**FIRST EMAIL**/Control System Software Update Reminder

[Mark McLeod]

Greetings Teams:

When you receive your control system kit, one of the first things you will find upon opening the box is a pink sheet instructing you to update your software. The information on the sheet is accurate, however, we want to make it clear that the software should be updated only AFTER you have completed the 'Out of the Box Benchtop Test' as instructed in Chapters 1 and 2 of the FRC Control System Manual found on
www.usfirst.org/frccontrolsystem

The best way to ensure success with the new system is to follow, step by step, the instructions found in the manual, starting with Chapter 1.

Go Teams!

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

Greetings Teams:

When you receive your control system kit, one of the first things you will find upon opening the box is a pink sheet instructing you to update your software. The information on the sheet is accurate, however, we want to make it clear that the software should be updated only AFTER you have completed the 'Out of the Box Benchtop Test' as instructed in Chapters 1 and 2 of the FRC Control System Manual found on
www.usfirst.org/frccontrolsystem

The best way to ensure success with the new system is to follow, step by step, the instructions found in the manual, starting with Chapter 1.

Go Teams!

I can't decide if I should laugh or salute you.

So, if I read this correctly, you are saying to read and follow the manual step by step? Don't just jump in and do things out of order?

WOW!!! That's a novel idea!


OK, sorry for the sarcasm. I find it almost humorous that we would even have to post something like this, but obviously it is needed.

Thanks for the advice and warning Mark.

[Mark McLeod]

That's not from me that's a FIRST email broadcast.
I just post them so everyone can see what the team main contacts are getting from FIRST.

[billbo911]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

That's not from me that's a FIRST email broadcast.
I just post them so everyone can see what the team main contacts are getting from FIRST.

I still stand by my comments.

I understand you are just the messanger on these, and I still find it funny that this type of message needs to be sent.

[Mark McLeod]

Okay, just making sure.

I get the idea that FIRST support is receiving a lot of phone calls from teams who have effectively disabled their control systems by not following the most basic directions.

[EricVanWyk]

Originally Posted by Mark McLeod

I get the idea that FIRST support is receiving a lot of phone calls from teams who have effectively disabled their control systems by not following the most basic directions.

Mark my words, next year's control system will have an integrated polygraph and interrogator. Until you can pass the "Did you read the instructions" question, it won't power on.

[waialua359]

Actually,
these messages should be sent. Not everyone is privy to the info sent to the main contacts of FIRST teams.
It's not trivial for some teams whose students do a lot of the work, and need to be reminded over and OVER again, like our team.
It can be overwhelming for adult team members for some teams who dont have the necessary support and have to try and do everything. I'm sure they miss a step here and there.

[dlavery]

Originally Posted by EricVanWyk

Mark my words, next year's control system will have an integrated polygraph and interrogator. Until you can pass the "Did you read the instructions" question, it won't power on.

Based on the number of questions that FIRST receives each year regarding the game that are easily resolved by reading the one-page game description, one should anticipate that there will be a whole lot of over-used polygraphs and under-used control systems with such a set up.

-dave




.

[Alan Anderson]

Originally Posted by billbo911

So, if I read this correctly, you are saying to read and follow the manual step by step? Don't just jump in and do things out of order?

Given the organization of the manual, that advice is not as obvious as it seems at first glance. Section 1.6 is the relevant collection of steps, but it consists mostly of pointers to details in other sections of the manual. If you aren't paying extremely close attention to the "top level" step, it's not hard to get sidetracked into following too much of the other sections and end up performing certain actions too soon.

Don't let yourself get confused, but following the "Getting Started" part of the manual step by step actually does eventually lead you to do other parts of the manual out of order.

[rwood359]

This thread demonstrates the need for reinforcing the issue.
http://www.chiefdelphi.com/forums/sh...threadid=70175

[willson.thomas]

I can't believe some teams haven't read the manual. I have been so excited about information being released (finally) that I must have read every piece of documentation at least twice.

[jee7s]

Originally Posted by Alan Anderson

Given the organization of the manual, that advice is not as obvious as it seems at first glance...

I'd have to concur with this statement. Following the manual prior to today's warnings, when reaching the driver station step in section 1.6, one of our students completed the associated steps in section two. Then, after completing step 5 in the driver station setup procedure, he began on step 6. So, entirely in good faith, he proceeded to section 3.1 after completing the setup (at the "For more information refer to..." line). This lead him to the instructions for updating the firmware.

So, without any warning to not do so, while acting in good faith, and before the e-mail, web page, and document updates to warn us were released, we updated firmware before a bench top test.

...We are working around it though.

[mtaman02]

Originally Posted by EricVanWyk

Mark my words, next year's control system will have an integrated polygraph and interrogator. Until you can pass the "Did you read the instructions" question, it won't power on.

Now that is way too funny... Maybe I should go read that manual that way I can familiarize myself with the system since I'm a field person kind of guy .

The only way the robot will move is if field control says ok the polygraph exam on that team has passed which will be given a second polygraph on the first polygraph .

[Jwxie]

roger that~