This guide describes the basic steps necessary to produce a display driver for the SSD1963 display controller. The driver can be used with or without the MGS Harmony library.

This guide uses the SAM E70 Xplained Ultra Evaluation Kit connected to a SSD1963 display controller. You will build a simple application that displays an image and touch button. It starts with the creation of a new MPLAB® project and finishes with a graphics application equivalent to legato_quickstart.

The demonstration will render the following image on the display:

Who should use this guide

This guide is intended for developers who want to generate a SSD1963 display driver. It creates the file drv_gfx_exernal_controller.h as well as the interface abstraction gfx_driver so that it can be used with any graphics library.

This driver will be exercised on the SAM E70 Xplained Ultra Evaluation Kit.

What this guide contains

You will build a simple application and generate a SSD1963 display driver that displays an image and touch button. It starts with the creation of a new MPLAB® project and finishes with a graphics application equivalent to legato_quickstart. Here are the primary steps to create a graphics application and SSD1963 display driver for your SAME70 hardware:

1. Create a new project and configure clock for SAME70
   • Create MPLAB® Harmony v3 Project using MPLAB® X IDE
   • Verify Clock Settings
2. Configure Harmony components for graphics middleware and drivers
3. Configure pins for external graphics communication
4. Generate Code
5. Add application code to project
6. Build, program and observe outputs

Materials you will need

Documentation

Documentation	Description
SAM E70 Xplained Ultra User's Guide	User Guide with Schematics
SSD1963 datasheet	Request a Solomon Systech SSD1963 datasheet
High-Performance WQVGA Display Module with maXTouch® Information Sheet	Display Information Sheet

Hardware

Hardware	Description
SAM E70 Xplained Ultra Evaluation Kit	Development Board
WQVGA Display Module (AC320005-4).	High-Performance 4.3" WQVGA Display Module
WQVGA Display Module from MEB II	Alternative High-Performance 4.3" WQVGA Display Module if an MEB-II board is available
SSD1963 LCD Controller Graphics Card	Graphics Controller
Standard USB A to micro-B cable	PC debugging connector.

NOTE: The SAM E70 Xplained Ultra Evaluation Kit includes an on-board Embedded Debugger (EDBG), which requires no additional hardware to get started. For programming/debugging, the EDBG connects to the host PC through the USB micro-B connector on the SAM E70 Xplained Ultra Evaluation Kit.

Hardware Setup

SAM E70 Xplained Ultra Evaluation Kit is connected to the display using the display ribbon cable. Programming is a board to PC link using a standard USB A to micro-B cable. The connection, illustrated below, provides power and debug communication.

The board and display are powered by a Micro B – USB A cable from PC to the “USB Debug” port on the SAM E70 Xplained Ultra Evaluation Kit.

Software

Software	Description	Install
MPLAB® X Integrated Development Environment	v5.15 or later	Install MPLAB® IDE
MPLAB® XC32/32++ C Compiler	v2.20 or later	Install Compiler
MPLAB® Harmony 3	v3.5 or later	Install Harmony v3

NOTE: This project has been verified to work with the following versions of software tools: MPLAB® X IDE v5.20, MPLAB® XC32 Compiler v2.20, MPLAB® Harmony v3.6.0

NOTE: Because we regularly update our tools, occasionally you may discover an issue while using the newer versions. If you suspect that to be the case, we recommend that you use the same versions that the project was tested with.

To get started with this tutorial, you should:

• Install MHC
• Configure Hardware
• Run MPLABX

1. Install MHC To install MHC, follow the Harmony V3 MHC installation guide. Upon completion, proceed to Configure Hardware steps below.

2. Configure Hardware

SAM E70 Xplained Ultra board configuration is simply a board to PC connection using a standard USB A to micro-B cable. The connection provides power and debug communication. The connection is illustrated in the image below:

Configure the 4.3” WQVGA Display

• Disconnect the ribbon cable that connects the display to the interposer board. The board is for the MEB 2 only, and not used on the SAM E70 Xplained Ultra kit.

• Release the ribbon cable from the interposer board.
• Release the black clamp on the E70’s J2 connector and turn the display over.
• Insert the ribbon cable into J2 and close the clamp.

The board and display are powered by a Micro B – USB A cable from PC to the “Debug USB” port on the E70 board.

3. Run MPLABX

• Launch the MPLAB® X IDE.
  • From the File pull-down menu, select New Project. This will display the New Project dialog window.
  • Proceed to Creating New Project Tutorial Steps

1. Choose Project

In the MPLAB® X IDE, select File > New Project. Select Microchip Embedded and select 32-bit MPLAB® Harmony 3 Project and click Next.

If 32-bit MPLAB® Harmony Project is not visible repeat software installation steps Install MHC above.

2. Framework Selection

Enter the framework path pf your Harmony v3 root installation directory. This path is not set by default. You must enter the path used at installation. Select Convert to Relative Path for Configuration and click Next.

The Launch Framework Downloader button is used to download or configure a local framework. Because you have already installed H3, this button selection is not required.

3. Project Settings

Choose a location for the MPLAB® X IDE project configuration (or just keep the default name). Select the folder and name for your project and click Next.

4. Configuration Settings

Select the name and target device ATSAME70Q21B for your project and click Finish.

Select for Target Device: drop down, ATSAME70Q21B.

When Finish is clicked, your new project will open in the IDE and the MPLAB® Harmony Configurator will automatically start. Keep the default values in the Configuration Database Setup window and click the Launch button.

5. Project Graph

The MHC plugin’s main window for the project will be displayed. This is the initial project graph.

The final project graph must look like the following.

NOTE: The LE SSD1963 Display Driver component is not required. If it is displayed on the Project Graphic, you must remove it.

To create a SSD1963 compliant driver set controller and display specific Configuration Options using the LE External Controller component. See image below. You will need to enter values for:

• Base Driver
• Display Settings
• Initialization Settings
• Blit Buffer Function Settings

NOTE: Use default values unless otherwise directed.

1. Base Driver

Use the following image to set your Base Driver options.

2. Display Settings

Use the following image to set your Display Settings options

3. Reset Settings

Use the following image to set your Reset Settings options

4. Initialization Settings

Use the following image to set your Initialization Settings options

5. Init Command Settings

Use the following images to set your Init Command Settings options

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6. Blit Buffer Function Settings

Use the following images to set your Blit Buffer Function Settings options

1. Launch MGS Harmony Composer from the MHC/Tools Menu:

2. On the Welcome Dialog, select Load

Use an existing design at the following location:

• <harmony_root>\gfx\apps\legato_quickstart\firmware\src\config\ssd1963_rgb565_mxt_e70\ssd1963_rgb565_mxt_e70_design.zip

1. Before generating code, click the Save icon as shown below.

2. Save the configuration in its default location when prompted.

3. Click on the Code Generate button as shown below to start generating code.

4. Click on the Generate button in the Generate Project window, keeping the default settings as shown below. If prompted for saving the configuration, click Save.

MHC will include all the MPLAB® Harmony library files and generate the code based on the MHC selections. The generated code would add files and folders to your Harmony project.

1. Clean and build your application by clicking on the Clean and Build button as shown below.

2. Program your application to the device, by clicking on the Make and Program button as shown below.

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If you are new to MPLAB® Harmony, you should probably start with these tutorials:

• MPLAB® Harmony v3 software framework
• MPLAB® Harmony v3 Configurator Overview
• Create a New MPLAB® Harmony v3 Project

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