commonly for the electronic projects now-a-days in the market and as well as in the institutions.

Scrolling Text on LCD with Arduino

In the tutorial Scrolling Text on LCD with Arduino, we are going to learn how to interface a 16×2 lcd to Arduino UNO and how to display the scrolling text on LCD in Proteus ISIS. First I would like to write a simple code to print something on the LCD and then I will update the previously written code to scroll the text printed already on the LCD.

• You candownload the complete simulation here by clicking on the button below.

Arduino Source Code

• Just download .rar file, extract it and enjoy the complete simulation.

Interfacing 16×2 LCD to Arduino uno

LCD modules are most frequently used devices specially in Arduino based electronic projects. So it is essential to share this tutorial based on interfacing LCD module to Arduino UNO and displaying scrolling text on LCD with all of you. Interfacing of an Arduino UNO to 16×2 LCD is elaborated in this section. The selected LCD module has 16 pins. You can operate this module in 4 bit mode by using only four data lines (from D4 to D7) or 8 bit mode by using all the eight data lines (from D0 to D7). In this article we are using the LCD module operating in the 4-bit operational mode i.e. we are using only four data pins. I have divided this tutorial in two parts. First of all, I will explain how to display a simple text messages on the 16×2 LCD with Arduino UNO and secondly I will show that how to display scrolling text on the same LCD interfaced with Arduino UNO. Before the explanation of this design, let’s have a look at the selected LCD. You should also have a look at this New LCD Library for Proteus.

Designed Circuit in Proteus ISIS

Find Arduino UNO and a 16×2 LCD in the components library of proteus ISIS ISIS. If arduino library is present in your Arduino software then arduino will be shown in the components library otherwise you have to install Arduino library for proteus ISIS. Wiring diagram of the LCD module with Arduino UNO in proteus ISIS is shown in the figure below. You can download this Proteus Simulation from Interfacing of LCD with Arduino.

• .Now just copy and paste the given source code in the Arduino software

#include<LiquidCrystal.h> //Library for LCD
LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2);// LCD pins at which it is attached to the Arduino

void setup() //method used to run the source for the one time onlys
{
  lcd.begin(16, 2);//LCD order i.e. 16 columns & 2 rows
  lcd.print("The Engineering Projects ");//prints on LCD
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);//setting cursor on LCD
  lcd.print("www.TheEngineeringProjects.com");//prints on LCD
  delay(1000);//delay of 1 sec
}
void loop() //method to run the source code repeatedly 
{
 lcd.noDisplay();//turn off the display of LCD
 delay(250);//delay to 0.25 seconds
 lcd.display();//turning on the LCD display
 delay(250); //delay of 0.25 seconds again
}

• Now compile the source code and get hex file from it as shown in the figure below.

• Copy this address as shown in the figure above.
• Double click on Arduino UNO in proteus, a new window will be opend as shown in the figure below.
• Paste that address in the file menu as encircled in the figure below.

• Run the proteus simulation from the Arduino software from the upper left corner of the software.
• If everything goes perfect you will see the output as shown in the figure below.

• Copy and paste the source given below in your Arduino software.

#include <LiquidCrystal.h>//Library for LCD
LiquidCrystal lcd(12, 11, 5, 4, 3, 2);//LCD pins at which it is attached to the Arudino

void setup()//method used to run the code for once 
{
  lcd.begin(16, 2);//LCD order
  lcd.print("The Engineering Projects ");//prints on LCD
  lcd.setCursor(0,1);//Setting the cursor on LCD
  lcd.print("www.TheEngineeringProjects.com");//prints on LCD
  delay(1000);//delay of 1 second
}

void loop() //used to run the code repeatedly
{
 for(int PositionCount=0;PositionCount<13; PositionCount++)//loop for scrolling the LCD text
  {
    lcd.scrollDisplayLeft();//builtin command to scroll left the text
    delay(150);// delay of 150 msec
    }

   for(int PositionCount=0; PositionCount<29; PositionCount++)
   {
    lcd.scrollDisplayRight(); //builtin command to scroll right the text
    delay(150);//delay of 150 msec
    }
   for(int PositionCount=0; PositionCount<16; PositionCount++)//loop for scrolling the text
   {
    lcd.scrollDisplayLeft();//builtin command to scroll the text left again
    delay(150);//delay of 150 msec
    }
}

• Compile the code given above.
• Obtain the hex file as I told above in the figure.
• And open it in your proteus as I described above.
• Run the simulation like the I have previously done.
• You will be able to see the scrolling text on LCD as shown in the figure below.

• That all from this article to show Scrolling Text on LCD using Arduino.
• Was it difficult? I don't think so :)

So, that is all from the tutorial Scrolling Text on LCD using Arduino. I hope you enjoyed this tutorial. If you face any sort of problem, you can ask me in the comments any time. I will try my level best to solve your issues in a better way, if possible. I will explore Arduino by making different projects on it and will share them with you as well. Till then, take care :)