Messaging

Messaging (lv_msg) is a classic []publisher subscriber](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Publish%E2%80%93subscribe_pattern) implementation for LVGL.

IDs

Both the publishers and the subscribers needs to know the message identifiers. In lv_msg these are simple uint32_t integers. For example:

#define MSG_DOOR_OPENED             1
#define MSG_DOOR_CLOSED             2
#define MSG_USER_NAME_CHANGED       100
#define MSG_USER_AVATAR_CHANGED     101

You can orgnaize the message IDs as you wish.

Both parties also need to know about the format of teh payload. E.g. in the above example MSG_DOOR_OPENED and MSG_DOOR_CLOSED has no payload but MSG_USER_NAME_CHANGED can have a const char * payload containing the user name, and MSG_USER_AVATAR_CHANGED a const void * image source with the new avatar image.

Send message

Messages can be sent with lv_msg_send(msg_id, payload). E.g.

lv_msg_send(MSG_USER_DOOR_OPENED, NULL);
lv_msg_send(MSG_USER_NAME_CHANGED, "John Smith");

Subscribe to a message

lv_msg_subscribe(msg_id, callback, user_data) can be used to subscribe to message.

The callback should look like this:


static void user_name_subscriber_cb(void * s, lv_msg_t * m)
{
    /*s: a subscriber obeject, can be used to unscubscribe*/
    /*m: a message object with the msg_id, payload, and user_data (set durung subscription)*/

    ...do something...
}

From lv_msg_t the followings can be used to get some data:

  • lv_msg_get_id(m)

  • lv_msg_get_payload(m)

  • lv_msg_get_user_data(m)

Subscribe with an lv_obj

It's quite typical that an LVGL widget is interested in some messages. To make it simpler lv_msg_subsribe_obj(msg_id, obj, user_data) can be used. If a new message is published with msg_id an LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED event will be sent to the object.

For example:

lv_obj_add_event_cb(user_name_label, user_name_label_event_cb, LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED, NULL);
lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_USER_NAME_CHANGED, user_name_label, NULL);

...

void user_name_label_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_obj_t * label = lv_event_get_target(e);
    lv_msg_t * m = lv_event_get_msg(e);
    lv_label_set_text(label, lv_msg_get_payload(m));
}

Unsubscribe

lv_msg_subscribe returns a pointer which can be used to unsubscribe:

void * s1;
s1 = lv_msg_subscribe(MSG_USER_DOOR_OPENED, some_callback, NULL);

...

lv_msg_unsubscribe(s1);

Example

Slider to label messaging

C code  

 GitHub
#include "../../lv_examples.h"
#if LV_USE_MSG && LV_USE_SLIDER && LV_USE_LABEL && LV_BUILD_EXAMPLES

/*Define a message ID*/
#define MSG_NEW_TEMPERATURE     1

static void slider_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);
static void label_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);

/**
 * A slider sends a message on value change and a label display's that value
 */
void lv_example_msg_1(void)
{
    /*Create a slider in the center of the display*/
    lv_obj_t * slider = lv_slider_create(lv_scr_act());
    lv_obj_center(slider);
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(slider, slider_event_cb, LV_EVENT_VALUE_CHANGED, NULL);

    /*Create a label below the slider*/
    lv_obj_t * label = lv_label_create(lv_scr_act());
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(label, label_event_cb, LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED, NULL);
    lv_label_set_text(label, "0%");
    lv_obj_align(label, LV_ALIGN_CENTER, 0, 30);

    /*Subscribe the label to a message. Also use the user_data to set a format string here.*/
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_NEW_TEMPERATURE, label, "%d °C");
}

static void slider_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    /*Notify all subscribers (only the label now) that the slider value has been changed*/
    lv_obj_t * slider = lv_event_get_target(e);
    int32_t v = lv_slider_get_value(slider);
    lv_msg_send(MSG_NEW_TEMPERATURE, &v);
}

static void label_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_obj_t * label = lv_event_get_target(e);
    lv_msg_t * m = lv_event_get_msg(e);

    const char * fmt = lv_msg_get_user_data(m);
    const int32_t * v = lv_msg_get_payload(m);

    lv_label_set_text_fmt(label, fmt, *v);
}

#endif

MicroPython code  

 GitHub Simulator
Error encountered while trying to open /home/runner/work/lvgl/lvgl/examples/others/msg/lv_example_msg_1.py

