2004 Dashboard Protocal vs 2005 Dashboard Protocal

[Kyle T]

I've only started programming for the FIRST robotics competition this year, and I'm wondering if the 2004 dashboard protocal is compatible with 2005. On first inspection, they seemed identical (minus breakers using the user_bytes), but now I'm not so sure.

I've written an ActiveX control in visual basic for this year, and was going to submit it to whitepapers, and then I noticed a similar one for last year (2004)'s dashboard software. Are the two pieces of sofware identical in purpose, or should I submit mine anyway?

Thanks,

Kyle

[Biff]

Not sure about data protocols, but the biggest difference is this year you don't have to have your own transmitter for your OI, it's all handled with the completion port. They may have added some functions to pins for data in and out that are also on the radio port.

[seanwitte]

Originally Posted by Kyle T

I've only started programming for the FIRST robotics competition this year, and I'm wondering if the 2004 dashboard protocal is compatible with 2005. On first inspection, they seemed identical (minus breakers using the user_bytes), but now I'm not so sure.

I've written an ActiveX control in visual basic for this year, and was going to submit it to whitepapers, and then I noticed a similar one for last year (2004)'s dashboard software. Are the two pieces of sofware identical in purpose, or should I submit mine anyway?

Thanks,

Kyle

The packet spec is the same as last season. It doesn't hurt to post your work even if it might overlap.

[Astronouth7303]

Here's what I want to know:

• What are the two Configuration bytes?
• What about the extra bits in CTRL_A and CTRL_C?
• in RC_3, byte 11, why is it 04h instead of ZERO?
• What are the error and warning codes?
• What are the checksums?
• How can you tell an OI packet from an RC packet in code?

[Kyle T]

* What are the two Configuration bytes?
- The two configuration bytes are IFI proprietary and aren't supposed to be of use to the user, I believe.
* What about the extra bits in CTRL_A and CTRL_C?
- The seonc bits are designed this way, in future years, when the dashboard needs to communicate more data, additional bits can be added to differentiate as the amount of packets becomes larger than 2-bit binary can handle.
* What are the checksums?
-The checksums are IFI proprietary, and they make sure the packets have gone through without any major errors (i.e. incorrect amount of bytes).
* How can you tell an OI packet from an RC packet in code?
-It's impossible to detect a OI from an RC packet normally, as this is mainly a hardware difference (a switch setting), but creatively, we can get around this.

One can set a spare user byte, led byte or unused pwm to a value, lets say, 173, constantly in the robot's code, then check for that number where it should be in the RC packet. If it's there, it's an RC packet, if not, it's an OI packet.

Hope this answers your question,

Kyle