Using non joystick controls with Operator Interface (Hacking Various Controllers)

[ElCrazon]

Well, we're a rookie team and I just wired up a playstation controller to our robot yesterday. It took about an hour and a half once I got the d-sub conectors in the mail. Anyway, it's really cool to drive the robot with.

[Bremma]

I'm trying to figure out how to wire and program a non joystick device for controlling the robot. I'm not sure how many switches we would use, though it will probably be 3 or 4, depending on what exactly we use for/on our arm. Does any know if I need to take any special considerations when deciding where to wire these on a serial port and what pins match up for the different controls on the ports? Any help is appriecated, and if a thread already exists for this, I can't find it, so point me there.

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Bremma

I'm trying to figure out how to wire and program a non joystick device for controlling the robot. I'm not sure how many switches we would use, though it will probably be 3 or 4, depending on what exactly we use for/on our arm. Does any know if I need to take any special considerations when deciding where to wire these on a serial port and what pins match up for the different controls on the ports? Any help is appriecated, and if a thread already exists for this, I can't find it, so point me there.

Heather,
Switches are connected and mapped through the four joystick ports on the OI not the serial port. If you check in the OI manual you will find the pinout for the four ports and the buttons they call in the OI and default software.

[Bremma]

OK, so will I need to ground all of my switches on 4 and 12? Or do I just need to connect the ends of the switches to the pins?

[Al Skierkiewicz]

Originally Posted by Bremma

OK, so will I need to ground all of my switches on 4 and 12? Or do I just need to connect the ends of the switches to the pins?

In looking at section 4 of the OI manual...
"Digital Inputs (see pinouts on pages 7-10)
To utilize these inputs, wire buttons or switches between the desired digital input signal pin and any ground pin. A digital input senses a connection to ground to become active. Do not connect switches or digital inputs to 5V. Do not use lighted switches."
Any switch will have one side wired to the desired digital input on one of the four ports and the other side of the switch will be wired to either/both pin 4 and/or 12 on any port. If you search you will find a reference that allows you to construct a "y" cable that will connecto two of the ports so that you can have a button box that has more switches than one port can provide. Also note that digital inputs are duplicated on two ports. See port 2 & port 4 pinout tables.