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Unread 31-01-2011, 14:59
Mark McLeod's Avatar
Mark McLeod Mark McLeod is offline
Just Itinerant
AKA: Hey dad...Father...MARK
FRC #0358 (Robotic Eagles)
Team Role: Engineer
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Rookie Year: 2002
Location: Hauppauge, Long Island, NY
Posts: 8,795
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Re: Using the Framework properly

1. In our particular usage of LabVIEW and the cRIO, Finish.vi will never actually be called.
We also will not be using any LabVIEW front panels during competition, so don't figure on ever using any controls placed there during competition, just use them while debugging.

2. The Driver Station starts Dashboard.exe located at C:\Program Files\FRC Dashboard
If you want yours to be run you can rename it to Dashboard.exe and replace the default one already in the folder, or you can modify the .ini file that tells the Driver Station which one to run.
The .ini file is located at C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Documents\FRC\FRC DS Data Storage.ini (a slight relocation from 2010)

3. You need to create a "Driver" user account with that specific name, and run in that when you hookup to the Field system (FMS). You must make sure that your Ethernet IP address/net mask are set correctly.

4. FMS rules all.
  • Basically, you plug the Ethernet cable provided at each Player Station into your Classmate or laptop.
  • FMS detects the Driver Station application and locks it to FMS use only. The controls for Teleop/Autonomus/Practice and some other stuff will all disappear to be replaced by "FMS Connected" and you'll see the FMS light on your Diagnostics tab light up green.
  • FMS will only connect to a Driver user account with the correct team number for that Player Station.
  • FMS creates a Virtual Private Network (VPN) dedicated to just your team through the Field Access Point router.
  • At the beginning of the event you will setup your robot radio at a special WPA kiosk. You will switch it to Bridge and it will get a secret passkey that FMS has generated.
  • On the field, once FMS setsup your VPN, the Field Router will connect to your robot's radio/bridge. On your Driver station you will se red statuses gradually replaced by green statuses as the robot boots up.
  • FMS then controls the start of the match Autonomous and the end, as well as the transition to teleop and the finish.
  • When you leave the Player Station after the match, your Driver Station will show "FMS Locked". Your F1 to enable, and space bar to disable will work for teleop testing in the pits, but you still won't have the Teleop/Autonomous/Practice choices. When you plug in to the Player Station for the next match the status will switch back to FMS Connected.
  • If you need the Autonomous/Practice choices in the pit you will have to log out of the Driver account and log back in to clear the FMS Locked state.
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Last edited by Mark McLeod : 31-01-2011 at 16:42.
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