Configuring the CAN bus devices.

[JohnGaby]

How do we discover/configure the addresses of the CAN bus devices for the new control system. In the past, we have used the BDC-COMM utility to configure the CAM address of our Jaguars via a serial port, but it is not clear if/how this might be used with the new system. Is there CAN configuration utility for the new system. Are the new CAN devices (e.g. the power distribution board) at known addresses, and, if so, where can we find those addresses?

Thanks.

[RufflesRidge]

http://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/...ribution-panel

That document specifically refers to the PCM and PDP, but Jags (other than firmware update) and Talon SRXs are similar.

[James Kuszmaul]

You can view and configure CAN device addresses for the new devices through the roborio webdash by connecting to the roborio through the bridge (or some other means) and going to:
roborio-2102.local
in your web browser
or just the ip address of the roborio. Replace 2102 with a different team number if needed.

[cgmv123]

You use the roboRIO web interface. http://roborio-2102.local/

[JohnGaby]

Thanks for the quick replies. I will check it out.

[TogetherSword8]

Do the CAN IDs for the Jaguars interfere with the PDP and PCM? I.E., can we number our jaguars 1,2,3,4 etc. or are 1 and 2 reserved for these components?

[RufflesRidge]

Originally Posted by TogetherSword8

Do the CAN IDs for the Jaguars interfere with the PDP and PCM? I.E., can we number our jaguars 1,2,3,4 etc. or are 1 and 2 reserved for these components?

No, they do not.

From http://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s/...ribution-panel :
Since the ID ranges for different products don’t overlap there is no issue with two or more CAN nodes of different types having the same Device ID (e.g. a PDP with ID=0, a PCM with ID=0, and a Talon SRX with ID=0 on the same bus). Using multiple devices of the same type, such as multiple PCMs or multiple Jaguars with the same node ID will result in a conflict. The web plugin supports a strategy that will allow for recovery of this condition for all devices other than Jaguars, but the devices are not properly usable from within a robot program while in this state. To recover Jaguars which have been set to the same ID you will have to remove all but one of the devices from the bus, then set the devices to non-conflicting IDs.

[cgmv123]

Originally Posted by TogetherSword8

Do the CAN IDs for the Jaguars interfere with the PDP and PCM? I.E., can we number our jaguars 1,2,3,4 etc. or are 1 and 2 reserved for these components?

CAN Device ID's only need to be unique per device type.

[Mike9966]

So, here's my version of that question.

I would like to configure the SRX's before turning them over to the programmers and mounting them in the system. Hence, I would like to program it before it's connected to the RoboRio, using something like BCD-Comm.

I should also add that I found BCD-Comm to be invaluable to prove a jag works even when the software team swears it is broken........

I'm also thinking of in the future when the next version of things happens, I'd like to be able to continue to use this controller sans NI control system.

Any thoughts on how to accomplish this?

Thanks,

Mike

[ozrien]

Presetting the CAN ID before adding a new Talon SRX to the CAN chain might not be as valuable as you'd think. The webpage is pretty tolerant of common-ID Talon SRXs as explained in the software reference manual, section 2.2. So you can pretty easily find a duplicate and change it's device ID.

If you do want to check each one in a one-at-a-time fashion, you can still use the roboRIO web-page configuration and just insert a single Talon directly into the CAN bus RIO weidmuller connector. It's explained better in section 1.3.4.2 in the Talon User's Guide. What's nice about that is if you're just connecting a single Talon temporarily for the purpose of reflashing/setting ID, you usually can get away without having a second terminating resistor at the free-end of the Talon.

Currently only the NI roboRIO supports the Talon SRX. At some point there will probably be something like non-FRC firmware for Talon SRX so that it can be used outside of competition. The priority right now is making sure Talon SRX's first season in FRC is as successful as possible.

[controls weenie]

We connected the solenoid, compressor and air valve switch (sensor) to the PCM. We are now trying to control the 24V solenoid using LabVIEW. Our PCM CAN bus address is 0. We set the jumper to 24V.

How do we control the solenoid in LabVIEW? The Solenoid vi takes the CAN bus ID (0 in our case) but we need to send it a message somehow. Where is this documented? There are 8 solenoid outputs.

Thanks

[RufflesRidge]

Right next to the Solenoid Open in the palette (which should take an ID and channel number) there is a Solenoid Set that sets the state of that channel.