Classmate

[MachineSMMC]

Is the classmate capable of doing all of the programming and running of the robot?

Thanks

[EricVanWyk]

Yes, but it is much easier with a laptop that has a bigger screen and keyboard. I have tiny hands, and I still can't do better than hunt and peck typing on that thing.

[Ryutso]

Gah the classmate is about the size of my EEE. I can barely type on that, but it's portable like nothing else.

[star_lancer]

If you're using labview, I strongly suggest you at least get a USB mouse, if not a laptop with a bigger screen and keyboard.

[~Cory~]

If the screen is to small you can also buy a usb monitor cable (usb->rgb or dvi) for like $60

[tckma]

Originally Posted by MachineSMMC

Is the classmate capable of doing all of the programming and running of the robot?

Our Classmate PC appears to have .NET 3.5 pre-installed, and this presentation on the DS seems to imply that teams will be allowed to override or enhance the default dashboard software with custom code. That said, I believe the actual control code must reside on the robot (i.e., on the cRIO). I imagine the Classmate can be used for robot feedback and typical DS functionality only.

During brainstorming, an idea was presented for some custom feedback code, which I hope we'll be allowed to implement.

[Doc Wu]

From what I've observed in playing around with our Classmate and the LabView programs supplied this year, there are two LabView programs running in the Driver account.

The Driver Station program runs and loads the Dashboard program automatically. They fit together on the screen to fill it entirely and look like one application.

My understanding is that the Dashboard can be customized as the team feels is necessary, but the Driver Station should be left alone. When you think about it, that's the same as last year, except it's software instead of a blue box.

[Doug Norman]

What Doc Wu has observed is exactly right. The Dashboard is an exe, but you can build your own and replace it. For more information on how to do this you can go here:
http://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-8923
and check out the Robot and Dashboard Projects presentation in "Part E".

[ranc]

Is there supposed to be audio for the presentation?
How would you actually replace the old dashboard after you've made your own? Is there a way to make a .exe in labview? (sorry if this is something obvious, I'm used to programming with C++)
Is there a naming convention?

[Mark McLeod]

For your own Dashboard...
You can replace C:\Program Files\FRC Dashboard\Dashboard.exe
or
You can redirect the Driver Station with a new Dashboard path by carefully editing: My Computer -> Local Disk -> Documents & Settings -> All Users -> Shared Documents -> FRC DS Data Storage.ini

You create an .exe for the PC in LabVIEW as one of the right-click options under
My Computer -> Build Specifications

[ranc]

ah Thank you
that was exactly what I was looking for