Dificulties developing software

[Daniel_H]

I helped our team program during 2009 and we were continuously sending provisory software to cRIO and monitoring things on the code's front panel, a very quick and helpful process btw. I couldn't participate actively last year, I know a lot has changed, but frustratingly I couldn't do the same thing this year so far.

I first tried to monitor a sensor, so I put the necessary code inside the teleop VI and observed the chart in the front panel. Nothing happened. Later I realized that the competition status was stuck on "Autonomous disabled" and there was no way to get it out of there. The teleop vi was never being called. How do we select the competition status outside the competition in order to test our codes?
I'm not talking about using the driver station, remember that I am developing code and continuously changing and uploading it to monitor sensors and other variables on the front panel.
If we are to use the driver station, we have to build and deploy the code, which takes a lot of time, and won't help monitor so freely as the code's front panel does.
If you programmed in 2009, you probably know what I'm talking about.. is there a way to use the cRIO like it was done back then?

btw, all I did was with a tethered connection. If I want to do this wirelessly, again, not using the driver station, all I need to do is connect manually to the router while in AP mode?

Thanks.