US First Kickoff 2014 - PowerPoint Presentation

Slide1

US First Kickoff 2014Software Programming

(And Control System)

Daniel Kohn

University of MemphisSlide2

What will be presented……

Veteran Teams

Changes from Last year

Rookie

TeamsGeneral intro programming options

For EveryoneClassmate Updates / Install

This is NOT intended to TEACH you how to program, just give you an overview of the control system and programming changes from last year and to show the various programming options teams have. Slide3

Java Seminar

If your team is using Java and all your programmers are in this room…..someone should leave NOW and go to the Java Seminar in the Poplar Room (UC 308)!Slide4

Please Note:

Last year, information on the changes made to the control system and programming was easily obtained (NI Held Training)

This year, info is based only on Beta Test Teams reports and is VERY Sketchy!!

This presentation, along with links and notes will be posted to http://memphisfirstteams.orgSlide5

Classmate PC

Rookie Teams

There will be NO Software loaded on the Classmate when you get it. You should receive a USB Drive to install the software.

Instructions at:

http://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/3120/m/8559/l/92209-imaging-your-classmate-rookie-usb-stickMake sure you follow the instructions about UPDATESSlide6

Classmate PC (Cont)

Veteran Teams

Classmates (driver station

NetBook

) will be re-imaged using the same method as last year.BACKUP FIRST!For instructions see http://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/3120/m/8559/l/92211-imaging-your-classmate-veteran-rookie-image-downloadyou need a 8Gbyte USB Thumb Drive or

larger as well as a PC that you can install software on (since you need TWO different programs to prepare the USB image for use with the NetBook)Slide7

Updates

This

year the NI updates have been reconfigured into a

single standalone installer. This means that the FRC Driver Station,

cRIO Imaging Tool and other utilities such as the Camera Configuration Tool will all be bundled into a single installer which will not require any components from the DVD. The LabVIEW update is also included in this installer and will install if a

LabVIEW installation is detected. Slide8

Veteran TeamsSlide9

New in 2014Slide10

LabVIEW

Upgrading from

LabVIEW

2012 to 2013I found no other significant changes reported from the Beta Test teams. Slide11

Java and C++

Smart Dashboard 2.0 (Improved over last year)

I found no other significant changes reported from the Beta Test teams. Slide12

Hardware

With the new

RoboRio

control system due out for the 2015 season, most of the hardware efforts are focused on that.See:

https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-30419There were NO reports of any changes to the hardware this year. Slide13

Rookie TeamsSlide14

Programming Options

LabVIEW

C/C++

JavaSlide15

LabVIEW - Advantages

Made By National Instruments (NI)

Makers of the

cRIO

Control system (and the control system for 2015)Graphical Programming LanguageLots of support on line in forums and from NINI is a huge supporter of FRC and FIRSTLots of built in documentation (help on every VI, examples for every sensor/system)Includes a robot simulation tool for off robot testing (was pretty useless in 2013)Slide16

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.

Programmers (those who know standard programming languages) have a hard time with the graphical nature of

LabVIEWSlide17

Sample LabVIEW CodeSlide18

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 Slide19

C/C++ Disadvantages

Licensing issues!

Installation issues (discussed previously)

In 2013, there was a rumor has it C/C++ support might end in 2015 (but since then statements have been made to the contrary)

Slide20

Sample C/C++ CodeSlide21

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.Only software that does auto FRC UpdatesSlide22

Java Disadvantages

Newest Language (only the 5

th

year offered) Slide23

Sample Java CodeSlide24

Robot Builder

With the introduction of Robot Builder, Java and C/C++ are easier to use for teams who have programming mentors who know those languages (in the past many mentors could not get over the issues of defining robot hardware, this is now done in Robot Builder)Slide25

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)Slide26

Keep Current

A common rookie mistake is not to keep the software up to date.

Check the 2014 software update website often.Slide27

Other Comments

If you are NOT using

LabVIEW

, you will need some of the files included with the LabVIEW

InstallYou will probably want to do your programming on a computer with a bigger screen (laptop)If you plan to use the Robot Simulator in LabVIEW, you will need a Laptop with higher specificationsSlide28

Thanks to…..

FRC Blog

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/blog

FRC Website

http://www.usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frcNational Instruments https://decibel.ni.com/content/community/academic/student_competitions/frcWPI

http://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/3120Slide29

Presentation

This presentation (and all links) will be posted at:

http://memphisfirstteams.org/