Jaguars are blinking yellow

[jutayo23]

The Jaguars will blink yellow when they don't receive a signal. There could be a few problems here.

Do you have all of them connected to a signal source (PWM or CAN)? Is your code set to give a signal on the correct channels? Did you enable the robot from the driver station?

Hope this helps!

[slijin]

What exactly is the "user control" button you cite? If it's the calibration button on the Jaguars, then you're using it in the wrong method. Refer to the Jaguar intro manunal to understand what it does.

Regardless of configuration, if your code initializes the ports the Jaguars are connected to, then the Jaguars should turn solid yellow when you enable the robot.

If you're on PWM, make sure that a)the DS module is in slot 2, b)all three power lights on the DS are active, c)the DB37 has been fixed as per FIRST's directions and is properly connected, d)you are actually generating output signals on the PWM ports the Jaguars are connected to.

If you're on CAN, make sure that a)your serial-RS45 converter has been properly assembled, b)your cables are properly made, c)there is a terminator plug at the end of the system, d)you have configured each Jaguar's firmware, and e)you are using the correct CAN IDs.

[Gatekeeper]

I believe we are using PWM, that would be the brown, red, and orange cabled that hook up to them right?

AS well does this also initiate the Jaguars?

RobotDrive drive = new RobotDrive(1, 2);

We also have the Black Jaguars and the user button is on the right side of them, it is a small hole labeled with "USER"

[jutayo23]

Sorry, I'm unable to help you with your code since our team uses LabVIEW, but from your description, it does sound like you're using PWM. Also, there shouldn't be a need to use the USER button on the jaguars. Holding down the button for 4 seconds will reset the Jaguars to the default factory state, which shouldn't be necessary. I would recommend checking all of the things that were mentioned before and see if any of those fix your problem.

[dyanoshak]

Originally Posted by jutayo23

Holding down the button for 4 seconds will reset the Jaguars to the default factory state, which shouldn't be necessary.

That isn't correct. Holding the button for 5 seconds will put the Jaguar in calibration mode.

To reset the Jaguar, you need to hold down the button while turning it on. You will see the Jaguar blink red and green as it turns on if you have reset it successfully. I would recommend resetting the Jaguar just in case you accidentally recalibrated it when previously pressing the button.

As stated before, slowly blinking yellow means the Jaguar is not receiving signal. Double check all of your PWM cables and make sure they are in the correct orientation. Look for labeling on your digital sidecar and raised lettering over the SERVO port on the Jaguar:

S: Signal (usually white or orange)
+: Power (usually red)
-: Ground (usually black or brown)

Once the wiring checks out the next thing to check would be the Enabled state of your robot. If the robot isn't enabled by your driver's station (the classmate PC) the cRIO will not send signals to the Jaguars.

Many helpful documents can be found at www.ti.com/jaguar, including the 2012 Jaguar FAQ. They may help save some time when troubleshooting problems.

-David

[slijin]

Yes, those are the PWM cables. Do note that brown-red-orange is not the only color coding scheme for PWM cables (white-red-black, yellow-red-black, and yellow-red-orange are also accepted standards). Keep in mind that the USER button is the calibration button, and for your purposes (or at least your current ones) you should not be playing with this button. Messinig up the calibration will have serious effects on motor control and hamper troubleshooting.

Furthermore, that line of code does not initialize the Jaguars, but rather creates a RobotDrive object that will allow you to do so. See this edited sample code from the Getting Started Guide to Java:

public class RobotTemplate extends SimpleRobot {
  RobotDrive drive = new RobotDrive(1, 2);
  Joystick leftStick = new Joystick(1);
  Joystick rightStick = new Joystick(2);

  public void operatorControl() {
     while (isOperatorControl() && isEnabled()) // loop during enabled teleop mode
    {
      drive.tankDrive(leftStick, rightStick); // drive with the joysticks
      Timer.delay(0.005);
    }
  }
}

Emphasis mine. Of course, your code may be different, but keep in mind that simply creating drive does not generate a Jaguar signal, because you haven't created a signal source. The highlighted code above does that.

[Gatekeeper]

Yes we have the java code all set up like that for operating. We had the jaguars off, held the user button on the jaguar and then turned the jaguar on to do a factor reset. So we reset the jaguars but they are still blinking yellow.

[dyanoshak]

Also, check to make sure that your ribbon cable was assembled correctly. See this document from the FIRST website: DB37 Ribbon Cable Assembly Rework Instructions

This was posted in the team updates, be sure to follow them!

