Error in examples/display_text_simpletest.py

[lastcoolnameleft]

I have the recent Adabox016 (Adafruit Matrix Portal) and when I try to use the simpletest.py, I get:

Traceback (most recent call last):
  File "code.py", line 10, in <module>
AttributeError: 'module' object has no attribute 'DISPLAY'

I'm using the library from adafruit-circuitpython-bundle-6.x-mpy-20201030

[lastcoolnameleft]

I'm experiencing this issue with adafruit-circuitpython-matrixportal_m4-en_US-6.0.0-rc.1.uf2

[FoamyGuy]

The example code is assuming that it will get run on a device that has a display built in (in which case it would be available as board.DISPLAY within the code).

But the Matrix Portal needs to do a bit of setup first before it can start using the display.

There is a MatrixPortal library which will do lots of the set up for you. If you use that the simpletest example code can be adapted to work on the Matrix portal like this:

import terminalio
from adafruit_display_text import label
from adafruit_matrixportal.matrix import Matrix
matrix = Matrix()
display = matrix.display

text = "Hello\nworld"
text_area = label.Label(terminalio.FONT, text=text)
text_area.x = 1
text_area.y = 4
display.show(text_area)
while True:
    pass

[FoamyGuy]

@lastcoolnameleft This example has been added in the examples directory now: https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_CircuitPython_Display_Text/blob/master/examples/display_text_matrixportal.py

I'm going to close this issue for now. But if you end up having trouble when you try this feel free to ping me here or in the discord I can help you out.

[lastcoolnameleft]

Thanks for the update and clarification about how/when to use it. The documentation just pointed me to the repo so I was unaware that the code was for a specific board. I'm good with it being closed.