Programming The Victor

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Posted by Michael Bloomfield at 2/1/2001 6:23 PM EST


Student on team Robotic Plague from Staten Island Tech sponsored by Verizon.



Hey Guys/Gals. My first message on the boards and I am a first timer PBasic programmer. Well I have been messing with it and using default and the default only sends the Victor to drive motors when full throttle. I want the speed going to be determined by how far the joystick and max when full throttled. 127 is Neutral for the Victor...correct? At what variables does victor go forward and go backwards. Thanks a lot guys. Really need your help.

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Posted by Joe Johnson at 2/1/2001 7:57 PM EST


Engineer on team #47, Chief Delphi, from Pontiac Central High School and Delphi Automotive Systems.


In Reply to: Programming The Victor
Posted by Michael Bloomfield on 2/1/2001 6:23 PM EST:



My understanding is that there is a 10% dead band (which I hate by the way - this really makes feedback loops much more difficult to implement) around 127.

So...
OFF = 114 -> 140

According to the Default Code, 216 or higher is full forward and 56 or lower is full reverse (Using the Default Calibration -- which is HIGHLY recommended, imho).

So...
FULL REVERSE = 0 -> 56
FULL FORWARD = 216 -> 254

Note that the full forward does not include 255. This is sort of important. I think the code will work most of the time, in that the Victors get the idea that you are commanding full forward. BUT... you should never send 255 as the message to the PWM's This is done in the SERIALOUT command that is the last line of the default code prior to "Goto MainLoop".

Why?

Because two "255"s in a row is the message that the Master CPU uses to know that the STAMP2 is starting a new message. If your message contains this string, the master CPU can get confused about what it is the STAMP2 is sending it. You can normally get away with a single 255 but if start sending 2 of them in a row, you are asking for trouble.

Bottom line: Don't set PWM outputs to a value higher than 254 and you won't get into any trouble.

Joe J.

P.S. Below is a copy and paste from the bottom of the default code FYI:
.
.
.
'========== OUTPUT DATA ================================================== ====
'================================================= ============================
' The Serout line sends data to the Output uP. The Output uP passes this to each PWM 1-16
' and Relay 1-8. The Output uP will not output data if there is no communication with the
' Operator Interface or if the Competition Mode is Disabled. Do not delete any elements
' from the Serout array. Set unused PWM outputs to 127. Set unused relay outputs to 0.
'
' Serout USERCPU, OUTBAUD, [255,255,(PWM1),relayA,(PWM2),relayB,(PWM3),(PWM4), (PWM5),(PWM6),(PWM7),(PWM8),(PWM9),(PWM10),(PWM11) ,(PWM12),(PWM13),(PWM14),(PWM15),(PWM16)]

Serout USERCPU, OUTBAUD, [255,255,p1_y,relayA,p2_y,relayB,p3_y,p4_y,p1_x,p2_ x,p3_x,p4_x,p1_wheel,p2_wheel,p3_wheel,p4_wheel,12 7,127,127,127]

Goto MainLoop:


Stop

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Posted by Michael Bloomfield at 2/1/2001 11:14 PM EST


Student on team Robotic Plague from Staten Island Tech sponsored by Verizon.


In Reply to: OFF, FULL FORWARD, FULL REVERSE...
Posted by Joe Johnson on 2/1/2001 7:57 PM EST:



Thanks a lot for your help. I read through it and understand it perfectly. I learned a lot today just tearing apart the default and your explanation helped a great deal. Thanks a lot.

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Posted by JVN at 2/2/2001 5:23 PM EST


Student on team #250, Dynamos - Capital District Robotics Team, from Shenendehowa High School and General Electric and Verizon.


In Reply to: Programming The Victor
Posted by Michael Bloomfield on 2/1/2001 6:23 PM EST:



Hey Staten Island, We partnered for the finals last year in Long Island, I had a friend on your
team (who has now moved onto college). How are you guys doing this year anyways? Enjoying
the new game?

~John #250

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Posted by Raul at 2/2/2001 9:10 PM EST


Engineer on team #111, Wildstang, from Rolling Meadows & Wheeling HS and Motorola.


In Reply to: Staten Island - How are you guys doing this year???
Posted by JVN on 2/2/2001 5:23 PM EST:



Please use the rumor forum or at least the general forum for these types of messages.

Raul

: Hey Staten Island, We partnered for the finals last year in Long Island, I had a friend on your
: team (who has now moved onto college). How are you guys doing this year anyways? Enjoying
: the new game?

: ~John #250

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Posted by Michael Bloomfield at 2/2/2001 10:55 PM EST


Student on team Robotic Plague from Staten Island Tech sponsored by Verizon.


In Reply to: Staten Island - How are you guys doing this year???
Posted by JVN on 2/2/2001 5:23 PM EST:



We are doing...pretty good. Just finalizing the prototype and they are trying to get my into program...LoL. But I am always busy...guess gotta make some time...what is it?...2 weeks left?...LoL. How you guys doing this year?

Mike

[archiver]

Posted by Michael Bloomfield at 2/2/2001 10:55 PM EST


Student on team Robotic Plague from Staten Island Tech sponsored by Verizon.


In Reply to: Staten Island - How are you guys doing this year???
Posted by JVN on 2/2/2001 5:23 PM EST:



We are doing...pretty good. Just finalizing the prototype and they are trying to get my into program...LoL. But I am always busy...guess gotta make some time...what is it?...2 weeks left?...LoL. How you guys doing this year?

Mike