Theft hits Portland FRC Team 1432

[jojoguy10]

We use Labview backed up on our Google Drive storage.

As the main programming mentor, I've been wanting to learn how to use GitHub, but, I've heard, with Labview, it's really difficult.

If anyone else is using GitHub and Labview together, I would love to pick your brain (so to speak)!

[Jean Tenca]

Originally Posted by jojoguy10

We use Labview backed up on our Google Drive storage.

As the main programming mentor, I've been wanting to learn how to use GitHub, but, I've heard, with Labview, it's really difficult.

If anyone else is using GitHub and Labview together, I would love to pick your brain (so to speak)!

We use GitHub and Labview. If you're interested in learning more we'd be happy to give you more info and help you guys set things up. You can PM or email me

[MamaSpoldi]

Originally Posted by Sperkowsky

We use github also. I'm not trying to offend the news people but to our team coding simple driving (tank mecanum omni ect) is something that take max 20 minutes and to program the lift another maybe 15. If that's not everyone I feel bad and we will help but it shouldn't be an issue for them to come back easily. I'd be more mad they just lost a 500-1000 piece of hardware.

It may be true that you could get driving code that quickly, but why would you want to leave yourself with no other option. In addition, for our team the level of sensor integration and other control systems that we have implemented would take days if not weeks to re-create from scratch. This is why we make backups on a flashdrive as well as using an SVN repository on SourceForge.

Originally Posted by dtengineering

A USB key of "known good" software taped to the driver station.

Github, Dropbox, Google Drive... none of them will help if you drop your laptop half-way through re-programming your robot, while you're standing in the queueing line.

With a flash drive and a helpful alliance partner, you at least stand a chance to set things right.
Jason

Exactly! We use our SVN on SourceForge as a development platform for merging code between multiple programmers as well as a backup. But we also keep a backup on flashdrive especially at competition. At an event, whenever a change is made to the code our lead programmer (student) deploys and tests the change... then it is my job as the programming mentor to make a backup of the code which is now on the robot onto my flashdrive. This ensures that we are never in doubt as to what code is currently on the robot. And it gives us immediately available access to our source code since we rarely have internet access at the venue.

So sorry to hear that 1432 learned this the hard way... it is never an easy lesson. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to help out in your recovery process.

Good Luck!

[YAK'ker]

I don't know if Team 1432 has any presence on Chief Delphi, but they are on Facebook, if you want to contact them that way.
https://www.facebook.com/team1432?ref=br_tf

I believe they have rec'd quite a few donations, a laptop or two, but are still missing a copy of Labview, according to their most recent FB post.

Hoping we get to see them at the Philomath (OR) competition later this week!

[Mk.32]

I wish the best for the team, it's a horrible situation to be in :/

... but just me or .. but the wording of the news article just made cringe really har....

[AWoL]

Originally Posted by Mk.32

I wish the best for the team, it's a horrible situation to be in :/

... but just me or .. but the wording of the news article just made cringe really har....

Yeah...didn't want to say it due to the sad nature of the post, but yeah. "All the codes", and don't forget "working hard to find the right code sequence." I marvel at how some people can still be this technologically illiterate in this modern day and age. I get that not everyone is a programer, but I think most people at least know the (somewhat) proper terminology.

[ArtemusMaximus]

Originally Posted by dtengineering

A USB key of "known good" software taped to the driver station.

Github, Dropbox, Google Drive... none of them will help if you drop your laptop half-way through re-programming your robot, while you're standing in the queueing line.

With a flash drive and a helpful alliance partner, you at least stand a chance to set things right.

Jason

The thing is it's not like it's "either, or". Any decent DRP (disaster recovery program) involves several types of backup. At the very minimum, back up your code every day of coding to USB or better yet to 2 or more USBs and give to different people.

[Ozuru]

We had this exact issue last year -- it was stored in a semi-public area during the school day and was swiped. The code is now backed up daily. If you're using Java I'm sure I could help you guys rebuild your code. PM me.

[GreyingJay]

Originally Posted by jojoguy10

As the main programming mentor, I've been wanting to learn how to use GitHub, but, I've heard, with Labview, it's really difficult.

If anyone else is using GitHub and Labview together, I would love to pick your brain (so to speak)!

GitHub lets you store and manage any kind of files -- text, binaries, pictures, whatever. If the files are plain text then you can view diffs and track changes between files a little more clearly, but it still works without.

Originally Posted by ArtemusMaximus

The thing is it's not like it's "either, or". Any decent DRP (disaster recovery program) involves several types of backup. At the very minimum, back up your code every day of coding to USB or better yet to 2 or more USBs and give to different people.

Just like you don't show up to a competition with only one battery, and you probably bring spares of key parts like motors, breakers, etc. Always have several ways you can access your code in case something happens to your original.

I was a design judge for FLL last November and one team showed up with a laptop expecting to just pull down their presentation from their Google Drive. I let them squirm and panic for a minute and then asked "So boys.. what did you learn?" Their sheepish answer was "we should have downloaded a copy onto this laptop before we came in". Only then did I give them the wifi password to the school network.

[Travis Hoffman]

Originally Posted by YAK'ker

http://www.katu.com/news/local/Stole...297233311.html

There's a link on the team's website, if you would like to donate to help them out.

Brings up a question - how do other teams back up their robot's programming?

We make a GrabCAD project and upload the files there.

We also back up to a separate USB drive periodically.

[seg9585]

Team 1432, do you need help re-writing your robot code?

If so, let me know, I'd be happy to help. You should be able to borrow spare Driver Station laptops from your local regional.