A New Programmer

[marccenter]

Looking at your code, I would recommend that you replace some of your absolute numbers with Calibration
values for future ease of Use. That way,you can change one Calibration value at the top of your program and it
changes all the values in your program saving you valuable editing time and the possibility of an editing bo-bo. For Example, if Fwd is > 127 for pwm outputs, try something Like Fwd_Low = 150 ; Fwd_Med = 170 ;Fwd_High = 190 , Similiarly, if
Rwd is < 127 how about Rev_Low = 104, Rev_Med = 84, and Rev_High = 64.

[Spartan151]

Thanks for all the help guys. You've all been great. I'll be testing those things ASAP. Now, there are some other things I need help with, also. Our robot's claw is run by pneumatics. On our arm control, I need to program two buttons on the joystick (Or one to do both functions) to open and close the claw. How would I go about porgramming the buttons?

[Spartan151]

Originally Posted by marccenter

Looking at your code, I would recommend that you replace some of your absolute numbers with Calibration
values for future ease of Use. That way,you can change one Calibration value at the top of your program and it
changes all the values in your program saving you valuable editing time and the possibility of an editing bo-bo. For Example, if Fwd is > 127 for pwm outputs, try something Like Fwd_Low = 150 ; Fwd_Med = 170 ;Fwd_High = 190 , Similiarly, if
Rwd is < 127 how about Rev_Low = 104, Rev_Med = 84, and Rev_High = 64.

Could you explain exactly what you mean? I'm having difficulty understanding, partly because the computer I'm using now doesn't have MPLAB and partly because I only understand autonomous programming to a degree.

[blaxbb]

under ///*** DEFINE USER VARIABLES AND INITIALIZE THEM HERE ***/ or at the top of any .c file

to make it easier you should define your speeds so that you can update all of your speed values without changing every single one.

you can define your speeds once and call them multiple times

#define stop 127
#define forward 200
#define reverse 50

then instead of saying

pwm01 = 200;
pwm02 = 50;

you can say

pwm01 = forward;
pwm02 = reverse;

this makes it so much easier if you need to change a value quickly (at a competition)

[Spartan151]

Okay. It's beginning to make sense now. I'll give it a shot.

[Spartan151]

Okay. Once I get the basics done, I will need help programming the IR board functions, and programming the pneumatics for our claw to the arm joystick. I'll let you know when we get to that stage, but please, feel free to explain ahead of time. It'll help our team get a better understanding so there's no head-scratching later.

[blaxbb]

Originally Posted by Spartan151

Okay. Once I get the basics done, I will need help programming the IR board functions, and programming the pneumatics for our claw to the arm joystick. I'll let you know when we get to that stage, but please, feel free to explain ahead of time. It'll help our team get a better understanding so there's no head-scratching later.

This is where the electronics and programming team/person has to work together.

The pneumatic cylinders are piped by solenoids (electronic valves,) which are controlled by a spike (relay.)

Relays don't use the analog 0-254 scale. They are essentially digital outputs that can be either forward, off, or reverse.

You map the relays the same way that you map speed controllers.

relay1_fwd = p1_sw_trig;

That would set relay1 to be forward every time your joystick 1 trigger is held.

IFI has a list of the joystick inputs here. pdf warning



As far as the IR, you need to read the digital input (1 or 0) and pass it through a conditional (if, else, switch) to execute a command.

if (rc_dig_in01 == 1) {
     pwm01 = pwm02 = 200;
     }
else {
     pwm01 = pwm02 = 127;
}

change rc_dig_in01 to match up with the digital input that was wired to your bot

the reference docs to wire and train the IR board are here. pdf warning

[Spartan151]

Okay. Next question: Is it possible to program the joystick trigger to, when squeezed the first time, open the claw, and when pressed a second time, closes the claw?

Also, where do these code lines fit in at?

[blaxbb]

Originally Posted by Spartan151

Okay. Next question: Is it possible to program the joystick trigger to, when squeezed the first time, open the claw, and when pressed a second time, closes the claw?

Also, where do these code lines fit in at?

I've been trying to figure that out too, can anyone else fill in.

I'm pretty sure you would have to write a toggle function, but I'm not exactly sure how it should work.

[Alan Anderson]

Examples of toggle functions are common on the Chief Delphi forums. Here's another:

  :
  :
  static char prev_trig = 0;
  static char toggle = 0;
  :
  if (p1_trig && !prev_trig)
  {
    toggle = !toggle;
  }
  prev_trig = p1_trig;
  :

This will switch toggle from 0 to 1, or vice versa, each time the port 1 joystick trigger is depressed. You can test its value to decide what to do next.

[Spartan151]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

Examples of toggle functions are common on the Chief Delphi forums. Here's another:

  :
  :
  static char prev_trig = 0;
  static char toggle = 0;
  :
  if (p1_trig && !prev_trig)
  {
    toggle = !toggle;
  }
  prev_trig = p1_trig;
  :

This will switch toggle from 0 to 1, or vice versa, each time the port 1 joystick trigger is depressed. You can test its value to decide what to do next.

Okay. Taking this code, where do I write in the relay values, if they need to be written in? Or is that done with the previous code for the relay values?

[Spartan151]

Okay. Here's another problem. I have the code written, but I keep getting a syntax error every time I try to build. How exactly do I run MPLAB? Also, where do those codes involving the toggling and pneumatics fit in?

[blaxbb]

A syntax error means that typed something in your code wrong, forgot a semicolon, mistyped a variable, etc.

in MPLAB where it says syntax error

user_routines_fast.c:27:Error: syntax error

The number 27 after the file matches the line that the error is on.

Can you compile the default code?

[Jim E]

Hi,

You can try this, but I don't make any guarantee.

Toggle_gripper(current state)
{
int temp_state;
If ((p3_sw_trig==TRUE)&&( current _state== CLOSED)
temp_state=current_state;

else if (p3_sw_trig==TRUE)
temp_state=OPEN;

else if ((p3_sw_trig==FALSE)&&(current_state==OPEN))
temp_state=current_state;

else if ((p3_sw_trig==FALSE)
temp_state=CLOSED;

} return (temp_state);

In you Default _Routine, simply call the function:


pwm_state=Toggle_Gripper(current_pwm);
if (current_pwm<>pwm_state)
pwm=pwm_state;

I'm writing this off the cuff, you will need to correct the syntax and apply your own values for the pwm assignments, but it looks plausable. Good luck.