Handling login and its states

C code  

 GitHub
#include "../../lv_examples.h"
#if LV_USE_MSG && LV_USE_SLIDER && LV_USE_LABEL && LV_BUILD_EXAMPLES

/*Define a message ID*/
#define MSG_LOGIN_ATTEMPT   1
#define MSG_LOG_OUT         2
#define MSG_LOGIN_ERROR     3
#define MSG_LOGIN_OK        4

static void auth_manager(void * s, lv_msg_t * m);
static void textarea_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);
static void log_out_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);
static void start_engine_msg_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);
static void info_label_msg_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);

/**
 * Simple PIN login screen.
 * No global variables are used, all state changes are communicated via messages.
 */
void lv_example_msg_2(void)
{
    lv_msg_subsribe(MSG_LOGIN_ATTEMPT, auth_manager, "hello");

    /*Create a slider in the center of the display*/
    lv_obj_t * ta = lv_textarea_create(lv_scr_act());
    lv_obj_set_pos(ta, 10, 10);
    lv_obj_set_width(ta, 200);
    lv_textarea_set_one_line(ta, true);
    lv_textarea_set_password_mode(ta, true);
    lv_textarea_set_placeholder_text(ta, "The password is: hello");
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(ta, textarea_event_cb, LV_EVENT_ALL, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOGIN_ERROR, ta, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOGIN_OK, ta, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOG_OUT, ta, NULL);

    lv_obj_t * kb = lv_keyboard_create(lv_scr_act());
    lv_keyboard_set_textarea(kb, ta);

    lv_obj_t * btn;
    lv_obj_t * label;

    /*Create a log out button which will be active only when logged in*/
    btn = lv_btn_create(lv_scr_act());
    lv_obj_set_pos(btn, 240, 10);
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(btn, log_out_event_cb, LV_EVENT_ALL, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOGIN_OK, btn, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOG_OUT, btn, NULL);

    label = lv_label_create(btn);
    lv_label_set_text(label, "LOG OUT");

    /*Create a label to show info*/
    label = lv_label_create(lv_scr_act());
    lv_label_set_text(label, "");
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(label, info_label_msg_event_cb, LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED, NULL);
    lv_obj_set_pos(label, 10, 60);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOGIN_ERROR, label, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOGIN_OK, label, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOG_OUT, label, NULL);

    /*Create button which will be active only when logged in*/
    btn = lv_btn_create(lv_scr_act());
    lv_obj_set_pos(btn, 10, 80);
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(btn, start_engine_msg_event_cb, LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED, NULL);
    lv_obj_add_flag(btn, LV_OBJ_FLAG_CHECKABLE);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOGIN_OK, btn, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_LOG_OUT, btn, NULL);

    label = lv_label_create(btn);
    lv_label_set_text(label, "START ENGINE");

    lv_msg_send(MSG_LOG_OUT, NULL);
}

static void auth_manager(void * s, lv_msg_t * m)
{
    LV_UNUSED(s);
    const char * pin_act = lv_msg_get_payload(m);
    const char * pin_expexted = lv_msg_get_user_data(m);
    if(strcmp(pin_act, pin_expexted) == 0) {
        lv_msg_send(MSG_LOGIN_OK, NULL);
    }
    else {
        lv_msg_send(MSG_LOGIN_ERROR, "Incorrect PIN");
    }

