cRIO/Solenoid/NI9472/Code Programming Problem?

[chigskonkwo]

Hello! We're having some trouble getting our solenoids to work. When we plug our NI9472 (Solenoid Module) into the cRIO and open the Imaging Tool, it shows that it is plugged into the cRIO (4 slot), but when we plug it into the cRIO and connect our solenoids to the Solenoid Breakout, the lights on the Module don't light up, and when we enable the Drivers Station and press all of the buttons, no solenoids fire. We have a Wago (24v, 24v solenoids) connected to our Solenoid Breakout so it is getting power. When we move the NI9472 from the third slot to the first slot (we know it's for the NI9401, but we were just testing things), 3 of the lights on the NI9472 lit up, so we know that the Module works, but the lights don't light up when the NI9472 are in the 3rd or 4th slots of our cRIO. This doesn't make sense to us, considering the fact that we used the same cRIO last year and our robot from last year was mainly pneumatics based, so it worked last year, but is not working now. The solenoids we are using this year are the same ones we used from last year, so they would not be the problem. The only reasonable explanation that we can come up with is that we coded something wrong in LabVIEW, but we don't know what! We followed Team 358's guide to coding double solenoids. HELPPPPPPP! Do we have to program the module somehow, or did we code the solenoids wrong? Any suggestions are fine!

[lizzie_1610]

Double check that wires are properly connected both in the robot and in the program, and that the program matches the robot (Relay 1 really is in Relay 1 etc.). If you reference the compressor or solenoids in more than one place in the code, make sure that the refnum name is completely identical in all places (its easy to accidentally put in spaces). But it could just as easily be that a wire is bad and needs replacing so try other wires or testing the ones you have hooked up elsewhere.

[chigskonkwo]

Originally Posted by lizzie_1610

Double check that wires are properly connected both in the robot and in the program, and that the program matches the robot (Relay 1 really is in Relay 1 etc.). If you reference the compressor or solenoids in more than one place in the code, make sure that the refnum name is completely identical in all places (its easy to accidentally put in spaces). But it could just as easily be that a wire is bad and needs replacing so try other wires or testing the ones you have hooked up elsewhere.

We rewired our solenoids so we know that's not the problem. Our compressor and regulator were tested and work perfectly. We also created an entirely different code from scratch, creating only one solenoid and following the guidelines on how to code a solenoid to the letter, deployed the code, and it still did not work. Is there anything else that we have to do in the code other than putting the solenoid in "Begin.vi", "Teleop.vi", and "Finish.vi" in order for the solenoid to work?

[lizzie_1610]

We actually have never put our solenoids in the "Finish.vi". I'm not sure how much of a difference that makes though.

[orangemoore]

Could post pictures of the code in labview?

[Mark McLeod]

I'd suggest a couple of tests with the solenoid module in the 3rd slot.
Run the default solenoid example, and use test mode in your existing code to see if the solenoids work there.

1) Run the solenoid example found from the Getting Started window (the one that comes up when you first start LabVIEW).

• Support (on the left side of the Getting Started window)
• Find FRC Examples...
• Pneumatics
• Solenoid with Compressor

Run the example on your cRIO by:

• Right-click on "RT CompactRIO Target (10.0.0.2)" and choose Properties
• Change the IP address to your team number (10.8.84.2)
• OK
• Connect to the cRIO and power it up
• Open the Solenoid With Compressor.vi
• Run the example in Debug by pressing the Run button in the upper left of the window

Look at the module LEDs to see if they light up in response to the example code.

2) Use Test mode to check your code.

• In the Driver Station Operation tab, select Test
• On the default Dashboard select the Test tab
• See if your solenoids appear in the list on the Dashboard. If they are setup correctly in your code, then they will appear.
• Highlight one of the solenoids and test buttons should appear at the bottom of the Dashboard window.
• Test with the buttons to see if the module LEDs light up.

[chigskonkwo]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

I'd suggest a couple of tests with the solenoid module in the 3rd slot.
Run the default solenoid example, and use test mode in your existing code to see if the solenoids work there.

1) Run the solenoid example found from the Getting Started window (the one that comes up when you first start LabVIEW).

• Support (on the left side of the Getting Started window)
• Find FRC Examples...
• Pneumatics
• Solenoid with Compressor

Run the example on your cRIO by:

• Right-click on "RT CompactRIO Target (10.0.0.2)" and choose Properties
• Change the IP address to your team number (10.8.84.2)
• OK
• Connect to the cRIO and power it up
• Open the Solenoid With Compressor.vi
• Run the example in Debug by pressing the Run button in the upper left of the window

Look at the module LEDs to see if they light up in response to the example code.

2) Use Test mode to check your code.

• In the Driver Station Operation tab, select Test
• On the default Dashboard select the Test tab
• See if your solenoids appear in the list on the Dashboard. If they are setup correctly in your code, then they will appear.
• Highlight one of the solenoids and test buttons should appear at the bottom of the Dashboard window.
• Test with the buttons to see if the module LEDs light up.

THANK YOU! Considering the fact that I won't be at robotics until Monday, I won't be able to test this now, but I believe that this may (should) be able to show us our problem. Also considering the fact that it was your team's programming guide that we have been using , and the fact that you have been answering all of my threads, another large THANK YOU is in order!

[Mark McLeod]

If you keep having trouble I can come by to help troubleshoot maybe on Wednesday or Thursday.

[chigskonkwo]

Thanks, if we don't have it down by then, your help would be much appreciated.

[Landonh12]

If all else fails, make sure you don't have any broken or bent pins on the 3rd slot of your cRIO.

[chigskonkwo]

Originally Posted by orangemoore

Could post pictures of the code in labview?

I don't have the laptop that we use for programming with me right now.