Using the TI LaunchPad from your KoP

[ILAMtitan]

Originally Posted by mplanchard

Do you have and IDF or PADS file? I can bring it into CircuitWorks and get the 3D board. Marie

I had to import it into Altium, and then export the IDF file, but you can find it here: https://txn.box.com/s/syur2lhypaihegkm2rfupxi2h0f11ufr

I was also able to export the STEP file from Altium, but I know those aren't always preferred due to file size and other restrictions. I've uploaded here for any interested parties though: https://txn.box.com/s/c0b11817xbyn6nxorrejz9728f1bublo

Since both of these are both via Altium, I can't guarantee the accuracy. If anyone can validate them, please let me know.

[billbo911]

Please forgive me if this has been covered, but using my phone to search CD is rather difficult and I couldn't find it.
We have a driver's station setup with the Launchpad, that uses 18 buttons. Therefore, we have the Launchpad in mode 3. The problem is, we cannot see all of the buttons indicated on the driver's station. Is there a way to extend the driver station to display all 20 buttons as they are activated?

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by billbo911

Is there a way to extend the driver station to display all 20 buttons as they are activated?

The Driver Station program can not be modified by teams. However, you can change the Dashboard in any way you like.

[ayeckley]

Originally Posted by billbo911

Is there a way to extend the driver station to display all 20 buttons as they are activated?

I've not found a way to manually change the number of buttons displayed but I did find that the Driver Station seemed to automatically expand to the active number of inputs based on the size of the data stream received from the LaunchPad. Perhaps there is some upper limit to the number of inputs it can expand to? Perhaps its behavior is dependent upon the screen size and resolution? Alas, none of this seems to be documented anywhere.

As Alan alluded to, your team may need to create a custom Dashboard to achieve what you are looking for.

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by ayeckley

I've not found a way to manually change the number of buttons displayed but I did find that the Driver Station seemed to automatically expand to the active number of inputs based on the size of the data stream received from the LaunchPad. Perhaps there is some upper limit to the number of inputs it can expand to? Perhaps its behavior is dependent upon the screen size and resolution? Alas, none of this seems to be documented anywhere.

As Alan alluded to, your team may need to create a custom Dashboard to achieve what you are looking for.

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

The Driver Station program can not be modified by teams. However, you can change the Dashboard in any way you like.

Thanks guys!
We have no intent on modifying the drivers station code. In fact, even seeing the buttons active on the driver station is not necessary. The biggest concern is that the RoboRio can read those inputs and respond accordingly.
We will work with our programmers to verify that their code can detect the button presses, and respond accordingly.

[Joe Ross]

Originally Posted by billbo911

Thanks guys!
We have no intent on modifying the drivers station code. In fact, even seeing the buttons active on the driver station is not necessary. The biggest concern is that the RoboRio can read those inputs and respond accordingly.
We will work with our programmers to verify that their code can detect the button presses, and respond accordingly.

We noticed this yesterday also. Our java code responded to all 20 buttons, however. We filed a low priority bug against the driver station: https://usfirst.collab.net/sf/go/artf4002

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by Joe Ross

We noticed this yesterday also. Our java code responded to all 20 buttons, however. We filed a low priority bug against the driver station: https://usfirst.collab.net/sf/go/artf4002

This is exactly what I was hoping to find as well! Thanks Joe for confirming what I had suspected.

[mplanchard]

Originally Posted by ILAMtitan

I had to import it into Altium, and then export the IDF file, but you can find it here: https://txn.box.com/s/syur2lhypaihegkm2rfupxi2h0f11ufr

I was also able to export the STEP file from Altium, but I know those aren't always preferred due to file size and other restrictions. I've uploaded here for any interested parties though: https://txn.box.com/s/c0b11817xbyn6nxorrejz9728f1bublo

Since both of these are both via Altium, I can't guarantee the accuracy. If anyone can validate them, please let me know.

I will contact you through a private message - we are working with Altium and other formats. Have a few questions trying to get this into CircuitWorks. Marie

[ayeckley]

We've been able to return to this issue now that some of our more pressing problems have been resolved. In summary, we have successfully implemented an interrupt-based quadrature encoder that restores that aspect of now-discontinued Enhanced I/O features of the Driver Station.

Whitepaper located here:

http://www.chiefdelphi.com/media/papers/3097

[ILAMtitan]

This is really awesome work!
That's a really lightweight ISR for the encoder, and shouldn't cause any problems with the USB stack.

[ayeckley]

Originally Posted by ILAMtitan

shouldn't cause any problems with the USB stack.

Thanks, but now that I think of it we probably should have cleared the interrupt flag *after* incrementing/decrementing the counter instead of before. Nonetheless, it does seem to work OK as-is.

[billbo911]

I know this thread is slightly stale, but it also seems to be the closest thing I can find to the official thread for the LaunchPad.

In as much as I can see that the LaunchPad successfully implements "Output" as well as Input, I have a question.

It is not so much that I am trying to create competition for the LaunchPad, but I am trying to help increase innovation. What I would like to know is, how does the LaunchPad parse the "Output Reports" sent from the DS to the "USB HID" device that the LaunchPad is acting as?

I have done a lot of searching on the Internet and have found almost nothing on the formatting of "output reports" let alone any examples of how to receive and parse these reports.

Specifically I have two devices I would like to use in the exact same manner as the LaunchPad, the Teensy 3.1 and the Leonardo. Thus far. using them as input devices is all I can achieve. It's the output, such as turning on LEDs or force feedback, that I can not seem to be able to do.

I guess there is a second question I would like answered. Is there a document that includes a description of the data formatting sent by the DS to attached USB HID devices?

[jhersh]

Originally Posted by billbo911

I have done a lot of searching on the Internet and have found almost nothing on the formatting of "output reports" let alone any examples of how to receive and parse these reports.

I'm guessing you haven't looked at the source code for the Launchpad. That's the only example you should need to find online and it's referenced in this thread I believe. If not, it's on the wiki that is linked from this thread.

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by jhersh

I'm guessing you haven't looked at the source code for the Launchpad. That's the only example you should need to find online and it's referenced in this thread I believe. If not, it's on the wiki that is linked from this thread.

Hey Joe, good to hear from you after CVR. I sure appreciated working with you!

I'll go back and see if that code helps me. You are correct, I haven't looked at it yet. Not being a programmer by trade, more like a hack, if code isn't well commented, it really is mind-bending for me. I need things clearly spelled out before it makes sense.