µC/GUI
μC/GUI is universal graphical software for embedded applications that provides an efficient processor and LCD controller-independent GUI to applications using a graphical LCD. Designed for single and multi-task environments, μC/GUI is adaptable to nearly any size physical or virtual display with an LCD controller and CPU, and is delivered with all source code.
μC/GUI is compatible with nearly all CPUs and, unlike other GUIs that require a C++ compiler, μC/GUI is written entirely in ANSI-C. Processors ranging from 8- to 32-bits run μC/GUI. 16-bit CPUs (or better) achieve optimal performance.
- There are three types of basic package: Monochrome, gray scale or color. Each basic package provides support for:
- 2D Graphics
- Font support with basic fonts charset ISO 8859-1
- Touch Screen support
- The basic packages includes one seat of the bitmap converter tool.
- Additional fonts can be added. Usage of an optional FontConverter tool is required. The FontConverter tool converts any TrueType Font into a C-file in the format used by C/GUI.
- Optional touch-screen support contains a low-level driver to handle analog input (from two 8-bit or better A/D converter channels), debouncing, and touch screen calibration.
- Written in ANSI C
- The basic package includes multiple displays/layers support.
Applications
µC/GUI is used in a wide variety of industries:
- Avionics
- Medical Equipment/Devices
- Data Communications Equipment
- White Goods (Appliances)
- Mobile Phones, PDAs, MIDs
- Industrial Controls
- Consumer Electronics
- Automotive
| Who should use this GUI? | Developers who want to add a state of the art graphical user interface with or without touch-screen support, that want to save time on current and future embedded projects, and who want the best GUI written in C. |
| Supported LCD Controllers | See complete list in LCD Driver Chart |
| Color resolution | 1 to 32 bits per pixel |
| Display size | Any |
Small systems (no window manager) footprint
- RAM: 100 bytes
- Stack: 500 bytes
- ROM: 10-25 kB (depending on the functionality used)
| Big systems (including window manager and widgets) footprint |
|
| Number of widgets/controls | 22 |
| Execution models | Single task system (superloop) Multitask system (any RTOS): • One task calling C/GUI • Multiple tasks calling C/GUI |
| Foreign Language Support | All languages Unicode and UTF-8 encoding Arabic language support Text rendering with Shift-JIS (Japanese Industry Standard) encoding. |
| Pointer Input Devices | Touch-screen, mouse, and keyboard support |
| Animation | Animated GIF Sprites |
| Memory Partitions | RAM Management Yes |
Optional Add-On Modules
Optional add-on modules allow for memory footprint and feature customization based on the application. Modules include:
| Memory Devices | Prevents the display from flickering when using drawing operations of overlapping items. |
| Antialiasing | Smoothes curves and diagonal lines by “blending” the background color with that of the foreground. |
| Window Manager | Allows for creation and handling of different windows of any size. GUIBuilder tool, enabling effortless creation of widgets, is provided |
| Virtual Screen | A display area greater than the physical size of the display, requiring additional video memory. Allows for instantaneous switching between screens, even on slow CPUs. |
| Virtual Network Computing – VNC | VNC is a client-server system based on a simple display protocol that allows users to view a computing 'desktop' environment not only on the machine where it is running, but from anywhere on the Internet and from a wide-variety of machine architectures. |
Simulator
μC/GUI includes a suite of development tools to facilitate project development. μC/GUI includes a simulation environment under MSVC++ to write and test the entire user interface on the PC. All routines are identical to the embedded application, regardless of the CPU or LCD used, making debugging and development easy and convenient. Generating screen shots of the LCD that can be inserted into documentation is a snap.
