Unable to control motor on cRIO test setup

[sparks-1784]

Hi. We are trying to control a motor using the labview. Have installed the necessary 2012 labview update and have been able to deploy code to the cRIO which also has the new 2012 image. When the bot is enabled via the DS, moving the controls (xbox controller) does nothing. There are no PWM outputs that show up on the monitor and the motor does not move. The jaguar light blinks yellow/amber. The DS/Dashboard sees that code is loaded, communications is confirmed and the battery voltage is read back from the analog card. The cRIO image is correct as the monitor reads that correctly as well.
Not sure what we are doing wrong here and I would greatly appreciate some help.

[whcirobotics]

Originally Posted by sparks-1784

Hi. We are trying to control a motor using the labview. Have installed the necessary 2012 labview update and have been able to deploy code to the cRIO which also has the new 2012 image. When the bot is enabled via the DS, moving the controls (xbox controller) does nothing. There are no PWM outputs that show up on the monitor and the motor does not move. The jaguar light blinks yellow/amber. The DS/Dashboard sees that code is loaded, communications is confirmed and the battery voltage is read back from the analog card. The cRIO image is correct as the monitor reads that correctly as well.
Not sure what we are doing wrong here and I would greatly appreciate some help.

Did you place the Digital Module's correctly on the C-Rio? The slots have changed from last year.

Do you get any errors in the diagonstics tab?

[sparks-1784]

Not sure if the modules were in the correct slots. I will have to check.
The modules were all identified properly looking at the feedback from the imagining tool.

[Mark McLeod]

Blinking Jag lights mean (among other causes):

• The code has not opened that particular PWM port (could be due to the module being in a different place than the code expects)
• Or the robot is Disabled (you did say it was user enabled, but if your Driver Station status is Watchdog or system Disabled for Safety vi timeout or some other reason)
• Or there is no power to the digital sidecar (check that all three battery lights are bright green)
• Or PWM cables are reversed or otherwise not fully connected
• Or the cRIO isn't running

If you get the Jag lights to go solid, then a continued lack of control could be something even simplier.
Your xbox controller may not have defaulted to the USB port you expected.
Look at the Driver Station Setup tab to see which USB (1-4) your Xbox controller ended up on. Pressing any button will make it turn blue on the Setup list.

[sparks-1784]

Thanks Mark - I am having the folks at school check to see if the modules are in the proper slots.
The xbox controller was identified by the DS/Dashboard in USB1 (blue).
DS status was good - event timer was running and all indications were green (comm and robot code).
Not sure but I think the power to the sidecar was good - saw lights for power, but I don't recall how many. I think there was only one 12v power connection to the sidecar.
cRIO was running I believe. One thing I don't remember seeing on the cRIO lights was the 'user 1' light was flashing. Not sure if that is normal.

[Mark McLeod]

The User 1 light should be flashing if you've kept the default code that does that.
It's a nice indicator from the robot side that the code is executing normally.

Have them double check the error messages. It's also good to get rid of all of those before worrying about other things. If the Drive Safety engages then the error message is the only indication that is what happened.

The non-response of the PWM indicators on the Dashboard means the code isn't commanding the PWMs to move, so there's a mismatch going on there somehow. Those indicators should move even if the Jags aren't connected, but they won't move if the game controller isn't mapped correctly or is commanding a module other than Digital Module 1, or the PWM outputs have been disabled.

[Joe Ross]

The dashboard will not show PWM values out of the box because of this bug: http://firstforge.wpi.edu/sf/go/artf1439

Are you using the DB37 ribbon cable in the kit? They were assembled incorrectly, and need to be reworked before anything in the digital sidecar will work. http://www.usfirst.org/sites/default...structions.pdf

[sparks-1784]

The issue was a number of things, all of which added to the confusion in debugging the problem:

1. The appropriate software updates were not performed.
2. A 'brassboard' was wired and a Jaguar motor controller was wired up incorrectly (motor to Vin and 12vdc to jaguar motor outputs). When power was applied to brassboard, motor started and ran full tilt. Jaguar subsequently burned up. New Jaguar replaced burned up part - same wiring as first Jaguar.
3. Mentor enters picture, power applied to brassboard, motor runs continuously. Mentor kills power, observes jaguar wired incorrectly and wires jaguar correctly (at this point the part is compromised but there is no indication) and reapplies power.
4. Several iterations of attempts properly configure software - software updates for cRIO image, drivers station, etc. Still no motor control. Instructions are being read and applied during this time.
5. All other possibilities exhausted. Mentor remembers Jaguar incorrect wiring and decides to replace Jaguar. Motor control is confirmed.

[sparks-1784]

...and in the diagnostic window there were some timeout errors showing up. The only module location I can recall (since I am not at the bot location now)is the analog breakout which was in the first slot. However, the other modules may have been in the incorrect slots.

I haven't read through the documentation this year as I haven't had time nor did I expect to be able to help team 1784. They are struggling and it is close to pencils down time (only 2 weeks left). I've been called in late in the game so sorry if these questions are so trivial.