Jason_2708 wrote: ↑

Fri Jan 26, 2024 3:22 am

memjr wrote: ↑

Wed Jan 24, 2024 1:23 am

The second link is the source code.

The third link is a link to the pip installer project, it installs the same software found in the second link.

But it is for LCD libs only.

I didn’t look at the entire contents of the 1st link, but it looks like it’s for circuit python, which may or many not include the same version of the LCD libs.

Hi memjr, thanks for the reply. Like you, I see what’s at the end of these links, but the point I was trying to make, and apparently I did a poor job of expressing it, was that there seems to be a real lack of continuity when it comes to version and deprication management of libraries.

Let me try this again:

So I bought an LCD display and I’m having a tough time talking to it …

This link recommends using the Char_LCD library: https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-16x … thon-usage
This link says the Char_LCD library was archived in 2018, and that the library was deprecated, and that Adafruit is now only supporting the use of CircuitPython libraries: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Python_CharLCD
This link says this is the latest version, but from 2016 (no mention of deprication): https://pypi.org/project/Adafruit-CharLCD/#description

There’s so many choices – but which one to believe? When do you stop looking? There’s probably many other postings out there as well that make various references to this library – use this – don’t use this – it’s the latest. Argh!

These are just 3 examples for this particular library. But when considering the full spectrum of Python libraries, how does one find the current status of a particular library when there are so many different and disagreeing links out there? Is there one central repository that lists the current status?

They say “It’s always the last place you look.” when you’re trying to find something. But of course – why would you keep looking when you’ve found what you were looking for? It seems in the world of online libraries – that’s not the case … or am I missing something?

Thanks.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but Adafruit never fails to disappoint. I understand what they have done, and why they do it, but it rankles. See Circuit Python and Micro Python for a perfect example.

Yes, the stuff mostly works, and you can buy their modules and get them going, but there has always been something a little off that I can’t quite put my finger on.

There is no substitute to understanding how the hardware works at its fundamental level, which should involve reading datasheets and so on. By all means use a library, but you have to know what it’s doing for you so that you have some chance of fixing things when they change. Providing a library and an assembly guide is great for sales, but if it doesn’t do quite what you want then you’re stuck.

Those 16×2 LCDs have been around for decades, and there are countless examples of how to drive them. You could whip up your own driver in a couple of hours. If you did that you’d be in a great position to decide if the library was better, or whether some other library (and which one) is better. And when the library was deprecated you’d know what to do.

You could say “but I just want it to work”, but with this sort of thing it’s not that easy. If you want it to work you have to know how to make it work. If you just want it to work you should buy a Toyota Corolla instead.

Not really sure that it helps. Sorry.