Team UPDATE - 2013-02-08

http://frc-manual.usfirst.org/Updates/0#term%2077

Additional details about the robot access periods for district systems and new Java and C++ software updates.

For programmers, the update is detailed here, Ctrl-F “2nd Midseason C++ and Java Update” for the release notes. Download here for java and here for C++.

Changes that effect C++ and Java:

Subsystems being put to SmartDashboard to show their status now only update on changes reducing the network traffic substantially. Putting a subsystem to SmartDashboard will allow you to see the command that is current “requiring” that subsystem to better understand what your program is doing.
The Scheduler instance can now be put to SmartDashboard using SmartDashboard:: PutData() for C++ or SmartDashboard.putData() for Java. Putting the Scheduler to SmartDashboard shows what commands are running in real time so you can better understand what your program is doing.
SmartDashboard.jar (the client-side program) has been updated to reflect the above changes.
RobotBuilder now supports higher CAN IDs
RobotBuilder generated The C++ PIDGet method is now generated with the correct case.
RobotBuilder Gyro object is now limited to the correct analog ports.
RobotBuilder generated gyro sensitivity now matches the 2013 kit part.
The use of the SmartDashboard features for viewing the Command System can be found here.

C++ only:

The GetError method on PIDControllers along with OnTarget would hang due to a bug in the synchronization. That is now fixed and GetError and OnTarget should now work properly.
Reading numeric values from Number arrays in NetworkTables would return an incorrect value and occasionally fail due to a race condition. Both of these errors have been fixed.
GetRawRGB method returned incorrect values. That has been corrected.
A bug with noticing value changed on the Preferences class has been corrected.

Java only:

Fixed a bug with recursive put when removing values from Preferences
Java - The update can be installed by updating your current version of the plugins in NetBeans or for computers not connected to the internet, downloading the plugins from here.

Still no Digital Media. :frowning:

With less and less time to prepare an actual submission, winning this award this year will be a crapshoot…

That said, a teams’ media efforts have year-round importance far beyond winning an award.