Blank Smart Dashboard

[rod@3711]

We use Robot Builder and Smart Dashboard a lot. One of our PC's has decided to display a blank Smart Dashboard screen (see captureBAD.png file), while the other 2 PC's act as expected (see captureOK.png file).

We have tried all of our tricks. Mainly we will delete the smartdashboard.xml file when Smart Dashboard behaves badly.

We have had lots of new helpers, so I have no idea what may have been done to cause this.

[AustinShalit]

Can you try adding a connection indicator?

View -> Add... -> Connection Indicator

[rod@3711]

I had tried the connection indicator and it stayed RED. I tried assigning a different team number, then reassigning 3711. It stayed the same. I finally gave up and went home.

This morning, I restarted both roborio and PC and it worked. A little dissatisfying, since we had done that multiple times yesterday.

I will write this off to a flakey PC.

One followup on Smart Dashboard. This is a repeat question from last year. If we delete smartdashboard.xml and start smart dashboard, the non-test mode buttons and indicators spread out randomly, while the test mode widgets stack on one another. When we edit and rearrange the buttons and widgets, everything is ok. If we save the layout either via SAVE or by saving upon exit, the next time we start smart dashboard. the new layouts are saved and non-test mode indicators look ok, but the test mode widgets are mostly blank. To get past this we usually delete smartdashboard.xml when we want to use test mode.

I am a strong advocate of Robot Builder and Smart Dashboard for getting rookie programmers started, but I lose credibility when so many unexplainable things happen.

[rod@3711]

Hold on. I got excited when the bad PC finally showed a populated Smart Dashboard.

But now I realize the it reverted to old ways. If I exit Smart Dashboard and restart, the window is again blank. Went thru sequence several times and realize that putting the PC to Sleep is what fixed it.

I vaguely remember another thread that mentioned putting PC to Sleep solved a Smart Dashboard issue. I will do some more searching.

thanx

[AustinShalit]

If we save the layout either via SAVE or by saving upon exit, the next time we start smart dashboard. the new layouts are saved and non-test mode indicators look ok, but the test mode widgets are mostly blank.

Can you please post a screenshot of the mostly blank widgets?



You might want to try setting static ip addresses for your devices. Take a look at this document for more information:

https://wpilib.screenstepslive.com/s...g-at-the-event

[rod@3711]

The OK image below shows the testmode widgets after Smart Dashboard was started without smartdashboard.xml.

I exited Smart Dashboard and Saved layout.

The BAD image shows the blank widgets in test mode. It preserved the layout, but no data. This has plagued us for over 1 year.

I will play with static IP addresses.

[Mark McLeod]

When you get into the unpopulated Dashboard state.
Try just pushing the roboRIO built-in Reset button to see if restarting the server helps.
Don't touch or restart anything else.

[rod@3711]

One issue kinda figured out. The blank Smart Dashboard upon restart is related to the network configuration.

I have been testing using a USB cable. On all 3 PC's the wireless was still enabled. If I disabled the wireless on the BAD PC (Win 7), the Smart Dashboard came up as expected.

This may explain why this PC gave us issues at events last year. Most likely the wireless was enabled, when we were tethered via ethernet or USB. We solved it last year by buying a new Win10 computer.

This did not resolve the issue of Blank Widgets on Test Mode window.