Why should I update my 2006 code?

[amateurrobotguy]

It seems like all of the things Kevin kindly updated, I already did myself last season:

" Altered tracking algorithm to use the t-packet confidence value to
determine whether the code should track or search.

Added Get_Tracking_State() function, which can be used to determine
if the camera is pointing at the target."

" Provided two new functions to set the pan and tilt servo position.
This was done to provide a level of indirection so that the servos
could be controlled from the robot controller or the CMUcam2."

I saw that t-packet confidence could be useful, and added it to the if() in tracking.c before it romped off tracking the "target". I also don't need a Get_Tracking_State() as I just check to see if tpackets.my = 1 before I let it go go romping off tracking. And yeah, I noticed that some of the PWM values were fuzzy as well while testing. But, I just changed tracking.h around and got it to work fine.

" Fixed bug in search initialization code where temp_pan_servo was
initialized to zero instead of Tracking_Config_Data.Pan_Min_PWM."

Hmmm, didn't really have any problems with this.

Am I missing something huge here? Is there really any need to update?

[Dave Flowerday]

Is there really any need to update?
Yes - you are not allowed to reuse the code you wrote last year:

Unaltered software modules developed during prior competitions can not be directly reused. Just as designs for hardware COMPONENTS may be reused from one year to the next, software algorithms and designs may be reused. However, the specific lines of code must be customized for each ROBOT each year.

[amateurrobotguy]

I think that that rule is just there to stop teams from "generic" coding their bot off-season. Just as building a bot off season is not allowed, I agree, the same should apply to the code behind the bot. However, since 95% of my code was not specific to "Aim-High", it can be reused via cut and paste. Am I correct in saying this?

[jgannon]

As Dave points out, this is rule <R76>, which is on page 24 of section 8. This rule was definitely in effect last year, too. It came part and parcel with the whole Fix-it Window revolution. As far as lawyering it, the rule is pretty clear in saying that while the design can be reused, the actual lines of code cannot.

[amateurrobotguy]

It says designs AND algorithms may be reused. So as long as I take out the code for the shooter, I am not violating the rule.