Graphics

Circle provides several options for implementing graphical user interfaces (GUI) and for generating pixel and vector graphics on an attached HDMI or composite TV display. These options are described in this section.

C2DGraphics

The class C2DGraphics is part of the Circle base library and can be used to generate pixel graphics on a frame buffer, which is provided by the class CBcmFrameBuffer.

#include <circle/2dgraphics.h>

class C2DGraphics: This class is a software graphics library with VSync and hardware-accelerated double buffering.

C2DGraphics::C2DGraphics(unsigned nWidth, unsigned nHeight, boolean bVSync = TRUE, unsigned nDisplay = 0): Creates on instance of this class. nWidth is the screen width in pixels (0 to detect). nHeight is the screen height in pixels (0 to detect). Set bVSync to TRUE to enable VSync and HW double buffering. nDisplay is the zero-based display number (for Raspberry Pi 4).

boolean C2DGraphics::Initialize(void): Initializes the screen. Returns TRUE on success.

unsigned C2DGraphics::GetWidth(void) const: Returns the screen width in pixels.

unsigned C2DGraphics::GetHeight(void) const: Returns the screen height in pixels.

void C2DGraphics::ClearScreen(TScreenColor Color): Clears the screen. Color is the color used to clear the screen (see CScreenDevice::SetPixel()).

void C2DGraphics::DrawRect(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, unsigned nWidth, unsigned nHeight, TScreenColor Color): Draws a filled rectangle. nX is the start X coordinate. nY is the start Y coordinate. nWidth is the rectangle width. nHeight is the rectangle height. Color is the rectangle color.

void C2DGraphics::DrawRectOutline(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, unsigned nWidth, unsigned nHeight, TScreenColor Color): Draws an unfilled rectangle (inner outline). nX is the start X coordinate. nY is the start Y coordinate. nWidth is the rectangle width. nHeight is the rectangle height. Color is the rectangle color.

void C2DGraphics::DrawLine(unsigned nX1, unsigned nY1, unsigned nX2, unsigned nY2, TScreenColor Color): Draws a line. nX1 is the start position X coordinate. nY1 is the start position Y coordinate. nX2 is the end position X coordinate. nY2 is the end position Y coordinate. Color is the line color.

void C2DGraphics::DrawCircle(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, unsigned nRadius, TScreenColor Color): Draws a filled circle. nX is the circle X coordinate. nY is the circle Y coordinate. nRadius is the circle radius. Color is the circle color.

void C2DGraphics::DrawCircleOutline(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, unsigned nRadius, TScreenColor Color): Draws an unfilled circle (inner outline). nX is the circle X coordinate. nY is the circle Y coordinate. nRadius is the circle radius. Color is the circle color.

void C2DGraphics::DrawImage(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, unsigned nWidth, unsigned nHeight, TScreenColor *PixelBuffer): Draws an image from a pixel buffer. nX is the image X coordinate. nY is the image Y coordinate. nWidth is the image width. nHeight is the image height. PixelBuffer is a pointer to the pixels.

void C2DGraphics::DrawImageTransparent(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, unsigned nWidth, unsigned nHeight, TScreenColor *PixelBuffer, TScreenColor TransparentColor): Draws an image from a pixel buffer with transparent color. nX is the image X coordinate. nY is the image Y coordinate. nWidth is the image width. nHeight is the image height. PixelBuffer is a pointer to the pixels. TransparentColor is the color to use for transparency.

void C2DGraphics::DrawImageRect(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, unsigned nWidth, unsigned nHeight, unsigned nSourceX, unsigned nSourceY, TScreenColor *PixelBuffer): Draws an area of an image from a pixel buffer. nX is the image X coordinate. nY is the image Y coordinate. nWidth is the image width. nHeight is the image height. nSourceX is the source X coordinate in the pixel buffer. nSourceY is the source Y coordinate in the pixel buffer. PixelBuffer is a pointer to the pixels.

void C2DGraphics::DrawImageRectTransparent(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, unsigned nWidth, unsigned nHeight, unsigned nSourceX, unsigned nSourceY, unsigned nSourceWidth, unsigned nSourceHeight, TScreenColor *PixelBuffer, TScreenColor TransparentColor): Draws an area of an image from a pixel buffer with transparent color. nX is the image X coordinate. nY is the image Y coordinate. nWidth is the image width. nHeight is the image height. nSourceX is the source X coordinate in the pixel buffer. nSourceY is the source Y coordinate in the pixel buffer. nSourceWidth is the source image width. nSourceHeight is the source image height. PixelBuffer is a pointer to the pixels. TransparentColor is the color to use for transparency.

void C2DGraphics::DrawPixel(unsigned nX, unsigned nY, TScreenColor Color): Draws a single pixel. nX is the pixel X coordinate. nY is the pixel Y coordinate. Color is the pixel color.

Note

If you need to draw a lot of pixels, consider using C2DGraphics::GetBuffer() for better speed.

TScreenColor *C2DGraphics::GetBuffer(void): Gets raw access to the drawing buffer. Returns a pointer to the buffer.

void C2DGraphics::UpdateDisplay(void): Once everything has been drawn, updates the display to show the contents on screen. If VSync is enabled, this method is blocking until the screen refresh signal is received (every 16ms for 60 FPS refresh rate).

LVGL

The Light and Versatile Graphics Library (LVGL) v7.11.0 can be used with Circle. This library provides an API, which is based on the C language. See the LVGL documentation for details.

#include <lvgl/lvgl.h>

class CLVGL: This class is a wrapper for LVGL and has to be instantiated to use this graphics library. The wrapper class supports USB mouse or touchscreen input.

CLVGL::CLVGL(CScreenDevice *pScreen, CInterruptSystem *pInterrupt)

CLVGL::CLVGL(CBcmFrameBuffer *pFrameBuffer, CInterruptSystem *pInterrupt): Create an instance of this class. pScreen or pFrameBuffer reference the display to be used. pInterrupt is a pointer to the system interrupt object.

boolean CLVGL::Initialize(void): Initializes to LVGL support. Returns TRUE on success.

void CLVGL::Update(boolean bPlugAndPlayUpdated = FALSE): Updates the display. This has to be called continuously from the application main loop at TASK_LEVEL. bPlugAndPlayUpdated must be set to TRUE, if the application supports USB plug-and-play and CUSBHostController::UpdatePlugAndPlay() returned TRUE too.

µGUI

The µGUI library can be used with Circle. This library provides an API, which is based on the C language. Download the Reference Guide for details.

#include <ugui/uguicpp.h>

class CUGUI: This class is a wrapper for µGUI and has to be instantiated to use this graphics library. The wrapper class supports USB mouse or touchscreen input.

CUGUI::CUGUI(CScreenDevice *pScreen): Creates an instance of this class. pScreen references the display to be used.

boolean CUGUI::Initialize(void): Initializes to µGUI support. Returns TRUE on success.

void CUGUI::Update(boolean bPlugAndPlayUpdated = FALSE): Updates the display. This has to be called continuously from the application main loop at TASK_LEVEL. bPlugAndPlayUpdated must be set to TRUE, if the application supports USB plug-and-play and CUSBHostController::UpdatePlugAndPlay() returned TRUE too.

Accelerated graphics

The accelerated graphics support is described in the VC4 subsystem section.