Memory Requirements
The memory requirements of the GUI components have been measured on a system as follows:
ARM7, IAR Embedded workbench V4.42A, Thumb mode, Size optimization
| Component | ROM | RAM | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Window manager | + 6.2 kB | + 2.5 kB | Additional memory requirementsof a “Hello World” applicationwhen using the window manager.The configured GUI_ALLOC_SIZEor the measurement was 2000. |
| Memory devices | + 4.7 kB | + 7 kB | Additional memory requirementsof a “Hello World” applicationwhen using memory devices. Theconfigured GUI_ALLOC_SIZE formeasurement was 8000. |
| Antialiasing | + 4.5 kB | + 2 * LCD_XSIZ20 Bytes | Additional memory requirementsor the antialiasing software. |
| Driver | + 2–8 kB | 20 Bytes | Memory requirements the driver depend on configured driver anddata cache is used or With a datacache the driver requires moreRAM. For details please refer thedriver documentation. |
| Multilayer | + 2–8 kB | If working with a multi or a multi-display configuration, additionalmemory for each additional layer isequired, because each layerequires its own driver. | |
| Core | 5.2 kB | 80 Bytes | Memory requirements typical“Hello world” application withoutusing additional software items. |
| Core / JPEG | 12 kB | 38 kB | Basic routines for drawing JPEGiles. |
| Core / GIF | 3.3 kB | 17 kB | Basic routines for drawing GIFiles. |
| Core / Sprites | 4.7 kB | 16 Bytes | Routines for drawing sprites andcursors. |
| Widgets | 4.5 kB | The approximate basic ROM requirement for widgetsdepending on individual coreunctions used by widgets. | |
| WIDGET / BUTTON | ROM | 40 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /CHECKBOX | 0.4 kB | 52 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /DROPDOWN | 1 kB | 52 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET / EDIT | 1.8 kB | 28 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /FRAMEWIN | 2.2 kB | 12 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET / GRAPH | 2.2 kB | 48 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /GRAPH_DATA_XY | 2.9 kB | See Note 1 | |
| WIDGET /GRAPH_DATA_YT | 0.7 kB | See Note 1 | |
| WIDGET / HEADER | 0.6 kB | 32 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET / LISTBOX | 2.8 kB | 56 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /LISTVIEW | 3.7 kB | 44 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET / MENU | 3.6 kB | 52 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /MULTIEDIT | 5.7 kB | 16 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /MULTIPAGE | 7.1 kB | 32 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /PROGBAR | 3.9 kB | 20 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET /RADIOBUTTON | 1.3 kB | 32 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| Widget/SCROLLBAR | 1.4 kB | 14 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET / SLIDER | 2 kB | 16 Bytes | See Note 1 |
| WIDGET / TEXT | 1.3 kB | 16 Bytes | See Note 1 |
NOTE: The listed memory requirements of the widgets contain the basic routines required for creating and drawing the widget. Depending on the specific widget, there are several additional functions available, which are not listed in the table.
Stack Requirements
Basic stack requirement: 600 bytes (approximately) With window manager: + 600 bytes With memory devices: + 200 bytes (recommended)
Font Memory Requirements
The following table describes the standard fonts shipped with μC/GUI. For each font, ameasurement in pixels and the ROM size in bytes are provided. The following parameters are used in the measurement diagrams:
| Element | Meaning |
|---|---|
| F | Size of font in Y. |
| B | Distance of base line from the top of the font. |
| C | Height of capital characters. |
| L | Height of lowercase characters. |
| U | Size of under length used by letters such as "g", "j" or "y". |
| Font name | Measurement in pixels | ROM size in bytes |
|---|---|---|
| GUI_Font8_ASCII | F: 18, B: 15, C: 12, L: 9, U: 3 | 1562 |
| GUI_Font8_1 | F: 8, B: 7, C: 7, L: 5, U: 1 | 1562+ 1586 |
| GUI_Font10S_ASCII | F: 8, B: 7, C: 7, L: 5, U: 1 | 1760 |
| GUI_Font10S_1 | F: 10, B: 8, C: 6, L: 4, U: 2 | 1760+ 1770 |
| GUI_Font10_ASCII | F: 10, B: 8, C: 6, L: 4, U: 2 | 1800 |
| GUI_Font10_1 | F: 10, B: 9, C: 8, L: 6, U: 1 | 1800+ 2456 |
| GUI_Font13_ASCII | F: 10, B: 9, C: 8, L: 6, U: 1 | 2076 |
| GUI_Font13_1 | F: 13, B: 11, C: 8, L: 6, U: 2 | 2076+ 2149 |
| GUI_Font13B_ASCII | F: 13, B: 11, C: 8, L: 6, U: 2 | 2222 |
| GUI_Font13B_1 | F: 13, B: 11, C: 8, L: 6, U: 2 | 2222+ 2216 |
| GUI_Font13H_ASCII | F: 13, B: 11, C: 8, L: 6, U: 2 | 2232 |
| GUI_Font13H_1 | F: 13, B: 11, C: 9, L: 7, U: 2 | 2232+ 2291 |
| GUI_Font13HB_ASCII | F: 13, B: 11, C: 9, L: 7, U: 2 | 2690 |
| GUI_Font13HB_1 | F: 13, B: 11, C: 9, L: 7, U: 2 | 2690+ 2806 |
| GUI_Font16_ASCII | F: 13, B: 11, C: 9, L: 7, U: 2 | 2714 |
| GUI_Font16_1 | F: 16, B: 13, C: 10, L: 7, U: 3 | 2714+ 3850 |
| GUI_Font16_HK | 6950 | |
| GUI_Font16_1HK | F: 16, B: 13, C: 10, L: 7, U: 3 | 120+ 6950+2714+ 3850 |
| GUI_Font16B_ASCII | F: 16, B: 13, C: 10, L: 7, U: 3 | 2690 |
| GUI_Font16B_1 | F: 16, B: 13, C: 10, L: 7, U: 3 | 2690+ 2790 |
| GUI_FontComic18B_ASCII | F: 16, B: 13, C: 10, L: 7, U: 3 | 3572 |
| GUI_FontComic18B_1 | F: 32, B: 25, C: 20, L: 15, U: 7 | 3572+ 4334 |
| GUI_Font20_ASCII | F: 18, B: 15, C: 12, L: 9, U: 3 | 4044 |
| GUI_Font20_1 | F: 20, B: 16, C: 13, L: 10, U: 4 | 4044+ 4244 |
| GUI_Font20B_ASCII | F: 20, B: 16, C: 13, L: 10, U: 4 | 4164 |
| GUI_Font20B_1 | F: 20, B: 16, C: 13, L: 10, U: 4 | 4164+ 4244 |
| GUI_Font24_ASCII | F: 20, B: 16, C: 13, L: 10, U: 4 | 4786 |
| GUI_Font24_1 | F: 24, B: 19, C: 15, L: 11, U: 5 | 4786+ 5022 |
| GUI_Font24B_ASCII | F: 24, B: 19, C: 15, L: 11, U: 5 | 4858 |
| GUI_Font24B_1 | F: 24, B: 19, C: 15, L: 11, U: 5 | 4858+ 5022 |
| GUI_FontComic24B_ASCII | F: 24, B: 19, C: 15, L: 11, U: 5 | 6146 |
| GUI_FontComic24B_1 | F: 24, B: 20, C: 17, L: 13, U: 4 | 6146+ 5598 |
| GUI_Font32_ASCII | F: 24, B: 20, C: 17, L: 13, U: 4 | 7234 |
| GUI_Font32_1 | F: 32, B: 26, C: 20, L: 15, U: 6 | 7234+ 7734 |
| GUI_Font32B_ASCII | F: 32, B: 26, C: 20, L: 15, U: 6 | 7842 |
| GUI_Font32B_1 | F: 32, B: 25, C: 20, L: 15, U: 7 | 7842+ 8118 |
Driver Benchmark
Benchmarks are used tomeasure the speed of display drivers on available targets. This benchmark is in no way complete, but gives an approximation of the length of time required for common operations on various targets.
Bench1: Filling: Bench the speed of filling. An area of 64*64 pixels is filledwith different colors.