}

static void textarea_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_obj_t * ta = lv_event_get_target(e);
    lv_event_code_t code = lv_event_get_code(e);
    if(code == LV_EVENT_READY) {
        lv_msg_send(MSG_LOGIN_ATTEMPT, lv_textarea_get_text(ta));
    }
    else if(code == LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED) {
        lv_msg_t * m = lv_event_get_msg(e);
        switch(lv_msg_get_id(m)) {
            case MSG_LOGIN_ERROR:
                /*If there was an error, clean the text area*/
                if(strlen(lv_msg_get_payload(m))) lv_textarea_set_text(ta, "");
                break;
            case MSG_LOGIN_OK:
                lv_obj_add_state(ta, LV_STATE_DISABLED);
                lv_obj_clear_state(ta, LV_STATE_FOCUSED | LV_STATE_FOCUS_KEY);
                break;
            case MSG_LOG_OUT:
                lv_textarea_set_text(ta, "");
                lv_obj_clear_state(ta, LV_STATE_DISABLED);
                break;
        }
    }
}

static void log_out_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_event_code_t code = lv_event_get_code(e);
    if(code == LV_EVENT_CLICKED) {
        lv_msg_send(MSG_LOG_OUT, NULL);
    }
    else if(code == LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED) {
        lv_msg_t * m = lv_event_get_msg(e);
        lv_obj_t * btn = lv_event_get_target(e);
        switch(lv_msg_get_id(m)) {
            case MSG_LOGIN_OK:
                lv_obj_clear_state(btn, LV_STATE_DISABLED);
                break;
            case MSG_LOG_OUT:
                lv_obj_add_state(btn, LV_STATE_DISABLED);
                break;
        }
    }
}

static void start_engine_msg_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_msg_t * m = lv_event_get_msg(e);
    lv_obj_t * btn = lv_event_get_target(e);
    switch(lv_msg_get_id(m)) {
        case MSG_LOGIN_OK:
            lv_obj_clear_state(btn, LV_STATE_DISABLED);
            break;
        case MSG_LOG_OUT:
            lv_obj_add_state(btn, LV_STATE_DISABLED);
            break;
    }
}

static void info_label_msg_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_obj_t * label = lv_event_get_target(e);
    lv_msg_t * m = lv_event_get_msg(e);
    switch(lv_msg_get_id(m)) {
        case MSG_LOGIN_ERROR:
            lv_label_set_text(label, lv_msg_get_payload(m));
            lv_obj_set_style_text_color(label, lv_palette_main(LV_PALETTE_RED), 0);
            break;
        case MSG_LOGIN_OK:
            lv_label_set_text(label, "Login successful");
            lv_obj_set_style_text_color(label, lv_palette_main(LV_PALETTE_GREEN), 0);
            break;
        case MSG_LOG_OUT:
            lv_label_set_text(label, "Logged out");
            lv_obj_set_style_text_color(label, lv_palette_main(LV_PALETTE_GREY), 0);
            break;
        default:
            break;
    }
}

#endif

MicroPython code  

 GitHub Simulator
Error encountered while trying to open /home/runner/work/lvgl/lvgl/examples/others/msg/lv_example_msg_2.py

Setting the same value from many sources

C code  

 GitHub
#include "../../lv_examples.h"
#if LV_USE_MSG && LV_USE_SLIDER && LV_USE_LABEL && LV_BUILD_EXAMPLES

/*Define a message ID*/
#define MSG_INC             1
#define MSG_DEC             2
#define MSG_SET             3
#define MSG_UPDATE          4
#define MSG_UPDATE_REQUEST  5

static void value_handler(void * s, lv_msg_t * m);
static void value_handler(void * s, lv_msg_t * m);
static void btn_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);
static void label_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);
static void slider_event_cb(lv_event_t * e);

