Cute-On-Off-Robot/firmware/display_test/display_test.ino

// Use the MD_MAX72XX library to Print some text on the display
//
// Demonstrates the use of the library to print text.
//
// User can enter text on the serial monitor and this will display as a
// message on the display.
// Library doc https://majicdesigns.github.io/MD_MAX72XX/class_m_d___m_a_x72_x_x.html
//
// THIS TEST CASE IS SUPPOSE TO BE RUN WITH ESP8266 (Wemos D1 Mini)

#include <MD_MAX72xx.h>
#include <SPI.h>

#define PRINT(s, v) { Serial.print(F(s)); Serial.print(v); }

// Define the number of devices we have in the chain and the hardware interface
// NOTE: These pin numbers will probably not work with your hardware and may
// need to be adapted
#define HARDWARE_TYPE MD_MAX72XX::DR1CR0RR0_HW    
#define MAX_DEVICES 8

#define CLK_PIN   D2  // or SCK
#define DATA_PIN  D3  // or MOSI
#define CS_PIN    D4 // or SS

// SPI hardware interface
//MD_MAX72XX mx = MD_MAX72XX(HARDWARE_TYPE, CS_PIN, MAX_DEVICES);
// Arbitrary pins
MD_MAX72XX mx = MD_MAX72XX(HARDWARE_TYPE, DATA_PIN, CLK_PIN, CS_PIN, MAX_DEVICES);

// Text parameters
#define CHAR_SPACING  1 // pixels between characters

// Global message buffers shared by Serial and Scrolling functions
#define BUF_SIZE  75
char message[BUF_SIZE] = "FuwawaMococo";
bool newMessageAvailable = true;

void readSerial(void)
{
  static uint8_t	putIndex = 0;

  while (Serial.available())
  {
    message[putIndex] = (char)Serial.read();
    if ((message[putIndex] == '\n') || (putIndex >= BUF_SIZE-3))  // end of message character or full buffer
    {
      // put in a message separator and end the string
      message[putIndex] = '\0';
      // restart the index for next filling spree and flag we have a message waiting
      putIndex = 0;
      newMessageAvailable = true;
    }
    else
      // Just save the next char in next location
      message[putIndex++];
  }
}

void printText(uint8_t modStart, uint8_t modEnd, char *pMsg)
// Print the text string to the LED matrix modules specified.
// Message area is padded with blank columns after printing.
{
  uint8_t   state = 0;
  uint8_t   curLen;
  uint16_t  showLen;
  uint8_t   cBuf[8];
  int16_t   col = ((modEnd + 1) * COL_SIZE) - 1;

  mx.control(modStart, modEnd, MD_MAX72XX::UPDATE, MD_MAX72XX::OFF);

  do     // finite state machine to print the characters in the space available
  {
    switch(state)
    {
      case 0: // Load the next character from the font table
        // if we reached end of message, reset the message pointer
        if (*pMsg == '\0')
        {
          showLen = col - (modEnd * COL_SIZE);  // padding characters
          state = 2;
          break;
        }

        // retrieve the next character form the font file
        showLen = mx.getChar(*pMsg++, sizeof(cBuf)/sizeof(cBuf[0]), cBuf);
        curLen = 0;
        state++;
        // !! deliberately fall through to next state to start displaying

      case 1: // display the next part of the character
        mx.setColumn(col--, cBuf[curLen++]);

        // done with font character, now display the space between chars
        if (curLen == showLen)
        {
          showLen = CHAR_SPACING;
          state = 2;
        }
        break;

      case 2: // initialize state for displaying empty columns
        curLen = 0;
        state++;
        // fall through

      case 3:	// display inter-character spacing or end of message padding (blank columns)
        mx.setColumn(col--, 0);
        curLen++;
        if (curLen == showLen)
          state = 0;
        break;

      default:
        col = -1;   // this definitely ends the do loop
    }
  } while (col >= (modStart * COL_SIZE));

  mx.control(modStart, modEnd, MD_MAX72XX::UPDATE, MD_MAX72XX::ON);
}

void setup()
{
  mx.begin();

  Serial.begin(57600);
  Serial.print("\n[MD_MAX72XX Message Display]\nType a message for the display\nEnd message line with a newline");
}

void loop()
{
  readSerial();
  if (newMessageAvailable)
  {
    PRINT("\nProcessing new message: ", message);
    printText(0, MAX_DEVICES-1, message);
    newMessageAvailable = false;
  }
}