EasyC EDU BOT support?

[Chris_Elston]

What are the chances of getting EasyC to support the EDU BOT controller?

[Dan Larochelle]

We are looking for feedback on how many teams would like easyC to support the EDU controller. As you probably know, the Vex controller is almost identical to the EDU controller, but it is half the cost. The early feedback we received from teams was that the Vex would replace the EDU controller, and the EDU controller would eventually become obsolete. If there is a big enough need for easyC to support the EDU controller, we will consider adding it. Again, intelitek does not know if 5 teams are interested in this option or 500? We anticipated at majority of the teams would migrate to Vex because of the lower cost.

[skimoose]

I'll agree with Dan, I think that most teams will migrate to Vex controllers. Our prototype ball shooter was built with a CIM controlled by a Victor 884. The Victor was controlled by the Vex controller, not the RC or EDU, it was just quicker to connect and using the online mode we could set the PWM output without doing any coding.

Vex is an incredibly versatile controller, once you've used it I think you'll agree. You can control Victors and Spikes, use many different sensors (both Vex and non-Vex), and code a lot faster with EasyC.

My vote is for Vex! :)

[Chris_Elston]

I wouldn't might voting for vEX either "If they would consolidate" controller support into one software package. As it stands now, VEX is not supported in the FRC software. It would be nice to have it all built into one, rather than buying the radio shack programming kit, then the $50.00 upgrade from Intellitek. We already have the VEX software and would vote the same, however I just hadn't heard or seen anything on their website so I was just curious. Combining or "giving" us VEX abilities in the FRC "full blown" version would be nice...

[Bob Steele]

I like the VEX Controller too... in fact there is not much different between it and the EDU controller anyway... other than the ability to use a variety of different radios... and a few other small things..

My problem is that I bought into the EDU controller.. I have about 6 of them and I feel as if I am being forgotten by Innovation FIRST...
We bought them (the entire kits) at a time when IFI was getting ready to launch VEX and we knew nothing about it... so we are left with using MPLAB or the Corechart program (which does have the ability to do all three controllers) but is considerably more difficult to use than Easy C ....

Our EDU kits cost us $600 each and didn't have radios so we bought those too... so now we are tossed out and not supported by Easy C advancements. I know this is not Intelitek's fault...but it would sure be nice to have EasyC for those of that bought those kits and still have them around..

[BradAMiller]

Our EDU kits cost us $600 each and didn't have radios so we bought those too... so now we are tossed out and not supported by Easy C advancements. I know this is not Intelitek's fault...but it would sure be nice to have EasyC for those of that bought those kits and still have them around..
Yeah, I know how you feel. We have 4 of EDU kits also. As soon as Feb 21 passes, I hope to get WPILib (http://users.wpi.edu/~bamiller/WPILib/) working for EDU and VEX controllers. This is the runtime system for EasyC. You will, at least, be able to write programs in MPLab or Eclipse that look the same as the programs that EasyC writes for you - just without the drag and drop support.

If Intelitek decides that the demand is sufficiently high and they do the EasyC front end, then you'll be able to do the drag and drop too.

[Skute327]

I also have an edu controller and would be very interested in getting easyc for the edu.

[Kingofl337]

Chris you can use all the features of FRC in Vex mode in easyC Pro. The only limitation is you can't load FRC projects directly into a VEX controller.

There are three reasons for this, the I/O on the vex robot is shared where its independent on the FRC robot. 2.) The FRC Controller uses an OI where the Vex has the Remote Control. 3. The FRC projects can be up to 128k where the Vex Projects are limited to 32k.

Right now if you want to write a program on a Vex Controller and move it to FRC or vice versa you can convert the blocks to "C" code and then import them into another project. You would then be able to call the functions in user code. This process is detailed in the help file. While this is more difficult then the normal drag and drop we expect users attempting to do this to have a little higher skill level. Maybe in the future you will be able to import block "User Functions" but if you do you will have to remap the controls. I don't know if a day will come when you will be able to directly open a FRC project and load it into a Vex controller.

If Brad writes a version of WPILB for the EDU controller it wouldn't very far fetched to see in a version of easyC with EDU Support. It would probably be cross compatible with Vex controller like the FRC version can do with the 04/05 controllers.

[mluckham]

I would vote for EDU support in EasyC also. It's nice that the EDU, plus 2005 through 2007 RCs all use essentially the same platform. It allows more programmers access to programming resources, each year, without having to purchase more equipment.

Having said that of course, time marches on and new hardware often has more benefits. The combination of EasyC plus WPIlib provides sufficient level of abstraction that should not really matter which controller the code is ultimately loaded into.

[BradAMiller]

If Brad writes a version of WPILB for the EDU controller it wouldn't very far fetched to see in a version of easyC with EDU Support. It would probably be cross compatible with Vex controller like the FRC version can do with the 04/05 controllers.

OK... I'll take a look at it over the next few days, but it won't guarantee that it will work with easyC. Intelitek will have to do some modifications for the controller to be completely supported.

WPILib by itself (with MPLab) would work with no problem.

[SamC]

Has anything happened with this issue since it was first brought up? Or is it just too complicated and not useful enough to be incorporated into EasyC Pro?

[Kingofl337]

I think Brad has been very busy with WPI's new robotics course. I'm sure he will let us know if he updates it :) .

Stay tuned for the 2008 KOP copy of easyC when we program robots for the Kite/Water Game/8LBS robtos in 08.