/**
 * Show how an increment button, a decrement button, as slider can set a value
 * and a label display it.
 * The current value (i.e. the system's state) is stored only in one static variable in a function
 * and no global variables are required.
 */
void lv_example_msg_3(void)
{

    lv_msg_subsribe(MSG_INC, value_handler, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe(MSG_DEC, value_handler, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe(MSG_SET, value_handler, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe(MSG_UPDATE, value_handler, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe(MSG_UPDATE_REQUEST, value_handler, NULL);

    lv_obj_t * panel = lv_obj_create(lv_scr_act());
    lv_obj_set_size(panel, 250, LV_SIZE_CONTENT);
    lv_obj_center(panel);
    lv_obj_set_flex_flow(panel, LV_FLEX_FLOW_ROW);
    lv_obj_set_flex_align(panel, LV_FLEX_ALIGN_SPACE_BETWEEN, LV_FLEX_ALIGN_CENTER, LV_FLEX_ALIGN_START);

    lv_obj_t * btn;
    lv_obj_t * label;

    /*Up button*/
    btn = lv_btn_create(panel);
    lv_obj_set_flex_grow(btn, 1);
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(btn, btn_event_cb, LV_EVENT_ALL, NULL);
    label = lv_label_create(btn);
    lv_label_set_text(label, LV_SYMBOL_LEFT);
    lv_obj_center(label);

    /*Current value*/
    label = lv_label_create(panel);
    lv_obj_set_flex_grow(label, 2);
    lv_obj_set_style_text_align(label, LV_TEXT_ALIGN_CENTER, 0);
    lv_label_set_text(label, "?");
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_UPDATE, label, NULL);
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(label, label_event_cb, LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED, NULL);

    /*Down button*/
    btn = lv_btn_create(panel);
    lv_obj_set_flex_grow(btn, 1);
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(btn, btn_event_cb, LV_EVENT_ALL, NULL);
    label = lv_label_create(btn);
    lv_label_set_text(label, LV_SYMBOL_RIGHT);
    lv_obj_center(label);

    /*Slider*/
    lv_obj_t * slider = lv_slider_create(panel);
    lv_obj_set_flex_grow(slider, 1);
    lv_obj_add_flag(slider, LV_OBJ_FLAG_FLEX_IN_NEW_TRACK);
    lv_obj_add_event_cb(slider, slider_event_cb, LV_EVENT_ALL, NULL);
    lv_msg_subsribe_obj(MSG_UPDATE, slider, NULL);

    /* As there are new UI elements that don't know the system's state
     * send an UPDATE REQUEST message which will trigger an UPDATE message with the current value*/
    lv_msg_send(MSG_UPDATE_REQUEST, NULL);
}

static void value_handler(void * s, lv_msg_t * m)
{
    LV_UNUSED(s);

    static int32_t value = 10;
    int32_t old_value = value;
    switch(lv_msg_get_id(m)) {
        case MSG_INC:
            if(value < 100) value++;
            break;
        case MSG_DEC:
            if(value > 0) value--;
            break;
        case MSG_SET: {
                const int32_t * new_value = lv_msg_get_payload(m);
                value = *new_value;
            }
            break;
        case MSG_UPDATE_REQUEST:
            lv_msg_send(MSG_UPDATE, &value);
            break;
        default:
            break;
    }

    if(value != old_value) {
        lv_msg_send(MSG_UPDATE, &value);
    }
}

static void btn_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_obj_t * btn = lv_event_get_target(e);
    lv_event_code_t code = lv_event_get_code(e);
    if(code == LV_EVENT_CLICKED || code == LV_EVENT_LONG_PRESSED_REPEAT) {
        if(lv_obj_get_index(btn) == 0) {    /*First object is the dec. button*/
            lv_msg_send(MSG_DEC, NULL);
        }
        else {
            lv_msg_send(MSG_INC, NULL);
        }
    }
}

static void label_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_obj_t * label = lv_event_get_target(e);
    lv_event_code_t code = lv_event_get_code(e);
    if(code == LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED) {
        lv_msg_t * m = lv_event_get_msg(e);
        if(lv_msg_get_id(m) == MSG_UPDATE) {
            const int32_t * v = lv_msg_get_payload(m);
            lv_label_set_text_fmt(label, "%d %%", *v);
        }
    }
}

