New dashboard packet spec

[Ameya]

The new dashboard packet specification is here: http://www.innovationfirst.com/FIRSTRobotics/pdfs/DashBoard_Spec_2004-01-07.pdf

This year, the OI has a jumper that determines whether the dashboard port receives data that the OI sends the RC or data that the RC sends the OI. There's a lot of RC>OI data, so in that mode the data is sent interlaced by three frames.

I'm going to modify my VB .NET dashboard control (DLL (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/papers.php?s=&action=single&paperid=168), source (http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/papers.php?s=&action=single&paperid=156)) to work with the new packet. Here's my problem: when it's in RC>OI mode, the three frames are differentiated by the settings of two control bits so that a dashboard reader can interpret it properly, but I can't figure out how to differentiate between RC>OI mode and OI>RC mode.

Anyone more observant than me have any ideas?

[Damian Manda]

This year, the OI has a jumper that determines whether the dashboard port receives data that the OI sends the RC or data that the RC sends the OI. There's a lot of RC>OI data, so in that mode the data is sent interlaced by three frames.

This is great, as we ran into problems with this last year, not being able to see certain inputs.
Have you checked the CTRL_A Bit 4 and CTRL_C Bit 7? They seem to be the differentiating factor. The only possible combination left for the firt mode, for which they are not listed is CTRL_A Bit 4 = 0, CTRL_C Bit 7 = 1
--Damian Manda

[Ameya]

This is great, as we ran into problems with this last year, not being able to see certain inputs.
Have you checked the CTRL_A Bit 4 and CTRL_C Bit 7? They seem to be the differentiating factor. The only possible combination left for the firt mode, for which they are not listed is CTRL_A Bit 4 = 0, CTRL_C Bit 7 = 1
--Damian Manda

Yeah, that's a good idea--I'll see if that's true when I have a chance.