example of using 7-Segment Serial Display

gistfile1.ino

// example of using 7-Segment Serial Display
// product available from https://www.sparkfun.com/products/9765
// based on code from http://www.arunet.co.uk/tkboyd/ec/ec1led4x7ser.htm
// Note: solder wires at Gnd/Vcc & Rx, Rx goes to a digital pin on the arduino.
// Video available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YVMAzYqV4kg
// Blogged @ http://chrisnolan.ca/2012/08/05/i-can-solder-7-segment-serial-display-nunchucky-operational/

#include <SoftwareSerial.h> // Arduino 1.0 included

#define SerInToArdu 2
#define SerOutFrmArdu 3 // pin it's plugged into

#define wDelay 300//no ; here. Sets how long each "message" appears

SoftwareSerial mySerialPort(SerInToArdu,SerOutFrmArdu);
//  The above creates the serial channel we will use.

void setup(){
  pinMode(SerOutFrmArdu,OUTPUT);
  pinMode(SerInToArdu,INPUT);//Not actually needed... 
  mySerialPort.begin(9600);
  mySerialPort.print("v"); //To reset display module
};

void loop(){
  default_example();
  scroll_word("4321");
  scroll_word("87654321");
  scroll_word("HELLo noLAn");
  scroll_word("123456789");
  mySerialPort.print("xxxx");//Send an "x" to turn a digit off
  delay(wDelay);
  delay(wDelay);
};

void default_example() {
  mySerialPort.print("1234");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("234x");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("34xx");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("4xxx");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("xxxx");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("----");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("8888");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("HEL0");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("NoLA");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("oLAn");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("LAnx");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("Anxx");
  delay(wDelay);
  mySerialPort.print("nxxx");
  delay(wDelay);
};

void scroll_word(String w) {
  int length = w.length();
  if (length <= 4) {
    mySerialPort.print(w);
    delay(wDelay);
  } else {
    w = "    " + w + "    ";
    for (int i=0; i<= length+4; i++) {
      mySerialPort.print(w.substring(i,i+4));
      delay(wDelay);
    }
  }
}