Limit Switch Programming

[Ether]

@GoldenGollem:

1) what motor controller are you using?

2) would you please post a picture showing how you have the limit switch mounted.

[GoldenGollem]

First off, thanks Engunner for the idea of using booleans to organize the code. I am using one limit switch to stop the motor from moving too far in the reverse. I am, however having issues with

if (intakeMotorForward && !limitSwitch ) {

It is showing that there is and error there.

[engunneer]

Originally Posted by GoldenGollem

First off, thanks Engunner for the idea of using booleans to organize the code. I am using one limit switch to stop the motor from moving too far in the reverse. I am, however having issues with

if (intakeMotorForward && !limitSwitch ) {

It is showing that there is and error there.

grain of salt needed - i'm a C# programmer, not java, so you may need to tweak syntax. I teach my students concepts and pseudo-code, and they have to translate it to reality.

if (intakeMotorForward && (limitSwitch == false)) {

perhaps?

[rich2202]

Originally Posted by GoldenGollem

First off, thanks Engunner for the idea of using booleans to organize the code. I am using one limit switch to stop the motor from moving too far in the reverse. I am, however having issues with

if (intakeMotorForward && !limitSwitch ) {

It is showing that there is and error there.

Did you define the variable and assign a value to it (get the limit switch status)?

[Brian Ho]

Originally Posted by GoldenGollem

First off, thanks Engunner for the idea of using booleans to organize the code. I am using one limit switch to stop the motor from moving too far in the reverse. I am, however having issues with

if (intakeMotorForward && !limitSwitch ) {

It is showing that there is and error there.

There are 2 simple problems with your code.

First,
On top, where you declared

DigitalInput limitSwitch;

change to

DigitalInput limitSwitch = new DigitalInput(x);

where x is the port number where your limit switch is plugged in at the DIO part of the roborio

Second,
It's not just

!limitSwitch

You need to use

!limitSwitch.get()

Which gets you the boolean value of the limit switch which may be true or false depending if you wired it as normally opened or normally closed.

[engunneer]

Originally Posted by Brian Ho

You need to use

!limitSwitch.get()

Which gets you the boolean value of the limit switch which may be true or false depending if you wired it as normally opened or normally closed.

To fit this into my earlier recommendation about collecting the inputs and outputs at the edges of the code, be sure your limit switch has a meaningful name and that "true" and "false" make sense. then you only have to do inversion once when you read the input, and not have to think about it when you use it later.

boolean intakeHitLimitInNegativeDirection = !limitswitch.get();

...rest of code...

and be sure your electrical team keeps consistent wiring on motor connections, such that sending a positive command always moves your motor in the same direction from system to system. Even better, label the mechanism with arrows specifying the plus direction until you are fully confident in all your code.

For future code, consider looking at the command template. It feels more complicated than iterative, but certain concepts in command are far more powerful than iterative, and Robot Builder is a big benefit as well.

[GoldenGollem]

@Ether
We are using a Talon SR motor control with the motor. I do not have a picture of the actual limit switch mount (we have just added it and we are not in the shop today). We have tested the mechanics behind it and that half of it should all work so we just need the coding aspect of it done. Thanks -GG

[Ether]

Originally Posted by GoldenGollem

I do not have a picture of the actual limit switch mount (we have just added it and we are not in the shop today). We have tested the mechanics behind it and that half of it should all work

Just a heads-up: Here's why I asked.