using polymorphism now but still have to decide on a better pattern

src/UIBar.cpp

@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ UIBar::UIBar(Arduino_GFX *d, UIDimensions dims, UIDecorations decor,
              char *title)
     : UIElement(d, dims, decor, title) {}
 
-void UIBar::Update(char *v) {
+void UIBar::Update(const char *v, bool forceRedraw) {
   unsigned long time = millis();
   if ((time - this->lastUpdate) <= this->refreshRate) {
     return;
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ void UIBar::Update(char *v) {
   // Conver the string to an integer
   uint32_t newVal = atoi(v);
 
-  if (this->value == newVal) {
+  if ((this->value == newVal) && !forceRedraw) {
     // If the value hasn't changed we do not need to re-render
     return;
   }
@@ -104,3 +104,5 @@ void UIBar::Box() {
     this->display->print(legend);
   }
 }
+
+void UIBar::Redraw() {}

src/UIBar.h

@@ -12,7 +12,8 @@ struct UIBar : UIElement {
   UIBar();
   UIBar(Arduino_GFX *d, UIDimensions dims, UIDecorations decor, char *title);
 
-  void Update(char *val);
+  void Update(const char *val, bool forceRedraw) override;
+  void Redraw() override;
   void DrawBar(uint32_t *oldValue, uint32_t *newValue);
   void renderBlank();
   void Box();

src/UIBase.cpp

@@ -0,0 +1,19 @@
+#include "UIBase.h"
+#include "HardwareSerial.h"
+#include "UIComponent.h"
+#include <Arduino_GFX.h>
+
+UIBase::UIBase() : UIElement(nullptr, {0, 0, 0, 0}, UIDecorations(), (char *)"") {
+  this->type = STRING;
+  memset(this->value, 0, this->bufferSize);
+}
+
+UIBase::UIBase(Arduino_GFX *d, UIDimensions dims, UIDecorations decor,
+                   char *title)
+    : UIElement(d, dims, decor, title) {
+  this->type = BASE;
+  memset(this->value, 0, this->bufferSize);
+}
+
+void UIBase::Update(const char* data, bool forceRedraw) {}
+void UIBase::Redraw() {}

src/UIBase.h

@@ -0,0 +1,17 @@
+#ifndef __UI_BASE__
+#define __UI_BASE__
+
+#include "UIComponent.h"
+
+// Representation of single line strings
+struct UIBase : UIElement {
+  static const std::size_t bufferSize = 64;
+  char value[bufferSize];
+
+  UIBase();
+  UIBase(Arduino_GFX *d, UIDimensions dims, UIDecorations decor, char *title);
+  void Update(const char *value, bool forceRedraw) override;
+  void Redraw() override;
+};
+
+#endif

src/UIComponent.h

@@ -63,6 +63,10 @@ public:
   void drawBox();
   void noBox();
   void replaceString(char *oldVal, char *newVal);
+
+  // Viewing - more like actual rendering data
+  virtual void Update(const char *data, bool forceRedraw) = 0;
+  virtual void Redraw() = 0;
 };
 
 #endif

src/UIString.cpp

@@ -15,7 +15,7 @@ UIString::UIString(Arduino_GFX *d, UIDimensions dims, UIDecorations decor,
   memset(this->value, 0, this->bufferSize);
 }
 
-void UIString::Update(const char *v) {
+void UIString::Update(const char *v, bool forceRedraw) {
   uint64_t time = millis();
   if ((time - this->lastUpdate) <= this->refreshRate) {
     return;
@@ -28,7 +28,7 @@ void UIString::Update(const char *v) {
   }
 
   // If the value hasn't changed we do not need to re-render
-  if (strcmp(this->value, v) == 0) {
+  if ((strcmp(this->value, v) == 0) && !forceRedraw) {
     return;
   }
 
@@ -46,3 +46,7 @@ void UIString::Update(const char *v) {
   replaceString(oldVal, newVal);
   strncpy(this->value, v, this->bufferSize);
 }
+
+void UIString::Redraw() {
+  this->Update(this->value, true);
+}

src/UIString.h

@@ -11,7 +11,8 @@ struct UIString : UIElement {
   UIString();
   UIString(Arduino_GFX *d, UIDimensions dims, UIDecorations decor,
            char *title);
-  void Update(const char *value);
+  void Update(const char *value, bool forceRedraw) override;
+  void Redraw() override;
 };
 
 #endif

src/UITable.cpp

@@ -76,8 +76,11 @@ void UITable::setup() {
 
 #ifdef DEBUG
       this->tableData[r * COLUMNS + c]->drawBox();
-      this->tableData[r * COLUMNS + c]->Update("---");
+      this->tableData[r * COLUMNS + c]->Update("---", false);
 #endif
     }
   }
 }
+
+void UITable::Update(const char* data, bool forceRedraw) {}
+void UITable::Redraw() {}

src/UITable.h

@@ -27,6 +27,10 @@ struct UITable : UIElement {
 
   // Getters
   uint16_t getContentAreaHeight();
+
+  // Rendering
+  void Update(const char* data, bool forceRedraw) override; 
+  void Redraw() override;
 };
 
 #endif

src/windowPool.cpp

@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 #include "UIComponent.h"
 #include "UIBar.h"
 #include "UIString.h"
+#include "UIBase.h"
 #include "UITable.h"
 #include "values.h"
 #include "logger.h"
@@ -43,7 +44,7 @@ namespace WindowPool {
         pool[nextIndex].table = new UITable();
         break;
       case BASE:
-        pool[nextIndex].base = new UIElement();
+        pool[nextIndex].base = new UIBase();
         break;
     }
 

src/windowPool.h

@@ -9,12 +9,14 @@ struct UIElement;
 struct UIString;
 struct UIBar;
 struct UITable;
+struct UIBase;
 
 namespace WindowPool {
   struct WindowEntry {
     ComponentType type;
+    // Well I did this like this but I recon we can use polymorphism instead
     union {
-      UIElement* base;
+      UIBase* base;
       UIString* str;
       UIBar* bar;
       UITable* table;