We got together with Team 116 to have a refresher course in PTC Creo 3D CAD software and to see LabView for the first time. Keith Miller, the FIRST Senior Mentor for Illinois and Indiana taught the classes. He kept saying that this was a course to teach the teachers, so I guess the torch is being passed and we will have to be the teachers the next time.
As a matter of fact, we were asked to teach the CREO class at the Season Kick-off meeting on September 6th. So today's lesson was very much appreciated. Thank you Keith, for oiling our rusty gears. With some practice, we'll be ready on the 6th.
Keith introduced us to a few advanced techniques that we hadn't seen, so the CREO software will be even more of a tool for us this year.
As a matter of fact, we were asked to teach the CREO class at the Season Kick-off meeting on September 6th. So today's lesson was very much appreciated. Thank you Keith, for oiling our rusty gears. With some practice, we'll be ready on the 6th.
Keith introduced us to a few advanced techniques that we hadn't seen, so the CREO software will be even more of a tool for us this year.
Last year we used RobotC exclusively. The only time we looked at LabView was in helping another team with their robot. Although it has some similarity to the MindsStorm software, we didn't feel that we could say that we were familiar with LabView, so Keith provided us with a short course in the software.
He hooked up his robot and went through the Schematic Editor to test and configure the I/O. Wow, that was a useful utility. Very easy to understand and use, it graphically shows what is on each port of the NXT, allows you to name everything, test and configure it. This was followed by setting up the game controller through the remote control editor. After this is done, without any coding, the NXT could be downloaded and used in a teleop mode.
Autonomous coding takes a little more work but consists of creating data flow diagrams which are an assembly of functions connected like an electrical circuit from left to right. The program has a tremendous range of help functions to guide you through every step or process. Some of the configuration data flows through to the function diagrams making the programming very intuitive in a point and click type of way. Where the object needs configuration, input fields are displayed. Test runs readily display error codes which take you directly to the problem area when they occur.
We are glad to have had the exposure to this software. It will definitely be on the table as an option for this year. Its biggest strength would seem to be in the arena of hardware testing since the initial configuration and teleop setup is so painless.
He hooked up his robot and went through the Schematic Editor to test and configure the I/O. Wow, that was a useful utility. Very easy to understand and use, it graphically shows what is on each port of the NXT, allows you to name everything, test and configure it. This was followed by setting up the game controller through the remote control editor. After this is done, without any coding, the NXT could be downloaded and used in a teleop mode.
Autonomous coding takes a little more work but consists of creating data flow diagrams which are an assembly of functions connected like an electrical circuit from left to right. The program has a tremendous range of help functions to guide you through every step or process. Some of the configuration data flows through to the function diagrams making the programming very intuitive in a point and click type of way. Where the object needs configuration, input fields are displayed. Test runs readily display error codes which take you directly to the problem area when they occur.
We are glad to have had the exposure to this software. It will definitely be on the table as an option for this year. Its biggest strength would seem to be in the arena of hardware testing since the initial configuration and teleop setup is so painless.