Bench2: Small fonts: Bench the speed of small character output. An area of 60*64 pixels is filled with small-character text.
Bench3: Big fonts: Bench the speed of big character output. An area of 65*48 pixels is filled with big character text.
Bench4: Bitmap 1bpp: Bench the speed of 1bbp bitmaps. An area of 58*8 pixels is filled with a 1bpp bitmap.
Bench5: Bitmap 2bpp: Bench the speed of 2bbp bitmaps. An area of 32*11 pixels is filled with a 2bpp bitmap.
Bench6: Bitmap 4bpp: Bench the speed of 4bbp bitmaps. An area of 32*11 pixels is filled with a 4bpp bitmap.
Bench7: Bitmap 8bpp: Bench the speed of 8bbp bitmaps. An area of 32*11 pixels is filled with an 8bpp bitmap.
Bench8: Device-dependent bitmap, 8 or 16 bpp: Bench the speed of bitmaps 8 or 16 bits per pixel. An area of 64*8 pixels is filled with a bitmap. The color depth of the tested bitmap depends on the configuration. For configurations <= 8bpp, a bitmap with 8 bpp is used; 16bpp configurations use a 16- bpp bitmap.
| CPU | V850SB1 (20 MHz) | V850SB1 (20 MHz) | ARM720T (50 MHz) | ARM92EJ-S (200 Mhz) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LCD Controller (Driver) | 1.25M | 806K | 2.94M | (internal) (3200) |
| bpp | 459K | 326K | 581K | 2.27M |
| Bench1 Filling | 8 | 388K | 1.96M | 2.21M |
| Bench2 Small fonts | 16.7M | 388K | 16 | 221M |
| Bench3 Big fonts | 1.59M | 214K | 7.14M | 1.77M |
| Bench4 Bitmap 1bpp | 240K | 16 | 694K | 15.2M |
| Bench5 Bitmap 2bpp | 459K | 8.33M | 410K | 16 |
| Bench6 Bitmap 4bpp | 83K | 1.49M | 645K | 123M |
| Bench7 Bitmap 8bpp | 339K | 391K | 645K | 5.21M |
| Bench8 DDP bitmap | S1D13806 (1300) | S1D13806 (1300) | (internal) (3200) | 7.59M |
Image Drawing Performance
The purpose of the following table is to show the drawing performance of various image formats supported by μC/GUI. The measurement for the table is performed on an ARM922T CPU (Sharp LH7A404) running with 200MHz and with 15 bpp display color depth (fixed palette = 555) using the LCDLin driver:
| Image format | Megapixels/second |
|---|---|
| Internal bitmap format: 1bpp .C. file | 17.186 |
| Internal bitmap format: 4bpp .C. file | 3.897 |
| Internal bitmap format: 8bpp .C. file | 4.017 |
| Internal bitmap format: 8bpp .C. file, without palette | 4.478 |
| Internal bitmap format: 16bpp .C. file, high color | 13.363 |
| Internal bitmap format: 16bpp .C. file, high color | 1.336 |
| Internal bitmap format: 24bpp .C. file, true color | 1.671 |
| Internal bitmap format: RLE4 .C. file | 6.144 |
| Internal bitmap format: RLE8 .C. file | 6.806 |
| Internal bitmap format: RLE16 .C. file | 3.74 |
| BMP file 8bpp | 4.115 |
| BMP file 16bpp | 1.134 |
| BMP file 24bpp | 1.544 |
| BMP file 32bpp | 1.525 |
| BMP file RLE4 | 6.998 |
| BMP file RLE8 | 6.345 |
| GIF file | 1.285 |
| JPEG file, gray | 0.516 |
| JPEG file, gray, progressive | 0.438 |
| JPEG file, H1V1 | 0.402 |
| JPEG file, H1V1, progressive | 0.28 |
| JPEG file, H2V2 | 0.602 |
| JPEG file, H2V2, progressive | 0.431 |
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