LCD Screen

Your "Text Display"

Displaying Text and Information

What it is

The LCD Screen category contains blocks for configuring and controlling an I2C character LCD.

The confirmed Clu-Blocks Pro generation uses:

Python

import machine

import i2clcd

and creates the LCD through an I2C connection.

The category allows students to:

Configure the I2C connection.
Initialize the LCD.
Display text.
Select column and line positions.
Center or not center text.
Display text using a delay value.
Turn the LCD backlight ON or OFF.
Clear the screen.

Think of the LCD as a small text screen for showing messages, sensor readings, counters, states, and other information produced by the program.

Fun Guide to LCD Display Blocks (Clu-blocks Pro)

What it is: Blocks for displaying text on character displays.

What it does: Displays messages on character displays.

Example: Displaying "Hello" on a 16x2 display.

It's the robot's lighted sign.

Important! LCD blocks let your robot talk visually showing messages, sensor data, or even animations. It’s like giving your robot a mini billboard!

The category can be organized into four conceptual families:

SETUP → DISPLAY → BACKLIGHT → CLEAR

Setup & Configuration

Block	What it does	Dropdown options	What the options mean
	Sets up I2C communication and Initializes the LCD screen	—	Needed before using the LCD SCL/SDA are data pins
	Initializes the LCD screen	—	LCD1602 is a 2-line, 16-character display 0x27 is the common I2C address

Displaying Text

Block	What it does	Dropdown options	What the options mean
	Shows text on the screen	—	You choose the position and alignment great for titles or labels
	Prints text witd animation	—	Shows characters one by one perfect for typing effects or suspense

Backlight & Control

Block	What it does	Dropdown options	What the options mean
	Turns the screen backlight on or off	`on display`, `off display`	Controls brightness useful for saving power or signaling status
	Clears everytding from the screen	—	Use tdis before updating the screen or switching messages

Quick Tips for Students

Use setup blocks first your LCD won’t work witdout I2C setup and address.
Use rows and columns to position text row 0 is top, row 1 is bottom.
Use middle alignment for titles it looks clean and professional.
Use print witd interval for cool effects like typing or countdowns.
Use clear + backlight to refresh or hide the screen great for transitions or alerts.

1. Setting Up I2C

[ INSERT BLOCK IMAGE HERE: I2C Setup ]

Before using the LCD, Clu-Blocks Pro configures an I2C connection.

The supplied generation is:

Python

i2c_extend = machine.SoftI2C(

scl = machine.Pin(26),

sda = machine.Pin(25),

freq = 100000

)

The setup therefore contains three important values:

Setting	Example	Main Idea
SCL	26	I2C clock connection
SDA	25	I2C data connection
Frequency	100000	I2C communication frequency

The resulting I2C connection is represented by:

Python

i2c_extend

Conceptually:

D1 R32 ↔ SCL + SDA ↔ LCD

Configure I2C first, then configure the LCD.

2. Setting Up the LCD

[ INSERT BLOCK IMAGE HERE: LCD Setup ]

Once I2C is configured, Clu-Blocks Pro creates the LCD:

Python

lcd = i2clcd.LCD(

i2c_extend,

lcd_width=16,

i2c_addr=0x27

)

The confirmed example contains:

I2C Connection

Plain Text

i2c_extend

LCD Width

Plain Text

I2C Address

Plain Text

0x27

The configured display is then represented by:

Python

lcd

All following LCD operations act on this object.

The setup progression is:

I2C Setup → LCD Setup → Display Information

3. The I2C Address

The confirmed example uses:

Plain Text

0x27

The 0x prefix indicates that the address is written in hexadecimal notation.

Students have already seen hexadecimal notation in other areas of Clu-Blocks Pro, particularly IR.

However, the concepts should remain separate:

IR Hex Command → command information

LCD 0x27 → I2C address

The LCD address identifies the device for the I2C operation.

4. Displaying Text

[ INSERT BLOCK IMAGE HERE: LCD Shows ]

The basic display operation uses:

Python

lcd.shows(...)

The supplied example is:

Python

lcd.shows(

"Clu-Bots",

column = 0,

line = 0,

center = True

)

The block therefore supplies four important pieces of information:

Text
Column
Line
Center setting

Conceptually:

TEXT + POSITION + ALIGNMENT → LCD

5. Text

The example displays:

Plain Text

Clu-Bots

This is the information that appears through the LCD display operation.

The text does not need to remain fixed.

