Joysticks

[Mike Betts]

Originally Posted by pigpc1993

We are having issues with our code on programming the joysticks. When we press the button our solenoids switch but sometimes they will switch right back. The Dashboard shows that they switch and then switch back sometimes. So I know they are opening. Any suggestions. Here is the code we are using

            if(js2.getRawButton(3) == true && j2b3 == false){
                s1.changeSolenoid(a1, a1End);
                s2.changeSolenoid(a2, a2End);
                j2b2 = true;
            }
            else{
                j2b2 = false;
            }

What you are experiencing is called "contact bounce". From Wikipedia:

Contact bounce (also called chatter) is a common problem with mechanical switches and relays. Switch and relay contacts are usually made of springy metals that are forced into contact by an actuator. When the contacts strike together, their momentum and elasticity act together to cause bounce. The result is a rapidly pulsed electric current instead of a clean transition from zero to full current. The effect is usually unimportant in power circuits, but causes problems in some analogue and logic circuits that respond fast enough to misinterpret the on-off pulses as a data stream.

You have to implement a filter function commonly called a switch "debounce" to get rid of the problem.