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Re: Outputting Data Onto Computer Screen
Generally, a graph of data vs time is quite enough. For example, I have all of my root classes setup to graph the analog input(s), setpoint(s), motor output(s), and other feedback data on a graph almost full screen. This dosen't run when I do a full build, just when I run Robot Main (works quite well). Actually, this was very useful when we broke our analog module or card (we replaced both). We saw that the arm was moving spontaneously (sorta flickering), and a probe on the voltage (in software) returned somewhere between 2.9 and 3.0 volts, but a look at the graph showed it was oscilating between 2.8 and 3.2 volts (not good). I then wrote a VI to tell me the voltage of all of the used analog channels, and about 10 minutes later (1/3 of that downloading), I had a graph of all the analog channels. Graphs and probes of variables are very easy to do in LabVIEW. Really Really easy.
As for WebDMA, the cRio is capable of hosting a webserver that has dynamic VI front panels (they can be static, static auto-reloading, or full interact-able front panels). I looked at this as a means of quickly getting more feedback data then I could fit on the dashboard, but eventually settled on a tabbed dashboard plus an interface to use when running Robot Main, because of CPU load reasons. Its just another feature LabVIEW provides to make things easier.
Still think C++ has more potential than LabVIEW? As for potential, in the long run, yes, but it will take you alot longer to get the same result. And in FIRST, we have negative time budgeted for everything, so you don't have that time.
As to the lights that Andrew mentioned, they are 12" automotive light strips, 6 total in 3 colors, off 2 Spike relays for indication of various HUD-type messages (ball in, high gear, etc). If anyone remembers the vision targets from 2006 and 2007, the green ones are from those (the red and blue ones are identical to the green ones, except in color). They have two purposes: tell the driver when he has a ball and if he is in high gear, and tell the coach if he should be yelling at the driver to shift up or down. The lights are visible from the webcasts, I hear. We also flash the lights in a sequence when we hang from the pole, a feature requested by Jim Zondag himself (this is how little we have to do to the robot between competitions, when a purely decorative software change is requested by the lead mentor)
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Kettering University - Computer Engineering
Kettering Motorsports
Williams International - Commercial Engines - Controls and Accessories
FRC 33 - The Killer Bees - 2009-2012 Student, 2013-2014 Advisor
VEX IQ 3333 - The Bumble Bees - 2014+ Mentor
"Sometimes, the elegant implementation is a function. Not a method. Not a class. Not a framework. Just a function." ~ John Carmack
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