static void slider_event_cb(lv_event_t * e)
{
    lv_obj_t * slider = lv_event_get_target(e);
    lv_event_code_t code = lv_event_get_code(e);
    if(code == LV_EVENT_VALUE_CHANGED) {
        int32_t v = lv_slider_get_value(slider);
        lv_msg_send(MSG_SET, &v);
    }
    else if(code == LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED) {
        lv_msg_t * m = lv_event_get_msg(e);
        if(lv_msg_get_id(m) == MSG_UPDATE) {
            const int32_t * v = lv_msg_get_payload(m);
            lv_slider_set_value(slider, *v, LV_ANIM_OFF);
        }
    }
}

#endif

MicroPython code  

 GitHub Simulator
Error encountered while trying to open /home/runner/work/lvgl/lvgl/examples/others/msg/lv_example_msg_3.py

API

Typedefs

typedef void (*lv_msg_subscribe_cb_t)(void *s, lv_msg_t *msg)
typedef void (*lv_msg_request_cb_t)(void *r, uint32_t msg_id)

Functions

LV_EXPORT_CONST_INT(LV_MSG_ID_ANY)
void lv_msg_init(void)

Called internally to initialize the message module

void *lv_msg_subsribe(uint32_t msg_id, lv_msg_subscribe_cb_t cb, void *user_data)

Subscribe to an msg_id

Parameters
  • msg_id -- the message ID to listen to

  • cb -- callback to call if a message with msg_id was sent

  • user_data -- arbitrary data which will be available in cb too

Returns

pointer to a "subscribe object". It can be used the unsubscribe.

void *lv_msg_subsribe_obj(uint32_t msg_id, lv_obj_t *obj, void *user_data)

Subscribe an lv_obj to a message. LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED will be triggered if a message with matching ID was sent

Parameters
  • msg_id -- the message ID to listen to

  • obj -- pointer to an lv_obj

  • user_data -- arbitrary data which will be available in cb too

Returns

pointer to a "subscribe object". It can be used the unsubscribe.

void lv_msg_unsubscribe(void *s)

Cancel a previous subscription

Parameters

s -- pointer to a "subscibe object". Return value of lv_msg_subsribe or lv_msg_subsribe_obj

uint32_t lv_msg_unsubscribe_obj(uint32_t msg_id, lv_obj_t *obj)

Unsubscribe an object from a message ID

Parameters
  • msg_id -- the message ID to unsubcribe from or LV_MSG_ID_ANY for any message ID

  • obj -- the object to unsubscribe or NULL for any object

Returns

number of unsubscriptions

void lv_msg_send(uint32_t msg_id, const void *payload)

Send a message with a given ID and payload

Parameters
  • msg_id -- ID of the message to send

  • data -- pointer to the data to send

uint32_t lv_msg_get_id(lv_msg_t *m)

Get the ID of a message object. Typically used in the subscriber callback.

Parameters

m -- pointer to a message object

Returns

the ID of the message

const void *lv_msg_get_payload(lv_msg_t *m)

Get the payload of a message object. Typically used in the subscriber callback.

Parameters

m -- pointer to a message object

Returns

the payload of the message

void *lv_msg_get_user_data(lv_msg_t *m)

Get the user data of a message object. Typically used in the subscriber callback.

Parameters

m -- pointer to a message object

Returns

the user data of the message

lv_msg_t *lv_event_get_msg(lv_event_t *e)

Get the message object from an event object. Can be used in LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED events.

Parameters

e -- pointer to an event object

Returns

the message object or NULL if called with unrelated event code.

static inline void *lv_msg_subscribe(uint32_t msg_id, lv_msg_subscribe_cb_t cb, void *user_data)
static inline void *lv_msg_subscribe_obj(uint32_t msg_id, lv_obj_t *obj, void *user_data)

Variables

lv_event_code_t LV_EVENT_MSG_RECEIVED
struct lv_msg_t

Public Members

uint32_t id
void *user_data
void *_priv_data
const void *payload