Fixed bug in clearing the gap between numbers, Bumped version to 1.2.3

Author: ArminJo

README.md

@@ -137,6 +137,9 @@ Every other extension e.g. *cinclude* would do, but *hpp* seems to be common sen
 <br/>
 
 # Revision History
+### Version 1.2.3
+- Fixed bug in clearing the gap between numbers.
+
 ### Version 1.2.2
 - Improved _createChar().
 - Added `VERSION_LCD_BIG_NUMBERS`.

examples/BigNumbersDemo/BigNumbersDemo.ino

@@ -45,7 +45,8 @@ LiquidCrystal_I2C myLCD(LCD_I2C_ADDRESS, LCD_COLUMNS, LCD_ROWS); // LCD_COLUMNS
 void setup() {
     Serial.begin(115200);
 
-#if defined(__AVR_ATmega32U4__) || defined(SERIAL_PORT_USBVIRTUAL) || defined(SERIAL_USB) /*stm32duino*/|| defined(USBCON) /*STM32_stm32*/|| defined(SERIALUSB_PID) || defined(ARDUINO_attiny3217)
+#if defined(__AVR_ATmega32U4__) || defined(SERIAL_PORT_USBVIRTUAL) || defined(SERIAL_USB) /*stm32duino*/|| defined(USBCON) /*STM32_stm32*/ \
+    || defined(SERIALUSB_PID)  || defined(ARDUINO_ARCH_RP2040) || defined(ARDUINO_attiny3217)
     delay(4000); // To be able to connect Serial monitor after reset or power up and before first print out. Do not wait for an attached Serial Monitor!
 #endif
     // Just to know which program is running on my Arduino

library.json

@@ -6,7 +6,7 @@
     "type": "git",
     "url": "https://github.com/ArminJo/LCDBigNumbers"
   },
-  "version": "1.2.2",
+  "version": "1.2.3",
   "exclude": "pictures",
   "authors": {
     "name": "Armin Joachimsmeyer",

library.properties

@@ -1,5 +1,5 @@
 name=LCDBigNumbers
-version=1.2.2
+version=1.2.3
 author=Armin Joachimsmeyer
 maintainer=Armin Joachimsmeyer <armin.arduino@gmail.com>
 sentence=Arduino library to write big numbers on a 1602 or 2004 LCD.

src/LCDBigNumbers.hpp

@@ -34,10 +34,10 @@
 #define ONE_COLUMN_HYPHEN_CHARACTER      '_' // This input character is printed as a one column hyphen. Normal hyphen / minus are printed as a hyphen with the width of the number - 1.
 #define ONE_COLUMN_HYPHEN_STRING         "_" // This input string is printed as a one column hyphen. Normal hyphen / minus are printed as a hyphen with the width of the number - 1.
 
-#define VERSION_LCD_BIG_NUMBERS "1.2.2"
+#define VERSION_LCD_BIG_NUMBERS "1.2.3"
 #define VERSION_LCD_BIG_NUMBERS_MAJOR 1
 #define VERSION_LCD_BIG_NUMBERS_MINOR 2
-#define VERSION_LCD_BIG_NUMBERS_PATCH 2
+#define VERSION_LCD_BIG_NUMBERS_PATCH 3
 // The change log is at the README.md
 
 /*
@@ -293,15 +293,15 @@ class LCDBigNumbers: public Print {
 #else
     LiquidCrystal_I2C *LCD;
 #endif
-    uint8_t NumberWidth;
+    uint8_t NumberWidth; // Width of the rendered number not including the optional blank gap
     uint8_t NumberHeight;
     uint8_t FontVariant;
     const uint8_t (*bigNumbersCustomPatterns)[8];
     uint8_t NumberOfCustomPatterns;
     const uint8_t *bigNumbersFont;
     bool forceGapBetweenNumbers;    // The default depends on the font used
     uint8_t upperLeftColumnIndex;   // Start of the next character
-    uint8_t maximumColumnIndex; // Maximum of columns to be written. Used to not clear the gap after a number which ends at the last column. ( 44 bytes program space)
+    uint8_t maximumColumns; // Auto detected maximum of columns which can be written (e.g. 16 or 20). To avoid clearing the gap after a number which ends at the last column. (44 bytes program space)
     uint8_t upperLeftRowIndex;      // Start of the next character
 
