Programming FAQ

[Joohoo]

Right now for my team I am the only ""programmer"" so we are using the same code from last year to run the new one, but the computer that held it crashed and our back up is sitting on a college freshmen's desk.

Q. is there anyway to "uncompile" the code directly from the controller? or do i have to start from scratch?

[Bharat Nain]

Originally Posted by Joohoo

Right now for my team I am the only ""programmer"" so we are using the same code from last year to run the new one, but the computer that held it crashed and our back up is sitting on a college freshmen's desk.

Q. is there anyway to "uncompile" the code directly from the controller? or do i have to start from scratch?

You cannot exactly "uncompile" a code. What you can do is recover what is already in the robot. Check out IFIs website for the software and details.

[Greg Marra]

Originally Posted by Bharat Nain

You cannot exactly "uncompile" a code. What you can do is recover what is already in the robot. Check out IFIs website for the software and details.

"Device Reader (zip, 2-1-2005) for reading and restoring Code in a RC (can not modify the code), instructions included."

Once the code is compiled (which is the state the downloaded code is in), it's stuck that way. There are few ways to decompile it back to the original C code it was compiled from.

I'm afraid you're stuck.

[Joohoo]

Originally Posted by Greg Marra

"Device Reader (zip, 2-1-2005) for reading and restoring Code in a RC (can not modify the code), instructions included."

Once the code is compiled (which is the state the downloaded code is in), it's stuck that way. There are few ways to decompile it back to the original C code it was compiled from.

I'm afraid you're stuck.

thanks i geuss i'll have just rebuild it

[aamodsams]

I just have a quick question. How do you load a program into an old robot controller that does not have the "prog"ram button?

[Mark McLeod]

Originally Posted by aamodsams

I just have a quick question. How do you load a program into an old robot controller that does not have the "prog"ram button?

Sounds like you have a pre-2004 Robot Controller.
Those were programmed in PBasic from Parallax not C and used an entirely different editor/compiler/downloader. It worked without the need for a "program" download button.

Let me find some references for you...

Most of what you need can be found here:
http://www.ifirobotics.com/first-legacy.shtml
under Documentation for 2001 - 2003

The default code with drive capability and the Editor that also downloads the code is available there, as well as documentation that describes what you need to know to get started.
Another useful site is:
http://www.parallax.com
In particular:
http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/...basic_stamp.asp
for the latest Editor
and
http://www.parallax.com/html_pages/...basic_stamp.asp
for in-depth PBasic user guides.

__________________

[aamodsams]

Thank you very much. I will try those links and see what I can get.

[b_mallerd]

Isn't asm the same thing as machine code? The only difference is your mov or w/e is replaced with a number.

[Ryan M.]

Originally Posted by b_mallerd

Isn't asm the same thing as machine code? The only difference is your mov or w/e is replaced with a number.

Yes, asembly is pretty much just a straight substitution of hex for a mnemonic.

[MaddyW]

Our team tried to load code from last years robot it doesn't work for some reason. One of leaders thought he saw something about not being able to use previous code on the 2007 controller. Anyone seen that rule/had problems/ideas?

[Mike Betts]

Originally Posted by MaddyW

Our team tried to load code from last years robot it doesn't work for some reason. One of leaders thought he saw something about not being able to use previous code on the 2007 controller. Anyone seen that rule/had problems/ideas?

Someone correct me if I am mistaken...

For debugging purposes, the 2006 code can be loaded into the 2007 controller. However, <R76> prohibits you from reusing code from 2006 in your 2007 competition robot.

Regards,

Mike

[Astronouth7303]

Originally Posted by Mike Betts

Someone correct me if I am mistaken...

For debugging purposes, the 2006 code can be loaded into the 2007 controller. However, <R76> prohibits you from reusing code from 2006 in your 2007 competition robot.

Regards,

Mike

The general opinion of the rule is that it somewhat akin to the bolt-on grabber. You may use code from previous years, just as you can use a design from previous years. But you should shy away from "bolt-on" black box libraries.

[mormannoob]

hi
i need help on getting started on the drive code, i was on the team last but wasn't in charge of drive code and im a little lost on how to design it.Our main programmer and mentors have been busy recently and unable to help me. if some one could give me some help on at least some sort of outline of the code i should be able to figure it out from there i dont need anything crazy just so the robot can move and turn
thanks
confused programmer

[Mark McLeod]

Try going through the default code description in the Programming Reference Guide . It's from 2004 but everything still holds true.

[monkeyleader]

Originally Posted by Astronouth7303

It seems like we get a lot of the same questions here. So, here's a repository of some of the most common ones. Feel free to post your own with answers.

If you have a question that is not answered here, please search first. I can almost guarantee that someone has asked a similar question before.

Q. MPLAB says that it can't find "xxx.h". What's up?
A. if it's a standard header (eg, #include <adc.h>) then odds are that MPLAB is misconfigured. Either set the include directory manually, or reinstall MCC18 and checking the check boxes.

I would rather not reinstall MCC18 at the moment because i'm in miami for the superbowl and dont have the disk n stuff with me. How do i set the include directory manually, mine can't find stdio.h but only in one of the files, there's at least 1 file prior to it that has #include <stdio.h> and it can find it there, just not in this one and i don't understand why. Please help.