Programming Tips

From Team1370

There are easier ways to program your robot controller, including Easy C (new for 2006), however, I am far more familiar with the classic, more complicated method using MPLab IDE. This perhaps more complicated system is the one which I desribe below, but do consider that there are other options and other tutorials available on the web. Of course, I suggest the following. -Pierce Lopez

Collecting Your Tools

The system I use requires the use of a few different tools which work together (more or less). Here's what you'll need:

• A Laptop running Windows A laptop will make connecting to the robot immeasurably easier and more convenient, and most tools I use are only available for windows, and have no counterparts for other OSs (unfortunately).
• MPLAB IDE v7.20 Newer versions don't work, according to the source code documentation. Download this version here.
• MPLAB C18 Compiler Student Edition v2.40 Newer versions of this will apparently not work either, and this older version is pretty difficult to find online. I found a download link for it here. If that link doesn't still work, search for it.
• IFI_Loader v1.0.12 Can be found at the bottom of this page. But don't get the robot default code from there, if you intend to use the camera with your robot, as we will in this guide.
• The Default Robot+Camera Code
• puTTY
• COM/Telnet Bridge

Getting it all set up

In Progress...