[Gatekeeper]

Yes the DB37 cable is fixed properly the jaguars still continue to blink yellow though. We just reimaged the cRIO and updated the java code with the sample project that slijin just posted, but still no fix the the jaguars

[ColonelThrtyTwo]

I'm having this issue as well. We are using the cables that came with last year's robot (the circular ones, not the ribbon cables), so I don't think that's the issue.

Here's my test code, in Java:

// Image version: v43
public class RobotMain extends SimpleRobot
{
    Jaguar jag = new Jaguar(2,1); // Module 2, channel 1
    public void autonomous() {}

    public void operatorControl()
    {
        System.out.println("Running...");
        while(isEnabled() && isOperatorControl())
        {
            jag.set(1);
            Timer.delay(0.005);
        }
        System.out.println("Stopping...");
        jag.set(0);
    }
}

The robot prints Running and Stopping over the netconsole as it should, but the Jaguar doesn't receive any signals. The status light works, so I don't think that there is cRIO <-> Digital Sidecar communication issues. I've checked the wiring numerous times and don't see anything wrong with it; the white wire connects to the signal ports on both, red to voltage, black to ground. I can't think of anything else we could be doing wrong...

[slijin]

At this point, what I would do is take a PWM signal generator and plug that straight into the Jaguar and see what happens then. I'll assume you don't have something like that on hand, however, so here are your options right now:

Swap out the Jaguar for something else that has been proven to work, such as a Victor or servo (in the case of the servo, remember to toss a jumper on the pins next to the PWM output). If it still doesn't work*, try switching the PWM channel, e.g. from 1 to 10, or if possible, use a channel that has been proven to work (in Colonel's case, try using an output from last year's DS). In my experience, there are rare occasions where, for some unknown reason, a DS output will not work, and using a different output channel will remedy the situation.

*By work, you should also ensure that the response varies with respect to input - i.e. for a Victor, turn green on forward and red on backwards.

If you have a multimeter available, measure the voltage (DCv) across the black and red pins (center and darkest color) at the Jaguar's end of the PWM; the reading should be +-5V (the reading should only be negative if you're reading voltage backwards).

Another approach you could attempt is setting up the serial-RS45 connector and attempting to configure the Jaguars themselves. If this fails (assuming you've done the process correctly) - you'll be able to tell if some Jaguars respond and others don't, or if you've followed every step to the letter and none of them respond - then it's a possibility that your Jaguars themselves are bad, in which case you'll need a replacement.

In short, what you want to do is isolate the problem by removing each and every variable from the problem - use stuff that you know works, so that it becomes a controlled variable.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by slijin

If you have a multimeter available, measure the voltage (DCv) across the black and red pins (center and darkest color) at the Jaguar's end of the PWM; the reading should be +-5V (the reading should only be negative if you're reading voltage backwards).

Are you sure about this? I think you will only have a voltage on the center pin if you install the jumper on the digital sidecar.

[ColonelThrtyTwo]

Thanks for the feedback.

I've tried moving the Jag from channel one to channel five, with no luck. I've also replaced the Jag with a Victor and the digital sidecar with a brand new one as well as the one we used on our last years robot, with no results. The voltage between the power and ground pins was zero in all of our tests. I don't have a PWM generator or a serial cable.

Another thing: our driver station says that the battery voltage is zero volts. Don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. Don't have a cable to our analog breakout yet.

[slijin]

Originally Posted by ColonelThrtyTwo

Thanks for the feedback.

I've tried moving the Jag from channel one to channel five, with no luck. I've also replaced the Jag with a Victor and the digital sidecar with a brand new one as well as the one we used on our last years robot, with no results. The voltage between the power and ground pins was zero in all of our tests. I don't have a PWM generator or a serial cable.

Another thing: our driver station says that the battery voltage is zero volts. Don't know if that has anything to do with it or not. Don't have a cable to our analog breakout yet.

If the system on last year's robot is fully functional, prop it up on bricks, switch one of the motor controllers out for the Jag in question, and try to run it. If this fails, then it's almost definitely the Jag.

You don't need a serial cable to tether to the Jaguar, just a computer with a serial port (or a USB-to-serial converter). The 1st item on the 10th page (listed as the DB9/RJ12 converter, although I believe assembly is required) of the KoP checklist and a cable to connect to the Jag is all you need. Download the BDC-COMM interface from TI to do so.

[slijin]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

Are you sure about this? I think you will only have a voltage on the center pin if you install the jumper on the digital sidecar.

I had always been under the impression that the jumper served some other purpose, but I distinctly recall measuring voltage when troubleshooting outputs my freshman year, though I could be mistaken. I'll be sure to confirm when I go into the lab tomorrow.