What is Easy C good for?

[SoD]

It seem to be quite useless =S

[dcbrown]

Opinions vary.

Many teams are able to teach enough programming skills using EasyC to allow students to program their whole robot including reasonable autonomous modes.

[Ben Piecuch]

Our students used the VEX program in the fall the learn about robotics, mechanisms, and specifically, EasyC programming. The EasyC software allows you to write your code using drag-and-drop type commands, similar to what the students learned way back during LEGO League. One of the great things about EasyC is that it comes preloaded with modules for the camera, gear tooth sensors, wheel encoders, and a slew of other sensors. Also, you're able to use the same interface for both FVC and FRC. The same program can even be used to run both robots, as EasyC is able to switch back and forth between the two.

If you can't find a use for EasyC, then you probably aren't using it correctly, or to it's full potential. If you have more questions about it, ask anyone from Team 40. They have a little more insight into the software, seeing as how they wrote it...

BEN

[artdutra04]

It seem to be quite useless =S

I'm sorry, but I have to completely disagree with that statement. EasyC PRO, just like MPLAB, is just a tool that helps you write code. And from my experiences, EasyC PRO just makes that process a lot more efficient.

Every season prior to the current season, we programmed our robot in MPLAB. We usually had a robot that worked, and we usually had some sort of a simple dead reckoning autonomous mode. It worked, but it was clearly quite time consuming to develop amazing code in MPLAB.

This fall, as a beta tester for EasyC PRO, I decided to take out some of the many sensors that our team never used on our FRC robot, like gyros and accelerometers and start programming them in EasyC PRO. Literally within hours, I had PID Control for the gyro perfected. I know for a fact that if I tried that in MPLAB it would have taken much longer!

The amazing thing I love in EasyC is the speed at which you can get code done. Deep down inside I'm not an uber-programmer geek. I'm not one of those people who incessantly insists that they develop 100% of their code in a text editor in Linux. I honestly don't care how the code is developed, all I care about is the end result. And if I spend 1 hour in EasyC PRO and accomplish twice as much, then you better bet that's what I going to use to program the robot!

Even the main programming mentor on our team - a college student pursuing a degree in computer science - has realized how useful and amazing EasyC PRO is, especially their built in color-syntax text editor. I gave him the PID control code I developed in the fall and already we have the basis for an amazing closed-loop feedback and control system for our robot's tele-operated and autonomous modes, at a degree light years ahead of the sophistication we could have achieved in MPLAB.

So in the end it's up to your team to decide. But just like the Mac vs. PC vs. Linux debate, choose your opinion only after you've extensively used each product. For everyone that does not like EasyC, open your mind and take EasyC PRO for a test run for at least a few days.

[EHaskins]

I think its not good for use by experienced programmers. I actually hate using it I can write something in MPLab in less than 1/4 the time it takes in easyC, but I also like DOS.

EasyC is GREAT for rookies and people who don't know C. I have used it as a training aid because it still uses C syntax, but it is so simple.

EasyC has its uses, but I will never run it on our robot.

[Binome]

i use it for simple joystick to pwm mappings, and for relay mapping. anything more complicated I start to dig into mplab.

[Dave Flowerday]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

I gave him the PID control code I developed in the fall and already we have the basis for an amazing closed-loop feedback and control system for our robot's tele-operated and autonomous modes, at a degree light years ahead of the sophistication we could have achieved in MPLAB.

...but he didn't reuse that PID code, right?

I've seen a lot of different comments here on CD lately that give me the impression that people are either conveniently ignoring R76 (not necessarily saying you are) or else they're reading it differently than I am.

[esquared]

Originally Posted by Dave Flowerday

...but he didn't reuse that PID code, right?

I've seen a lot of different comments here on CD lately that give me the impression that people are either conveniently ignoring R76 (not necessarily saying you are) or else they're reading it differently than I am.

I'm reading R76 the same way you are Dave. We started this year's repository by checking in the default code from IFI, then re-writing the elements we could use from last year. Despite how silly it is to re-write the same joystick PWM curves to give our drivers the same response they loved last year, C code is no different from a CAD drawing of a wheel you want to re-use from previous designs. I don't necessarily agree with R76, but you're not alone in your interpretation.

Sorry for the thread hijack

[artdutra04]

Originally Posted by Dave Flowerday

...but he didn't reuse that PID code, right?

