An open-source, cross-platform Driver Station...

[spat]

Hello!

During the last months, I have been working in a cross-platform and open source alternative to the FRC Driver Station. Currently, the application is able to run on Windows, Mac and Linux. However, I am also implementing a mobile version, which would work on Android, iOS and Windows Phone.

This driver station supports the 2015 protocol, however, I have made it relatively easy to implement different communication protocols, since I separated the UI and the Communication library into different projects.

While there is still a lot of work (and testing) to do, I would really appreciate if you could test the application and send me some feedback about it. As you may expect, code is always welcome.

Please note that the mobile version is still under heavy development, so for the moment there are no binaries/installers available. I will upload them when the application is fully functional and thoroughly tested.

By the way, you can drive the robot with a "real" joystick or with your keyboard

Links:

• Contact me by e-mail: alex_spataru@outlook.com
• Official website: http://qdriverstation.sf.net
• Download beta installers (Mac & Windows): http://sourceforge.net/p/qdriverstation
• GitHub Repository (desktop version): https://github.com/wint-3794/qdriverstation
• GitHub Repository (mobile version): https://github.com/wint-3794/ds-mobile
• GitHub Repository (communication library): https://github.com/wint-3794/libds
• Facebook page (brand new, for updates regarding development and features): http://facebook.com/qdriverstation

(edit) For everyone who downloaded the application before November 8th:

I strongly recommend you to download it again, as I updated it to include an auto-updater and fixed some bugs with the keyboard/virtual joystick.

Notes:

• Both the mobile and desktop version use the same library to communicate and manage the robot.
• In the desktop version, joystick input is done via SDL2. If you decide to test this application, PLEASE check how SDL maps the joystick (in the same way as you do with the official Driver Station). Avoid involuntary robot movements! If you are unsure about this, use the "virtual joystick" option before testing it with a real joystick.
• This project is written in C++ using the Qt toolkit.

Greetings!

[Joey1939]

This is awesome!. I love open source projects. When I get access to a robot on Monday, I will try it out on Windows, OS X, and iOS.

[spat]

Originally Posted by Joey1939

This is awesome!. I love open source projects. When I get access to a robot on Monday, I will try it out on Windows, OS X, and iOS.

Thank you very much for your interest in the project! You are welcome to try out the application on iOS, however, please note that the mobile version is still in the alpha stage:

• For the moment, you will need to compile it by yourself. I have included the build instructions in the readme file of the repository.
• Some features will be missing and you will encounter bugs in the mobile application

[MaGiC_PiKaChU]

I'm speechless... this is awesome

[SoftwareBug2.0]

I'm also excited to try this out on a robot. This should save my team a bunch of table space. That may seem like an odd thing to say, but our solution to the the problems of the driver station not running on Linux and E-stopping on spacebar has been to use twice as many computers, half for development, half for running the driver station. This should solve both of those problems.

I've successfully built and started the program on Ubuntu 15.04. For others who are trying this I would recommend the following command:

sudo apt-get install libsdl2-dev qtcreator && git clone https://github.com/WinT-3794/QDriverStation.git && cd QDriverStation && qmake && make && sudo make install

I tried installing the proper Qt development libraries piecewise without Qt Creator and I got to a place where it wasn't obvious what part I was missing, but Qt Creator must have depended on it because installing it solved things.

[BenGuy]

I'm not huge into code, so forgive my ignorance...

Is there any way that this could run on windows rt? The processor (ARM cpu) can't run .exe so are you going to turn this into a windows app or anything like that? Thanks.

[spat]

Originally Posted by BenGuy

I'm not huge into code, so forgive my ignorance...

Is there any way that this could run on windows rt? The processor (ARM cpu) can't run .exe so are you going to turn this into a windows app or anything like that? Thanks.

AFAIK, I can compile the application for Windows RT. If so, I will upload a RT installer the following week.

[Ben Wolsieffer]

This is awesome! I have worked on an Android driver station, but haven't had time to finish it. Your application looks like it can (or will be able to do) everything I need.

I'm working on an Arch Linux package for the desktop version, which I'll upload to the AUR, in case anyone wants to use it.

[Ben Wolsieffer]

I finished the Arch Linux package (at the expense of the timely completion of my homework), available here.

[gixxy]

Originally Posted by lopsided98

I finished the Arch Linux package (at the expense of the timely completion of my homework), available here.

I can confirm that it installs correctly. Awesome work.

Also Awesome work to you spat!

[Sauce-ome]

This looks really awesome! Do you know if the drivers station would work on the raspberry pi or would the pi not have the power to run it? If it could it would open up some cool opportunities.

[spat]

Originally Posted by Sauce-ome

This looks really awesome! Do you know if the drivers station would work on the raspberry pi or would the pi not have the power to run it? If it could it would open up some cool opportunities.

Well, it runs on Linux and it does not consume too much RAM memory (approx. 15 MB on my laptop). If the current version is too heavy for it, I could easily make a "terminal" version of it, as I implemented the code that communicates and manages the robot in a separate library. In other words, I would only need to write the UI/GUI part

[plnyyanks]

I love this! Any advice for (potential) contributors?

[x86_4819]

Originally Posted by spat

Well, it runs on Linux and it does not consume too much RAM memory (approx. 15 MB on my laptop). If the current version is too heavy for it, I could easily make a "terminal" version of it, as I implemented the code that communicates and manages the robot in a separate library. In other words, I would only need to write the UI/GUI part

Imagine if you could run this on the RoboRIO itself over ssh.....

[spat]

Originally Posted by x86_4819

Imagine if you could run this on the RoboRIO itself over ssh.....

The way the communications between the DS and the robot work would make this relatively difficult. But, given the appropriate network configuration, you could drive a robot with another robot...