[Matt Krass]

Originally Posted by Hjelstrom

Hi Matt, I'm a mentor for the team and was trying to help figure this out this weekend. I don't think its a download problem, I think the crio has the code we downloaded and is running it. Here's why:

We added a "heartbeat" variable to the code that counts 0,1,2,3,0,1,2,3... and sent that variable to a graph on the labview dashboard. The heartbeat updates on the dashboard though occasionally I'll see it miss a number here and there (I'm assuming a dashboard packet can be lost occasionally, it doesn't seem to conincide with the robot's behavior). This proves that we're getting code downloaded and that it is running and not getting hung up anywhere.

We've attached with the debugger and stepped through the code and see nothing out of the ordinary. All variables seem to be what we expect, all logic flow goes exactly where we expect.

We're seeing things I can't explain. Such as, in the debugger, step over a line that tells both sides of the drivetrain to drive forward, on the robot, one side starts driving but the other doesn't, then *while still on the same line of code *break-pointed* in the debugger, the other side starts driving a few seconds later.

We have two jaguars on each side of the drivetrain, driven by a Y-cable for each side from the crio/digital sidecar (can't remember). We've seen one jag come on but not the other. In the code, there is only one jaguar object for each side of the drivetrain. (could this be the problem?)

In teleop, for some reason the problems are far less common. The only symptom in teleop is that different functions on the robot will occasionally briefly stop responding to control. For example the right side might stop working but the left still works and the arm still works. The drivers are calling these "cutouts" and claim that the main robot before ship never did this. We get them pretty regularly now.

We don't believe we're near any current limits. The arm uses a worm gear and its motor draws very little current and the drivetrain is in low-gear when testing this stuff.

The heartbeat code is in effect the exact same thing I was looking for with printf(). This confirms its definitely not a download problem, and I don't suspect it is a code problem. By your description I think my original suspicion of hardware is accurate. Please verify your digital sidecar is properly powered (it should be receiving 12V on its main power connector, not 5V as most teams believe) and that all three power indicator lights come on bright on the sidecar.

Matt