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Unread 31-12-2007, 17:31
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AKA: Phil Malone
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Re: New C18 3.0+ Compatible FRC Code

Hi Kevin.

Your new structure makes a lot more sense. I never liked the way the old code fell into the "autonomous" pit and never came out.

I installed MPLAB8 and upgraded to cc18 3.1. Other than the typical include/lib path issues asociated with any upgrade, your new code built just fine.

My own personal preference is to use more, smaller files, so my vote would be to split the auto and disabled modes out into sepparate files. I beleive that this would actually make it easier for teams not addressing these modes because they wouldn't have to keep scrolling arround the empty functions.

If you are lucky to have more than one programmer on the team, it does enable the "Autonomous" mode programmer to work somewhat independantly of the "teleop" programmer. Last year I also had c&h files for each of the four subsystems: UserIF, Drive, Manipulator and Vision, and assigned each subsystem to a student. It kept them out of each other's hair, and made it easier to see what had changed from version to version. Not much downside to extra files.

To Fill up the new files a bit, I would also vote for including the init_ functions. So, each of the mode files would have an init, spin and run function.

I also agree with the recomendation for teams to have a robot.h and robot.c file. It's the first thing I add to the standard ifi code. In my case this is where I put all my #defines for translating the cryptic I/O port names to robot functions, and code for enforcing various robot safety limits.

Team 1629 will definately be using your new code so I'm eager to see you fold all your other cool functions into this structure.

Phil.
A happy camper
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Phil Malone
Garrett Engineering And Robotics Society (GEARS) founder.
http://www.GEARSinc.org

FRC1629 Mentor, FTC2818 Coach, FTC4240 Mentor, FLL NeXTGEN Mentor

Last edited by PhilBot : 31-12-2007 at 18:20.