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Unread 04-05-2008, 07:32
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David Doerr David Doerr is offline
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Re: Learn C++ or Labview in a Summer?

This summer is a great opportunity to learn both.

For C++, try the tutorial at http://www.learncpp.com/. As a companion to the tutorial, download Visual C++ Express 2008 at http://www.microsoft.com/express/. When you are finished and comfortable with those, download and get familar with the eclipse CDT at http://www.eclipse.org/cdt/.

For LabVIEW, load the copy of that came in the 2008 KOP. Begin with the "Getting Started with LabVIEW" under "Resources" in the right pane when you first start LabVIEW.

Learning the languages is only the first step in programming robots with the languages. You can get started with robot programming if you have access to a LEGO Mindstorms NXT robot.

For LabVIEW programming, download the NI LabVIEW Toolkit for LEGO Mindstorms at http://digital.ni.com/worldwide/bwco...25723D006A9E7A.

Robolab -- based on LabVIEW -- is another excellent way to get used to programming NXT robots in LabVIEW. You will have to buy a copy, however, for about $70. Buy version 2.5.4 at http://www.legoeducation.com/store/d...71&c=1&t=0&l=0, and then download the latest patch at http://www.legoengineering.com/content/view/87/140/.

You can also program NXT robots in C (not C++) with RobotC. You can download a trial version -- I think it's good for 30 days -- at www.robotc.net.

RobotC and Robolab are excellent companion programs because they have all of the same functionality implemented as LabVIEW SubVIs in Robolab and as procedures in RobotC. On the FLL teams I've coached for the last few years, the students have done all of their program development in RobotC, because it is very fast to do so, and then have ported their programs to Robolab to stay legal for FLL competition. (against the rules to use C in FLL) It is very easy to port back and forth due to the almost one-to-one correspondence in functions, and it's a great way to learn both text and graphical based programming side-by-side.

You can also program NXT robots using C++ if you go here: http://lejos-osek.sourceforge.net/ -- with the added bonus of being able to learn the eclipse CDT. I have not tried this yet, but it looks like it's worth checking out.

-Dave

Last edited by David Doerr : 04-05-2008 at 07:37.
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