missing font5x8.bin

[FoamyGuy]

one of the functions in this library uses the file font5x8.bin but it's not currently present in the repo.

[caternuson]

Can you link to where font5x8.bin is being referenced in this library?

[FoamyGuy]

@caternuson I think it may actually be getting used through frambuf from here:

Adafruit_CircuitPython_MAX7219/adafruit_max7219/matrices.py

Line 54 in 2be4664

self.framebuf.text(strg, xpos, ypos, bit_value)

Here is the stack trace that you get when it's missing:

code.py output:
Cycle start
Could not find font file font5x8.bin
Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "code.py", line 44, in <module>
  File "adafruit_max7219/matrices.py", line 54, in text
  File "adafruit_framebuf.py", line 397, in text
  File "adafruit_framebuf.py", line 472, in __init__
OSError: [Errno 2] No such file/directory: 'font5x8.bin'

[caternuson]

Might be more of an issue with adafruit_frambebuf, since it has that font file hardwired in as default in several places.

It's here if you need it:
https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_framebuf/blob/master/examples/font5x8.bin

[FlantasticDan]

@caternuson I think that you're right, the font should be bundled with adafruit_framebuf because it's a hardcoded default. However, in this library the text method provides no functionality to change the default font:

Adafruit_CircuitPython_MAX7219/adafruit_max7219/matrices.py

Line 53 in 9e55281

def text(self, strg: str, xpos: int, ypos: int, bit_value: int = 1) -> None:

Perhaps it makes sense to add a keyword argument to pass an optional font down to adafruit_framebuf, something like:

def text(self, strg: str, xpos: int, ypos: int, bit_value: int = 1, *, font_name: str = "font5x8.bin") -> None:
        """
        Draw text in the 8x8 matrix.

        :param str strg: string to place in to display
        :param int xpos: x position of LED in matrix
        :param int ypos: y position of LED in matrix
        :param int bit_value: > 1 sets the text, otherwise resets
        :param str font_name: path to binary font file (default: "font5x8.bin")
        """
        self.framebuf.text(strg, xpos, ypos, bit_value, font_name=font_name)

This is the corresponding adafruit_framebuf function call.

I'm especially interested in this font option because I'm working on a project that uses a smaller 3x5 matrix font, I just haven't figured out the .bin font format yet.

[jposada202020]

maybe a Pr is in place?

Thanks @elpekening for the info.