     /*
@@ -321,7 +321,7 @@ class LCDBigNumbers: public Print {
      * This also sets cursor to 0.0 by call to _createChar()
      */
     void begin() {
-        maximumColumnIndex = 0;
+        maximumColumns = 0;
         // create maximum 8 custom characters
         for (uint_fast8_t i = 0; i < NumberOfCustomPatterns; i++) {
             _createChar(i, bigNumbersCustomPatterns[i]);
@@ -432,7 +432,7 @@ class LCDBigNumbers: public Print {
      * Draws a big digit of size aNumberWidth x aNumberHeight at cursor position
      * Special characters always have the width of 1!
      * After each number one column gap is inserted. The gap is cleared, if not at the (last + 1) column!
-     * @param aNumber - byte 0x00 to 0x09 or ASCII number or one of ' ', '|', '-', '_', '.' and ':' special characters to display
+     * @param aNumber - byte 0x00 to 0x09 or ASCII number or one of these special characters: ' ', '|', '-', '_', '.', ':'
      * @return  The number of columns written (1 to 4 currently)
      */
     size_t writeBigNumber(uint8_t aNumberOrSpecialCharacter) {
@@ -454,12 +454,15 @@ class LCDBigNumbers: public Print {
             // print a one column space
             aNumberOrSpecialCharacter = ' ';
         } else {
+            /*
+             * Here we have numbers only
+             */
             if (aNumberOrSpecialCharacter > 9) {
-                // if not byte 0x00 to 0x09, convert number character to ASCII
-                aNumberOrSpecialCharacter -= '0'; // convert ASCII value to number
+                // if not byte 0x00 to 0x09, convert ASCII character to number
+                aNumberOrSpecialCharacter -= '0';
             }
             if (aNumberOrSpecialCharacter > 9) {
-                // If we have a non number character now, we convert it to a space with the width of the number
+                // If we do not have a number 0 to 9 now, we convert it to a space with the width of a number
                 aNumberOrSpecialCharacter = ' ';
             }
             tCharacterWidth = NumberWidth;
@@ -476,8 +479,10 @@ class LCDBigNumbers: public Print {
         Serial.println(upperLeftColumnIndex);
 #endif
         const uint8_t *tArrayPtr = bigNumbersFont + tFontArrayOffset;
+        // Render character row by row
         for (uint_fast8_t tRow = 0; tRow < NumberHeight; tRow++) {
             LCD->setCursor(upperLeftColumnIndex, upperLeftRowIndex + tRow);
+            // Render all columns in a row
             for (uint_fast8_t i = 0; i < tCharacterWidth; i++) {
                 uint8_t tCharacterIndex;
                 if (aNumberOrSpecialCharacter == ' ') {
@@ -486,7 +491,7 @@ class LCDBigNumbers: public Print {
                     tCharacterIndex = pgm_read_byte(tArrayPtr);
                 }
                 LCD->write(tCharacterIndex);
-                tArrayPtr++; // next number column
+                tArrayPtr++; // Prepare for next column, we do not use i
 #if defined(LOCAL_DEBUG)
                 Serial.print(F(" 0x"));
                 Serial.print(tCharacterIndex, HEX);
@@ -499,26 +504,31 @@ class LCDBigNumbers: public Print {
             Serial.print('|');
 #endif
         }
-        upperLeftColumnIndex += tCharacterWidth;
+        upperLeftColumnIndex += tCharacterWidth; // now we are at the index for the next number or the optional blank gap
 
-        if (maximumColumnIndex < upperLeftColumnIndex) {
+        /*
+         * Auto detect maximum column count, which can be written.
+         * We assume that all characters, which were written, fit on the display.
+         * Thus the maximum of the upperLeftColumnIndex after write is the index of the first column after the display and maximum possible column count.
+         */
+        if (maximumColumns < upperLeftColumnIndex) {
             // find maximum column at runtime
-            maximumColumnIndex = upperLeftColumnIndex;
+            maximumColumns = upperLeftColumnIndex;
         }
 
         /*
-         * Implement the gap after the character
+         * Implement the gap after the number character
          */
         if (forceGapBetweenNumbers && (NumberWidth == 1 || tCharacterWidth > 1 || aNumberOrSpecialCharacter == '-')) {
-            if (maximumColumnIndex != upperLeftColumnIndex) {
+            if (maximumColumns >= upperLeftColumnIndex) {
                 // We are not at the last column, so clear the gap after the number
                 for (uint_fast8_t tRow = 0; tRow < NumberHeight; tRow++) {
-                    LCD->setCursor(upperLeftColumnIndex + 1, upperLeftRowIndex + tRow);
+                    LCD->setCursor(upperLeftColumnIndex, upperLeftRowIndex + tRow);
                     LCD->write(' '); // Blank
                 }
                 tCharacterWidth++;
             }
-            upperLeftColumnIndex++; // This provides one column gap between big numbers, but not between special characters.
+            upperLeftColumnIndex++; // This provides one column gap between numbers, but not between special characters.
         }
 
 #if defined(LOCAL_DEBUG)