Working with Arduino

This chapter contains the following sections. Please read as needed:

• Arduino Getting Started
• Setting Up Development Environment
• Demo

Arduino Getting Started

New to Arduino ESP32 development and looking for a quick start? We have prepared a comprehensive Getting Started Tutorial for you.

• Section 0: Getting to Know ESP32
• Section 1: Installing and Configuring Arduino IDE
• Section 2: Arduino Basics
• Section 3: Digital Output/Input
• Section 4: Analog Input
• Section 5: Pulse Width Modulation (PWM)
• Section 6: Serial Communication (UART)
• Section 7: I2C Communication
• Section 8: SPI Communication
• Section 9: Wi-Fi Basics
• Section 10: Web Server
• Section 11: Bluetooth
• Section 12: LVGL GUI Development
• Section 13: Comprehensive Project

Note: This tutorial uses the ESP32-S3-Zero as a reference example, and all hardware code is based on its pinout. Before you start, we recommend checking the pinout of your development board to ensure the pin configuration is correct.

Setting Up Development Environment

1. Installing and Configuring Arduino IDE

Please refer to the tutorial Installing and Configuring Arduino IDE to download and install the Arduino IDE and add ESP32 support.

2. Installing Libraries

• When installing Arduino libraries, there are typically two methods: Install Online and Install Offline. If the library installation requires Install Offline, you must use the provided library file.
• For most libraries, users can easily search for and install them via the Arduino IDE's online Library Manager. However, some open-source or custom libraries are not synchronized to the Arduino Library Manager and therefore cannot be found through online search. In this case, users can only install these libraries manually via offline methods. You can click this link to download the demo package for the 1.83inch_Touch_LCD_Module board from the Arduino directory. The Arduino-uno\libraries directory inside this package contains all the necessary library files required for this tutorial.

Library/File Name	Description	Version	Installation Method
GFX_Library_for_Arduino	ST7789 GFX graphics library	v1.4.9	"Install Offline"

Version Compatibility Notes

There are strong dependencies between versions of LVGL and its driver libraries. For example, a driver written for LVGL v8 may not be compatible with LVGL v9. To ensure that the examples can be reproduced reliably, it is recommended to use the specific versions listed in the table above. Mixing different versions of libraries may lead to compilation failures or runtime errors.

Installation Steps:

1. Download the demo package.

2. Copy all the folders (GFX_Library_for_Arduino) from its Arduino-uno\libraries directory to your Arduino libraries folder.

   info

   The path to the Arduino libraries folder is typically: c:\Users\<username>\Documents\Arduino\libraries.

   You can also locate it in the Arduino IDE by going to File > Preferences and checking the "Sketchbook location". The libraries folder is the libraries subfolder within this path.

3. For other installation methods, please refer to: Arduino Library Management Tutorial.

Installation Instructions for the 1.83inch Touch LCD Module Required Board

Board Name	Installation Requirement	Version Requirement
ESP32 by Espressif Systems	"Install Offline" / "Install Online”	≥3.0.5

Demo

The Arduino demos are located in the Arduino-uno directory of the demo package.

01_Arduino_Uno_test

Demo Description

• This demo uses the GFX_Library_for_Arduino to drive the ST7789 screen, implementing text display, color cycle testing, and touch testing functions.

Hardware Connection

1.83inch Touch LCD Module	Arduino-Uno
VCC	3.3V
GND	GND
LCD_DIN	GP11
LCD_CLK	GP13
LCD_CS	GP9
LCD_DC	GP8
LCD_RST	GP7
LCD_BL	GP6
TP_SDA	SDA
TP_SCL	SCL
TP_RST	GP2
TP_INT	GP3

• Connect the screen to the development board using a GH1.25 12PIN cable
• Connect the development board to the computer

Code Analysis

• setup():

  • Initializes the serial port, ST7789 display (including backlight), and CST816D touch controller. Performs text display and color cycle tests to verify basic display functionality.

• loop():

  • Continuously reads touch coordinates, prints them to the serial monitor, and draws a red dot at the touch position on the screen, providing visual touch feedback (at 10ms intervals for real-time response).

• LCD_display_test():

  • The screen sequentially fills with red, green, blue, and white colors (each for 1 second) to verify display color accuracy and full-screen refresh capability.

Operation Result

• LCD Color Cycle Test:

• LCD Touch Test: