This project combines an ESP8266 processor with a LCD display, such that it shows the next departures from a given Helsinki tram-stop.
NOTE: In all this project we talk about "trams", but what we actually display is departures from a given location. If the location is a tram-stop you'll see tram-details, and if the location is a bus-stop you'll see bus-details. (There are no stops in Helsinki which allow both trams and busses!)
The code is self-contained, and is introduced on the project homepage:
These images show the final result:
This is the first time I've had anything 3d-printed, but the process was pretty simple, because somebody else designed the case and I could download that design for free!
Once compiled and uploaded the project will attempt to connect to your
local WiFi network. If no access details have been stored previously
it will instead function as an access-point named TRAM-TIMES.
Connect to this access-point with your mobile, or other device, and you can select which network it should auto-join in the future.
(This "connect or configure" behaviour is implemented by the excellent WiFiManager class.)
The only addition configuration which is required is the setup of the stop to view - by default it will show the departures of the stop near my house:
To change the location which is displayed open the IP address of the device in your browser and use the HTML-form to submit the new ID. (Using the map above will let you find IDs.)
The code in this project polls a remote end-point every two minutes, parsing the data there and displaying it.
The remote URL returns the data as a set of lines in CSV format, with the following three fields:
- Identifier
- (i.e. tram-route, or bus-route).
- Time
- HH:MM:SS
- Destination
- i.e. "Kirurgi", "Olympiaterminaali - Töölö - Länsi-Pasila", etc.
You can use the web-UI to change the URL which is polled to one of your own choosing, allowing you to self-host things if you wish. Or return different data.
If you wire a button between D0 & D8 you gain additional functionality:
- Short-Press the button to toggle the backlight.
- Double-click to show a brief information-page.
- Long-Press the button to resync the device:
- Date/time.
- Departure-data.
- Temperature data (if appropriate).
The info-page looks like this:
