Watchdog/Refnum/Labview Problems

[weinbergmath]

Hi everyone,

After browsing the forums, it seems I have a watchdog error, but I can't figure out where it might be. Here's the backstory:

After testing the drive motors with the joysticks last week, we updated the software to include controls for our pneumatic systems. I disconnected the wires that connected the joystick axes to the Arcade Drive VI so the motors wouldn't do anything during testing of those systems. After getting the relays to work as we wanted, I reconnected the wires from the axis array outputs of Get Joystick to the inputs of the Arcade Drive, and our troubles began.

The joysticks could still control the relays, but did not move the motors at all. The Jaguars blinked a slow red, which I believe indicates a problem with the signal. When disabled, they returned to blinking amber.

In the diagnostics tab, the error messages had the Watchdog error that many other CD users have said are a bug that shouldn't affect anything. I also had other messages that said that a reference wasn't found in the Robot main VI. I initially had 2 joysticks, but put enverything on one joystick when the Refnum error said it couldn't find a reference related to the joystick. I figured that the joystick reference I added had some error that I didn't even know about, even though I added it in the SAME format as Joystick 1 was entered in Begin.vi.

My troubleshooting info:
1. Attaching a servo to the PWM outputs on the sidecar and adding the jumper gave the Joysticks control over the servo as I would expect the motors to have.

2. The dashboard shows that the PWM signals are indeed going out as expected when the joystick is moved.

3. I did this using the tether and the wireless and both had the same results.


4. I removed the camera references in Teleop and begin.VI, but there was no change - still no motor outputs.

5. At one point before I removed the second joystick, moving ONE of the joysticks caused PWM1 to move for a brief second before shutting down. This never occurred with the right motor on PWM2.


Based on what I've read in other posts, this seems to be a watchdog issue designed to stop the motors when the system hangs. I removed all references to the watchdog in these two VIs, and the problem remained. I did NOT get any continuous signal in the driver station software that the Watchdog hadn't been fed, though occasionally it did appear immediately after switching from teloperated disable to enable.

I'm probably going to start from the basic template and add in everything I changed again, but I'm hoping there is a simple reason why this isn't working. If you have a moment, I'd love to get insight from someone on possible issues. I've attached the two files to this post. The collective brilliance of the CD community amazes me and has helped in the past - I'm hoping for more of the same!

Take care everyone,

Evan

[Mark McLeod]

With Joystick 2 you didn't keep an identical naming convention, so I deduce that your second joystick reference in Teleop.vi did not use the exact name given in Begin.vi, e.g., "Joystick2" ~= "Joystick 2"
The technique I teach is to copy the reference name given in Begin and paste it wherever it is needed to avoid typos.

As far as the red blinking Jaguars, that is not a sign of a Watchdog error.
From the symptoms, it seems your code is fine, but a Jaguar fault is being generated.

Did you use a fully charged battery?

A slow flashing Red LED indicates that the MDL-BDC detected one of the following fault conditions:

• Power supply under-voltage
• Over temperature
• Over current
• Limit switch activated in the current direction of motion

When a fault condition occurs, the motor shuts down and the LED indicates a fault state during the fault condition and for 3 seconds after the fault cause is cleared (except for the limit switch fault, which is cleared instantly). A slow flashing Yellow LED indicates that the MDL-BDC is not receiving a valid control signal.

[weinbergmath]

Hi Mark,

Thanks for the note - we ended up starting from scratch and building everything back up to where we had it, and it now works. The battery wasn't the problem, which still makes me a bit uncomfortable since the problem could somehow appear again. I'm satisfied for now that as of last night with lots of testing of all of the systems simultaneously, the problem never arose again.

Thanks for the help!

Evan