eyeWyre Robotics Simulation Software
does anyone know of a program similar to this that can run C (the language) ?
also, does anyone know of a BOE-compatible (24 pin) C microcontroller?
my school is entering the FIRST robotics competition, and most of the people there dont know anything about
programming, i thought it would be beneficial to have them all write and test code in an enviroment similar to the
eyewyre program, so that way, the know the code is doing what the want it to do, without having to worry about the
robot itself, they could practice and practice, and by january, when we get the bot kit, theyde be ready.
also, does anyone know of a BOE-compatible (24 pin) C microcontroller?
my school is entering the FIRST robotics competition, and most of the people there dont know anything about
programming, i thought it would be beneficial to have them all write and test code in an enviroment similar to the
eyewyre program, so that way, the know the code is doing what the want it to do, without having to worry about the
robot itself, they could practice and practice, and by january, when we get the bot kit, theyde be ready.
Comments
Sure, but don't even THINK about coming here for assistance! You've seen the level of support you get here both from the Parallax employees and the user group. I can GUARANTEE you that you won't find that anywhere else! Proceed elsewhere at your own risk.
DO come back and tell us how you made out.
Regards,
Bruce Bates
NOT a Parallax employee
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A few questions:
1. Why C? Is that a requirement for FIRST?
2. What bot kit are you waiting for?
3. Are you a student or a teacher (or other adult)?
2. the FIRST league provides a giant kit, we build it to our liking to solve the given problem
3. student, but im the only one thats ever actually done this stuff before
belive me, if we could do it in basic, we would. basic is the easiest language in the world. i have no interst in learning C at the moment, im just trying to find stuff for the people who signed up as the programmers so we can get ahead a little.
edit: so the OOPIC will work fine with the BOE?
Learning about microcontrollers is very much about trying things out. Sometimes, you can learn through simulations, but often the simulations leave out the details that make a lot of difference when you're learning and working for a competition. You can get a "What's a Microcontroller?" - Basic Stamp Activity Kit at Radio Shack ($80) that's similar to the BOE (but is missing some convenience items) and use it for learning. Much like with the BOE, the class members can share and take turns trying the examples with real hardware and the design and program bits can be used with the BOE when that's available.
First, here is the official software page for FIRST: www.usfirst.org/robotics/2006/2006frcsoftwareoverview.htm
You'll notice that it tells you what software options you are allowed to use.
Second, from there you find out which robot controller you are required to use: www.ifirobotics.com/rc.shtml
On the controller page you can find documentation and code samples.
Third, somebody is going to have to learn C, and since none of your classmates seem to be very active here, it looks like you volunteered!
My reason for asking my earlier questions is that I wasn't sure if you were really looking for a microcontroller, or for learning resources for C. Since you will be given specific tools to work with, you don't need to buy an OOPIC. Also, so you'll know, the OOPIC uses a C "syntax", which is to say that it isn't really C; it just looks similar to C. From the samples that are on their website, I think that trying to use it for learning C would be a bad idea.
So for learning C well enough to make some kind of sense of the platform you'll be working with, here are my recommendations:
1. Get everybody a copy of Ch from www.softintegration.com. Ch is a C interpreter that is highly interactive and very easy to use. As an interpreter, it allows you to concentrate on learning the language, instead of the compiling process. When you become more familiar with what's happening, you can add a compiler to the picture. Ch is free for academic use, and can be used on Windows, Mac, and Linux.
2. Use the free ChSciTE text editor with Ch, You'll find links on the SoftIntegration page. It's a very simple to use IDE for Ch. You don't need to configure anything, just install Ch, the ChSciTE, and program. If you want a more feature rich editor, you can try one called ConTEXT, which is easy to set up with external tools, including Ch & other C compilers. It's also free.
3. A decent, inexpensive ($10 US) book that will get you going is called {i]C Programming in easy steps. You can get the info for it here: www.ineasysteps.com. It's published in the UK, but it's sold by Barnes & Noble in the US. You may have to order it from a local store, or if you can do a school purchase, you could order it from Amazon UK. It's a very simple book, with short, easy to follow examples. It won't turn you into an expert, but it will get you speaking the language. It also shows you how to set up the gcc compiler, and the examples work with Ch, too.
4. Get a team copy of C in a Nutshell, or anybody that really digs C can get one. It's a fairly comprehensive reference for the more in-depth questions you may have, or when you need to look up some syntax issues. It's published by O'Reilly.
5. If you work with the above resources, you should be able to start making sense of C in a short time. If every programmer can get hold of the $10 book, everything else is free except for the team book. As you all become familiar with the language and the process, begin studying the code examples and programming guide from the robotics controller site. It should begin making sense, and by competition time you'll be doing well. Lastly, there are some good resources on the web for learning C, so if the books are out of reach, at least get the software. Then you can work through some online tutorials.
Post Edited (Kevin Wood) : 10/8/2006 12:38:29 AM GMT