I've seen a lot of different comments here on CD lately that give me the impression that people are either conveniently ignoring R76 (not necessarily saying you are) or else they're reading it differently than I am.

Don't worry, we are in full compliance with <R76>.

I developed the code to run on the Vex controller in EasyC PRO. To use it on a FRC Controller it would have to be retyped up, and several changes (most notably the joystick mapping) would have to be made for it to run on the FRC controller. It was not until after the Kickoff event in which I gave the code to our programming mentor. By retyping up the code, we now satisify the requirements for <R76>.

Basically the code I wrote in the fall was "prototype" code that was completely rewritten during the build season.

[JamesBrown]

Originally Posted by EHaskins

I think its not good for use by experienced programmers. I actually hate using it I can write something in MPLab in less than 1/4 the time it takes in easyC, but I also like DOS.

EasyC is GREAT for rookies and people who don't know C. I have used it as a training aid because it still uses C syntax, but it is so simple.

EasyC has its uses, but I will never run it on our robot.

Have you used Easy C Pro?

There is no way you can write something in MPLAB faster. I admit that I have made the same statement about never running easy c on my teams robot but I can no longer stand by that, If I was on another team where I was primarily doing programming, I would use EasyC Pro, just because I have too much to do in a day to spend an in necessary amount of time on coding for the team. It has nothing to do with my programming abilities, it has every thing to do with the fact that I value my time. I spend atleast a couple of hours a day writing code for schoo, research, robotics, and personal use. I saw limitations in original easy c but they are gone. Now if only Intellitek could write EasyC++, EasyJava, EasyPython, and EasyVisualC# I could cut my time spent writing code down significantly.

James

[intellec7]

There are certain things that, from what I have seen, can not be accomplished in EasyC, but again, these are things that an experienced programmer would feel the need to do.

Things like custom control of the 2nd serial port, I think you can't do. Also, the limit of only one gyro, and the limit of only the TRACK camera command.

When I code, I like to know exactly what is going on. The WPIlib source code is not available, so I don't know what is happening behind the scenes.

I think EasyC is a great tool for those not accustomed to syntax languages. It helps in visualizing what is happening in the code. It is very far from useless.

[JamesBrown]

Originally Posted by intellec7

There are certain things that, from what I have seen, can not be accomplished in EasyC, but again, these are things that an experienced programmer would feel the need to do.

Things like custom control of the 2nd serial port, I think you can't do. Also, the limit of only one gyro, and the limit of only the TRACK camera command.

When I code, I like to know exactly what is going on. The WPIlib source code is not available, so I don't know what is happening behind the scenes.

I think EasyC is a great tool for those not accustomed to syntax languages. It helps in visualizing what is happening in the code. It is very far from useless.

Easy C pro allows you to edit and write your own code in C. As I understand it, if you can do it in MPLAB then you can do it in EasyC PRO

[Doug Leppard]

Originally Posted by EHaskins

I think its not good for use by experienced programmers. I actually hate using it I can write something in MPLab in less than 1/4 the time it takes in easyC, but I also like DOS.

EasyC is GREAT for rookies and people who don't know C. I have used it as a training aid because it still uses C syntax, but it is so simple.

EasyC has its uses, but I will never run it on our robot.

Last year we did everything in MPLab and had a killer autonomous mode. This year we have two professional programmers, one with Lockheed Martin and one with Electronic Arts.

This year we are using EasyC Pro. The programmers are amazed what they can do and it makes it easier for the kids to program too.

[Kingofl337]

We are getting ready to release an update to easyC PRO that allows you to select which gyro your are using 80, 150, or 300. Also allows for adjusting the dead band.

Also, you can send anything you want to the camera. If you look in API.h you will see WriteSerialPortTwo(unsigned char). You can send any message you want to the camera. Brad also added a feature to WPILIB to make that even easier. Namely the ability to create virtual blinders for the camera to shut off sections of the CCD to ignore a items from the field of view.

I honestly don't believe that there is anything you can't do in easyC that is applicable to FIRST other than a "Because I Can" type item.

[Tom Bottiglieri]

Let's look at training wheels for a bicycle.

Not very useful for someone who knows how to ride well.
Indispensable for people who are just starting.

EasyC parallels this train of thought.