Later, students can combine the LCD with:

Variables
Sensors
Math
Text

Conceptually:

Sensor → Value → Text → LCD

6. Column

The example uses:

Python

column = 0

This parameter specifies the column value passed to the LCD operation.

For students, column can be understood as the horizontal text position.

Conceptually:

COLUMN → LEFT / RIGHT POSITION

7. Line

The example uses:

Python

line = 0

This parameter specifies the line value passed to the display operation.

For students:

LINE → WHICH DISPLAY LINE

This allows information to be placed in different text areas on the display.

Conceptually:

COLUMN + LINE → TEXT POSITION

8. Centering Text

One of the important improvements in this regeneration is that we now know both real alignment options.

When centering is enabled, Clu-Blocks Pro generates:

Python

lcd.shows(

"Clu-Bots",

column = 0,

line = 0,

center = True

)

When centering is disabled:

Python

lcd.shows(

"Clu-Bots",

column = 0,

line = 0,

center = False

)

Therefore:

Block Selection	Generated Value
Center ON	`center=True`
Center OFF	`center=False`

The important concept is:

Centered Text → True

Normal Positioning → False

9. Position vs. Center

Students should understand that the display operation provides both:

column / line

and:

center

These should not be treated as isolated LCD features.

The fundamental display question is:

WHAT?

Text

WHERE?

Column + Line

HOW?

Centered or not centered

So:

WHAT → WHERE → ALIGNMENT

This is an easy mental model for beginners.

10. LCD Print with Delay

[ INSERT BLOCK IMAGE HERE: LCD Print ]

The category also provides another text-display operation.

The real Clu-Blocks Pro generation confirms:

Python

lcd.print(

"Clu-Bots",

column = 0,

line = 0,

delay = 5

)

This operation uses:

Text
Column
Line
Delay

The confirmed example uses:

Plain Text

delay = 5

The important difference in actual generation is:

Show Text

Python

lcd.shows(...)

Print with Delay

Python

lcd.print(..., delay=5)

For the technical documentation, these should remain two distinct LCD operations.

11. Understanding `delay`

The final argument of the LCD print() operation is generated as:

Python

delay=5

Therefore, the technically accurate explanation is:

The visible delay field supplies the delay parameter of Clu-Blocks Pro's lcd.print() operation.

We should not give the parameter a more specific timing unit unless that unit is explicitly confirmed by the block interface or library reference.

This follows the same conservative documentation standard we have used throughout the regenerated categories.

12. `shows()` vs. `print()`

Students will see two different text operations.

Operation	Confirmed Generation	Main Difference in Supplied Code
Shows	`lcd.shows(...)`	Uses the `center` parameter.
Print	`lcd.print(...)`	Uses the `delay` parameter.

For beginners, this can be simplified to:

SHOWS

Display text with positioning/alignment options.

PRINT

Display text with positioning and the supplied delay option.

There is no need to explain internal library implementation beyond what the real generator confirms.

13. Turning the Backlight ON

[ INSERT BLOCK IMAGE HERE: LCD Backlight ]

The actual generation confirms:

Python

lcd.backlight(1)

Therefore:

Plain Text

is the generated value for the confirmed ON state.

Conceptually:

Backlight ON → 1

14. Turning the Backlight OFF

The same block can generate:

Python

lcd.backlight(0)

Therefore:

Plain Text

is the generated value for the confirmed OFF state.

The complete relationship is:

Backlight State	Generated Operation
ON	`lcd.backlight(1)`
OFF	`lcd.backlight(0)`

This hidden OFF option is now explicitly confirmed by the real MicroPython generation.

15. Clearing the LCD

[ INSERT BLOCK IMAGE HERE: LCD Clear ]

The Clear block generates:

Python

lcd.clear()

Conceptually:

CURRENT TEXT

↓

CLEAR

↓

EMPTY DISPLAY

This is useful before presenting new information when the previous content should no longer remain on the LCD.

16. The Complete LCD Sequence

Students do not need to think of these as isolated blocks.

The category follows a logical workflow:

STEP 1

Configure I2C

↓

STEP 2

Configure LCD

↓

STEP 3

Display Text

↓

STEP 4

Change / Update Information

↓

STEP 5

Clear when needed

The central pattern is:

SETUP → DISPLAY → UPDATE → CLEAR

17. LCD vs. OLED

Students use both display types in Clu-Blocks Pro, so distinguishing the two is important.

