cRio Safe Mode Switch

[twiggzee]

we're having problems imaging our crio (we have the older one from last year). when i tell it to format, i get an error saying that the cRio is in SAFE MODE and that i should toggle it to the off position. however, the SAFE MODE switch is most definitely already in the off position. anybody else having this problem? any ideas on how to correct this?

[Mark McLeod]

It depends on the actual error message, as to whether the Safe Mode has anything to do with it.
For instance, some error messages mention checking the Safe Mode switch as one possible solution, but it is rarely the cause.

If the Safe Mode is actually set and you attempt to format the cRIO it will give you a special dialog that asks if you really want to do this, but it allows a special formatting to continue. There are reasons this is sometimes necessary and useful.
If you didn't see the special dialog, then the error is going to be due to some other cause, not the Safe Mode DIP switch.

[Doc543]

I was having the same problem, make sure you have the new C-RIO imaging tool, from the FRC_Utilities. If the safe mode switch is on then it should ask you if you want to compleatly format it.

http://joule.ni.com/nidu/cds/view/p/id/2262/lang/en

[ROBODOG2560]

what if we went ahead and formated when it gave the option, is that bad and how do you fix it because i did cause nothing else was really seeming to work and now the orange signal light doesnt come on and the robot doesnt do anything even though the drive station says everything is fine.

[RufflesRidge]

what if we went ahead and formated when it gave the option, is that bad and how do you fix it because i did cause nothing else was really seeming to work and now the orange signal light doesnt come on and the robot doesnt do anything even though the drive station says everything is fine.

Preforming the Safe Mode format should not be a problem as long as it succeeded. If the DS says everything is fine, the issue is likely with the wiring for the Digital Sidecar. Check to make sure the BAT, 5V and 6V lights on the Digital Sidecar are all brightly lit.

If you are using the ribbon cable from the Kit of Parts it may need to be fixed. See this page for details (add www at the beginning):
usfirst.org/roboticsprograms/frc/2012-kit-of-parts-control-system

[ROBODOG2560]

we are not using the ribbon yet we are using the old robot as it was from competition as a early programming test for program we will write for the new robot. and those three lights are shining bright wen i last had it on tonight before we convened for the night. i dont understand though why the orange signal light doesnt come on when i t did before i did the format and imaging. and if it is a code problem i dont know how to test it if the last code didnt work because it was working before the old code got deleted before this year started. that i was rewriting and is the code im trying to run.

[RufflesRidge]

That info helps point to the likely cause. The modules belong in new positions this year.

1 - analog
2 - digital
3 - pneumatic solenoid
4 -
5 - analog 2
6 - digital 2
7 - pneumatic solenoid 2
8 -

The first three should be "Module 1" in code, the second three are "Module 2"

[ROBODOG2560]

ok. so that means it is a code issue for the none working robot?
and how then do i fix the orange signal light problem

[RufflesRidge]

ok. so that means it is a code issue for the none working robot?
and how then do i fix the orange signal light problem

Move the module to the appropriate slot as listed in my previous post. Your Digital Module is in slot 4 right now if this is last year's robot, it needs to move to slot 2.

You will need to move the modules (hardware), and change any code that references the slot numbers (4,6,7,8) to the new module number convention (you may not need to change any code depending on your language and whether you called out the slots or left them as defaults).

[ROBODOG2560]

i left the defaults cause i didnt understand what they meant but now i do, thank you very much. so i need to change the orientation and the light along with everything will begin to work right?

[RufflesRidge]

i left the defaults cause i didnt understand what they meant but now i do, thank you very much. so i need to change the orientation and the light along with everything will begin to work right?

The light should start working when you move the module. If you've left all the "slot" parameters in your code as the defaults (unwired in LabVIEW or using constructors with just channels in Java or C++) the code shouldn't need to change.

[ROBODOG2560]

thank you sooooooooooooo much