2017 software updates -- sheesh.
 

Hey folks:

I set up my roboRIO and laptop a few months ago with FRC 2016 stuff -- I am now now on day two and many hours of downloading and installing 2017 software.

An FYI for you:

1) DriverStation and other NI files:
- download the "FRC 2017 Update Suite," an 800+ MB monstrosity.
- first (pardon the pun), uninstall "National Instruments Software."
- Extract-All from the zip -- needs password: &Full$team^Ahead!
- run the setup.exe for it -- needs password from KOP: Mxxxxxx and then activation.
- there is a note: "If installing on Windows 8 or 10, the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5
may need to be installed." My laptop is win 7 but you may need to do this if you have a win 10 machine.

2) roboRIO firmware update:
- disconnect ethernet cable from radio, and connect USB to laptop
- use browser (with SilverLight added) and go to 172.22.11.2 to get to roboRIO-698-FRC Sys Config page.
(I had no idea that a browser could talk to a usb device).
- login, username = admin, password = (blank)
- Update-Firmware with file cleverly-hidden at:
"C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\Shared\Firmware\cRIO\76F2\roboRIO_3.0. 0f0.cfg"
(my roboRIO was already at this level, but your team's roboRIO may need an update).

3) roboRIO team-specific "image:"
- still connected via usb from above.
- run "C:\Program Files (x86)\National Instruments\LabVIEW 2016\project\roboRIO Tool\roboRIO_ImagingTool.exe"
- select roboRIO-698-FRC, Team Number box should also say (team-number), uncheck "Disable-RT-Startup-App,"
check "Format Target," select "FRC_roboRIO_2017_v8.zip," and click Reformat. This takes forever.
- after successful image dialog, press Reset button on roboRIO.

4) roboRIO java run-time-environment:
- "Whenever a new image is installed on the roboRIO (either when initially setting it up or
later if the image is updated or reinstalled) the Java runtime must be replaced."
- run C:\Users\USER\wpilib\tools\java-installer.jar
I had already downloaded it from Oracle, so I saved those steps and just deployed it to the roboRIO.

5) I had Eclipse Mars (4.5.2) installed with the 2016 WPILib.
- The 2017 library is compatible with Luna, Mars, or Neon, so I did not update Eclipse Mars.
- I ran an update from Eclipse (Help/Check-for-Updates) to get the 2017 WPILib library (2017.1.1).
This took three restarts and a couple of hours (their servers are likely getting slammed).
- Note that CAN Talon SRX support has been removed from WPILib and needs
manual lib stuff from CTRE.

6) Got a build exception:
[scp] Connecting to 172.22.11.2:22
[scp] Receiving file: /usr/local/frc/lib/User_Libraries.properties
[scp] Caught exception: scp: /usr/local/frc/lib/User_Libraries.properties: No such file or directory

So commented out part of C:\Users\USER\wpilib\java\current\ant\build.xml:
<!-- ************************************ gcs mod to get rid of build error since no lib exists
<deploy-libs libs.name="User_Libraries" libs.basedir="${userLibs.dir}" libs.deployDir="${libDeploy.dir}">
<libs.local>
<fileset dir="${userLibs.dir}">
<include name="**/*.so"/>
</fileset>
</libs.local>
</deploy-libs>
************************************ -->
There is likely a more elegant way to fix this, but gotta move on.


Wow, that is some convoluted crapola.

Re: 2017 software updates -- sheesh.
 

This is not a build error, but merely an indication that no user libraries exist on the roboRIO.

Re: 2017 software updates -- sheesh.
 

Yeah, but I dislike getting text in red during the build.

We will probably never have a user library. The build script should be crafted to quietly-ignore when there is no library. Is there a better way to do that?

thx, gil

Re: 2017 software updates -- sheesh.
 

Note that if you intend to use a Talon SRX, NavX board, etc you will need to use the "user libraries" feature (and uncomment what you commented)

Re: 2017 software updates -- sheesh.
 

Ahh, didn't think of that. We may use talons.