LCD

The regenerated category focuses mainly on:

Strings
Columns
Lines
Centering
Backlight
Clear

OLED

The OLED category additionally exposes operations for:

X/Y coordinates
Images
Pixels
Lines
Rectangles
Graphical movement

So the beginner distinction is:

LCD → TEXT-FOCUSED DISPLAY

OLED → GRAPHICAL DISPLAY

Both use I2C in the supplied Clu-Blocks Pro examples, but their available blocks are different.

18. LCD + Sensors

The LCD becomes much more useful when students display real information.

For example:

DHT11

↓

Temperature

↓

Text

↓

LCD

Students can eventually produce information conceptually such as:

Plain Text

Temp: 23

while another line can display:

Plain Text

Humidity: 55

The exact displayed values come from the sensor at runtime.

This provides an important transition from:

STATIC TEXT

to:

LIVE INFORMATION

19. LCD + Text

The Text category becomes particularly useful when sensor measurements need labels.

Conceptually:

"Temperature: "

Converted Sensor Value

↓

Readable Message

↓

LCD

This lets students understand the difference between displaying:

Plain Text

and displaying meaningful information such as:

Plain Text

Temperature: 23

20. LCD + Variables

A variable can store information before the information is displayed.

Conceptually:

Sensor

↓

Variable

↓

LCD

For example:

Temperature Sensor → temperature variable → LCD

This becomes helpful as projects grow and the same value is used in several parts of the program.

21. LCD + Serial Port

For your course, I recommend that students continue reporting information to the PC even when the LCD is introduced.

For example:

Sensor Value

↙　　　　　　↘

LCD　　　 Serial Port

　　　　　　　 ↓

This allows students to verify that:

The program receives the expected data.
The PC receives the data.
The LCD displays the intended information.

It also reinforces an important concept:

LCD → Local output

Serial → PC communication

Quick Guide for Students

Am I using the LCD for the first time?

Start with:

I2C Setup → LCD Setup

Do I want to show text?

Use:

Python

lcd.shows(...)

Do I need to choose where the text appears?

Use:

Column + Line

Do I want centered text?

Use the option generating:

Python

center=True

Do I want normal non-centered positioning?

Use:

Python

center=False

Do I need the LCD print operation with a delay value?

Use:

Python

lcd.print(..., delay=...)

Do I need the backlight ON?

Use the state generating:

Python

lcd.backlight(1)

Do I need the backlight OFF?

Use:

Python

lcd.backlight(0)

Do I want to erase existing display content?

Use:

Python

lcd.clear()

Quick Reference

Family	Confirmed Generation	Main Idea
I2C Setup	`machine.SoftI2C(...)`	Configure LCD communication.
LCD Setup	`i2clcd.LCD(...)`	Create the LCD object.
Show Text	`lcd.shows(...)`	Display text.
Column	`column=...`	Set horizontal text position.
Line	`line=...`	Set display line.
Center ON	`center=True`	Enable centering.
Center OFF	`center=False`	Disable centering.
Print with Delay	`lcd.print(...,delay=...)`	Use the LCD print operation with the supplied delay.
Backlight ON	`lcd.backlight(1)`	Turn the backlight ON.
Backlight OFF	`lcd.backlight(0)`	Turn the backlight OFF.
Clear	`lcd.clear()`	Clear the display.

LCD Screen

Your "Text Display"

Displaying Text and Information

Fun Guide to LCD Display Blocks (Clu-blocks Pro)

1. Setting Up I2C

2. Setting Up the LCD

I2C Setup → LCD Setup → Display Information

3. The I2C Address

4. Displaying Text

TEXT + POSITION + ALIGNMENT → LCD

5. Text

6. Column

7. Line

8. Centering Text

9. Position vs. Center

WHAT → WHERE → ALIGNMENT

10. LCD Print with Delay

11. Understanding delay

12. shows() vs. print()

13. Turning the Backlight ON

14. Turning the Backlight OFF

15. Clearing the LCD

16. The Complete LCD Sequence

STEP 1

STEP 2

STEP 3

STEP 4

STEP 5

SETUP → DISPLAY → UPDATE → CLEAR

17. LCD vs. OLED

LCD

OLED

LCD → TEXT-FOCUSED DISPLAY

OLED → GRAPHICAL DISPLAY

18. LCD + Sensors

19. LCD + Text

20. LCD + Variables

21. LCD + Serial Port

Quick Guide for Students

Quick Reference

11. Understanding `delay`

12. `shows()` vs. `print()`