Need a Full "Watchdog for idiots" explanation

[Greg McKaskle]

The real issue may be with the code you aren't asking about. Watchdog's are used to ensure that machinery or equipment the computer is supposed to control is being paid attention to often enough. If the computer doesn't do its job, the watchdog steps in and takes over the job, hopefully making things safer by turning off power. The FRC watchdog doesn't latch once it is thrown, so I believe what you are seeing is feeding that is way too slow.

The computer sets up the motors, then delays for a bit too long so the watchdog turns everything off. Then the code comes back, feeds, and the motors jerk back to their current settings, and then we repeat.

I don't recall seeing what mode the robot is in, but if it is teleop, this could likely be caused by putting vision or some other expensive task inside the robot Main or inside TeleOp. I think the best thing to do is post code you've modified, or pictures of the code.

Greg McKaskle

[K Lenox]

First thing, I would like to say thankyou for expaining those components.

Second, I am working in Autonomous mode, not Teleoperated mode. We know its not the gears, because they run smoothly in Teleop, its the programming. I have a program like this in LabVIEW

WhileLoop
[ WattchdogFeed, TankDrive(left & right -1), ElaspedTime(Set to 4)(connected to Loop Condition) ] --Exiting the while loop {WatchdogKill}

Any more advice???

Kyle Lenox

[Greg McKaskle]

I'm not certain what ElapsedTime(Set to 4) means. Try using Delay and Feed and see if that doesn't work better.

Greg McKaskle

[K Lenox]

The elapsed time set to 4 means that when you select elapsed time and place it on the block diagram, a box appears, with the option to select a number. The number I chose is four

Kyle Lenox

[Greg McKaskle]

Try inserting the Delay and Feed. Right now you have a loop with no delay that repeatedly sets the motor speed. I can't debug why or if this is causing the jumpiness, but the delay and feed is likely what you want to use.

Greg McKaskle

[K Lenox]

Sure thing. I will try to see if it works @ the robotics meeting from 1630-1830. I will let you know sometime between 1900-1930.

Thanks for all the help you've given me, really appreciate it.

Kyle Lenox