Currently under development

We are working on a new version on a modern base. There will be a modern web server (served as a docker image too) and optimized code for Platform.io (which has a better dependency manager). Stay tuned!

Dependency: ArduinoJson

This project depends on the Arduino library ArduinoJson which currently breaks the build if you use the latest version 6 (cf. arduinojson.org/v5/doc/). To overcome this issue, downgrade (for example using the Arduino library manager) to the most recent version 5 (currently 5.13.4). Ensure that you do not upgrade to version 6 accidentally via the automatic update function.

DoorsignEPD

Project to build digital doorsign based on ESP32, Waveshare E-Paper-Display (2.9, 4.2 or 7.5 inch). The display can load image from Webserver and uses deep-sleep mode of ESP32 to save energy. Images are generated on Webserver running PHP. Examples in this repository generate a weather-station, a doorsign for an office and a doorsign for a conference room.

Getting started (Client)

To start, you need the Arduino IDE with dependencies installed. Hardware setup is described here: ct.de/yrzv.

The example wiring as used in the article is shown in the table below.

The exact wiring depends on your hardware. Check for each pin (GPIO) if they are not occupied by for example LEDs.

Getting started (Server)

The folder 'server' contains examples for content and outputs it in Byte-stream-format for ESP32. Copy the folder on a webserver with PHP installed and GD active (PHP >7.0). In the URL you tell the server what to show (and for which display size):

• /?debug=true&display=7.5&content=weather_station&scale=28 (displays a weather-station for a 7.5 inch display)
• /?debug=true&display=2.9&content=door_sign&scale=22 (displays a door-sign for a 2.9 inch display)
• /?debug=true&display=4.2&content=conference_room&scale=18 (displays a sign for a conference room for a 4.2 inch display)
• /?debug=true&display=4.2&content=door_sign_csv&room=A 111 (displays a sign for a room. Use data from a csv file or google spreadsheet. Works with different rooms.

With Get-Parameter 'scale' you adjust size of the text. Set 'debug' to true to get a png-image and false for byte-Stream for ESP32. Parameter size is automatically added by ESP (depending on your display).

Example contents

• conference_room (agenda for a meeting room)
• door_sign (list of people working in a room)
• door_sign_csv (list of people working in a room, information taken from a csv file or google spreadsheet)
• static_image (showing a random image (scaled to display size) from server/contents/static_image. Just put your image here)
• weather_station (showing demo temperature an weather with icons)
• ical_calendar (showing demo Calendar with 7.5-Display and portrait orientation | https://github.com/sabre-io/vobject is requred)

Dependencies

This project depends on the following libraries. Please use the most recent stable version -- especially for GxEPD and Basecamp. GxEPD currently has to be downloaded and installed manually. The other library can be installed using the Arduino library manager.

• GxEPD
• Basecamp
• Adafruit_GFX
• AsyncTCP

Indirect dependencies

• ESPAsyncWebServer
• ArduinoJson version 5.x!

Tested dependencies

This project was tested with the following Library versions:

• GxEPD v3.0.4 from github
• Basecamp v0.1.8 via Arduino library manager
• Adafruit_GFX v1.3.6 via Arduino library manager
• AsyncTCP from github (ac551716aa655672cd3e0f1f2c137a710bccdc42, v1.0.3)
• ESPAsyncWebServer from github (95dedf7a2df5a0d0ab01725baaacb4f982dedcb2, v1.2.0)
• ArduinoJson v5.13.4 via Arduino library manager
• ESP32 Arduino core by espressif: version 1.0.1

More information

This repository is part of article "Ausdauernde Infotafel" from German computer magazine "c't". Link: ct.de/yrzv

To do

• add better examples with real data

New functions

Support for red-black-white display!