Microchip Technology AC164127-7 Data Sheet
2011 Microchip Technology Inc.
DS01368A-page 21
AN1368
SOFTWARE
The basic software component required for any
graphics application is a Software Display Driver which
provides one basic operation (i.e., setting the color of a
pixel). A driver may also implement APIs to draw
fundamental shapes, for instance, a line, rectangle,
bar, circle, text, image and so on. The Software Display
Driver must be written for every separate graphics
driver used. More complex graphic elements, like
labels, buttons, check boxes, sliders and progress bars
are implemented in higher layers, which in turn, use the
Software Display Driver.
Microchip provides a ‘free to use on PIC MCU’ software
library, called “Microchip Graphics Library”, which
contains the above discussed drivers and higher
layers. Several demos are distributed with the graphics
library which the user can run out of the box on the
appropriate development tools.
graphics application is a Software Display Driver which
provides one basic operation (i.e., setting the color of a
pixel). A driver may also implement APIs to draw
fundamental shapes, for instance, a line, rectangle,
bar, circle, text, image and so on. The Software Display
Driver must be written for every separate graphics
driver used. More complex graphic elements, like
labels, buttons, check boxes, sliders and progress bars
are implemented in higher layers, which in turn, use the
Software Display Driver.
Microchip provides a ‘free to use on PIC MCU’ software
library, called “Microchip Graphics Library”, which
contains the above discussed drivers and higher
layers. Several demos are distributed with the graphics
library which the user can run out of the box on the
appropriate development tools.
Features of the Microchip Graphics Library are:
• Works with 16-bit and 32-bit PIC
• Works with 16-bit and 32-bit PIC
®
MCUs, as well
as dsPIC
®
DSCs
• Modular design, compile only what is required
• Supports multiple user interfaces
• Not dependent on display size or resolution
• Low-cost, full-featured development tools
• Utilities to import fonts and images
• Free to Microchip customers
• Includes multiple low-level drivers
The structure of the Microchip Graphics Library is
shown in
• Supports multiple user interfaces
• Not dependent on display size or resolution
• Low-cost, full-featured development tools
• Utilities to import fonts and images
• Free to Microchip customers
• Includes multiple low-level drivers
The structure of the Microchip Graphics Library is
shown in
.
The Microchip Graphics Library v2.11 is distributed
along with the Microchip Applications Library and is
available for download at
along with the Microchip Applications Library and is
available for download at
FIGURE 22:
STRUCTURE OF MICROCHIP GRAPHICS LIBRARY
The Graphics Display Controller is the hardware module
consisting of the frame buffer and Display Controller.
The remaining layers are the software layers. The
Microchip Graphics Library is organized in a set of
folders under the folder, ‘Microchip Solutions’. The ‘C’
files are in the folder, Microchip Solutions/Microchip/
Graphics,
consisting of the frame buffer and Display Controller.
The remaining layers are the software layers. The
Microchip Graphics Library is organized in a set of
folders under the folder, ‘Microchip Solutions’. The ‘C’
files are in the folder, Microchip Solutions/Microchip/
Graphics,
and the header files are in the folder,
Microchip Solutions/Microchip/Include/Graphics
. The
development board-specific files are in the folder,
Microchip Solutions/Board Support Package
Microchip Solutions/Board Support Package
. The
project path must be set to point to these folders.
Starting from the bottom-most Software layer to the
top-most layer, the functionality of each layer and the
files responsible for those layers are explained further
in the following sections. For more information, refer to
the Help file of the Microchip Graphics Library.
Starting from the bottom-most Software layer to the
top-most layer, the functionality of each layer and the
files responsible for those layers are explained further
in the following sections. For more information, refer to
the Help file of the Microchip Graphics Library.
Application Layer
User Message Interface
(Touch Screen, Keypad, and so on)
Graphic Object Layer
(Button, Slider, Edit Box, and so on)
Graphic Primitive Layer
(Line, Circle, Bar, and so on)
Display Device Driver Layer
(PutPixel, SetColor, and so on)
Graphic Display Controller/Display Panel
Note:
The Microchip Graphics Library Version 2.11 is explained here. In future, the software structure may be modified. Refer
to the Help file of your Microchip Graphics Library for the latest information.
to the Help file of your Microchip Graphics Library for the latest information.