US First Kickoff 2012Software Programming

(And Control System)

Daniel Kohn

University of Memphis

What will be presented……

Veteran Teams• Changes from Last Yea

r

Rookie Teams• General intro

programming options

For Everyone• Classmate Updates / Install

Classmate PC• Rookie Teams

There will probably be NO Software loaded on the Classmate when you get it.

• Veteran Teams Classmates (driver station NetBook) will be re-

imaged. – BACKUP FIRST!

Classmate PC• See handout “Updating the CTL Classmate

PC” for how to load up the software from the USB Thumb Drive provided in the KOP

• Note: Make sure you get the right USB Thumb Drive for your Classmate (E09 For Veteran Teams E11 for Rookie Teams)

VETERAN TEAMS

New with LabVIEW in 2012

New Version Of LabVIEW• Upgrading from LabVIEW 8.6 to LabVIEW

2011• New Features

VI Snippets Probe Window Changes to Begin.vi Kinect driving code

VI Snippets

• A built-in screenshot capture in LabVIEW.• Highlight section, then go to Edit>Create VI

Snippet from Selection.• File saves as .png.• Dragging picture into

block diagram will paste

the code.

Probe Window• A window that lists every open probe.• Creating a probe normally will open the

window and apply future probes to the window.

Changes to Begin.vi

• Modules are now numbered by instance of that module.

• In a typical setup of 1 Digital, 1 Analog, and 1 Solenoid, each module is known as the 1st of its kind.

Basic Kinect Driving Code• Kinect treats your arms as two joysticks, and

is configured for basic tank drive.• Your left arm maps to axis 2, and your right

arm maps to axis 4.• While testing, remember to

limit your motor output.

Driver Station

• New E-Stop• # Diagnostics Tab• Kinect Skeleton

New E-Stop

• No physical E-stop button needed for testing.• Spacebar now acts as E-stop, disabling robot

and requiring a manual reboot.• Enter is the new disable button.

# Diagnostics Tab

• New Driver Station tab.• Collects data from robot and graphs.• Adjustable graph (information, color, graph-

line type)• Graphs Packet loss, packet trip time, robot

voltage, and robot CPU.

Kinect Skeleton

• New tab for viewing Kinect data.• Shows joints, as well as x, y, z coordinates of

arms.

Hardware• cRIO–II• 2012 Jaguar

cRIO-II• 4 module slots, 1 Ethernet port, 1 serial I/O port.• Cameras now plug in through the gaming

adapter.• DIP switches now activate through the Imaging

Utility.

2012 Black Jaguar• Same model, different firmware.• Optional built-in ramp mode (524 steps per

millisecond, 0.125 seconds from -1 to +1)• Available by aligning jumper pins horizontally

(opposite of picture)

cRIO Imaging Utility• Now displays model of cRIO currently

connected.• DIP switches can be toggled here.• Shows installed location of modules.• Only accepts modules in specific order

(1-Digital, 2-Analog, 3-Solenoid, 4-Any module)

• A cRIO-I is seen as two cRIO-II’s glued together.

Kinect• Will only run on computers with Windows 7.• Both the Windows Kinect SDK and Microsoft

Visual Express are required on the Driver Station.

• KinectServer.exe runs in the background of the Driver Station, converting Kinect data to Driver Station data.

Kinect Driving Positions• Neutral (both arms at 0)

• Full Forward (left arm at 1, right arm at 1)

• Full Reverse (left arm at -1, right arm at -1)

Other Notes • Programming in C++ and Java pretty much

the same as last year• WPILib only modified slightly (mostly to do

with 4 or 8 slot cRIO)• Sorry – could not find anything on how the Kinect is

integrated to C++ or Java

Making Connections-Network

CANoptional

CAN optional

Pit tethering

BothFRC IIFRC IOptional

Making Connections - Power

Optional 24v

ROOKIE TEAMS

Programming Options• LabVIEW• C/C++• Java

LabVIEW - Advantages• Made By National Instruments (NI)

Makers of the cRIO Control system• Graphical Programming Language• Lots of support on line in forums and from NI

NI is a huge supporter of FRC and FIRST• Lots of build in documentation (help on every

VI)

LabVIEW - Disadvantages• Many windows need to be opened to do

anything (hard to do on the Classmate)• Hard to find things the first time you need

them (better in 2011)• Programmers (those who know standard

programming languages) have a hard time with the graphical nature of LabVIEW

Sample LabVIEW Code

C/C++ Advantages• Common programming language

Mentors and students might be more comfortable with C/C++ if they programmed in C before

• Many books on C/C++ (but NOT the specifics for FRC teams)

• Mentors and students who know C/C++ will have a shorter learning curve

C/C++ Disadvantages• In the past there has been Licensing issues!

Sample C/C++ Code

Java Advantages• Uses NetBeans (commonly used by

programmers)• Mentors and students who know Java

already will have a very short learning curve.• All public domain – no licensing issues in off

season and no registration required.

Java Disadvantages• Newest Language (only the 3rd year offered)• Least amount of help/info available

Sample Java Code

Where to Start• Basic code

Each language has basic robot code or templates available

Don’t be afraid to search the internet, some teams post code from previous years!

• HINT: the basic code usually uses the standard wiring (don’t deviate from the standard wiring or code will not work)

Keep Current• A common rookie mistake is not to keep the

software up to date.• Check the 2012 software update website

often.

Other Comments• If you are NOT using LabVIEW, you will need

some of the files included with the LabVIEW Install

• You will probably want to do your programming on a computer with a bigger screen (laptop)

Thanks to…..• The Fighting PI (Team 1718)

http://www.fightingpi.org/first-robotics-competition/

• Hauppauge Robotic Eagles (Team 358)• Bill’s Blog

http://frcdirector.blogspot.com/

• FRC Website http://www.usfirst.org/Default.aspx

Presentation• This presentation will be posted at:

http://memphisfirstteams.org/