Laptop Driver station/Programmer Quick setup guide

This is a quick setup list for making your laptop/PC ready to be an FRC driver station, which can be used as a simulator or connect to an FRC, Romi or XRP robot.

Quick start :

1. Setup laptop with NI tools and Wpilib. this will give you the programmers VScode and the Driver station we use in FRC

2. Download GitHub Desktop and inside GitHub desktop Clone the repository so that you have a local copy of everything!

3. (On the 8608 FRC Command Based lesson github page) Scroll to the top and press the big GREEN button named <> code, Then press "open in GitHub desktop"

4. (IF you did not "open in GitHub desktop") Then (inside GitHub desktop) you can CLONE the repository or just download the zip and link the repository to GitHub

5. (inside GitHub desktop) press branch and "new branch" and name your branch with your name or nickname (like Joe, bobbyFisher20, or Nightrider) this will make a repository with your own changes that wont affect anyone else!

6. (in wpiLib VsCode) press file->open folder -> and click on the lesson 0 folder inside the repository you just cloned from GitHub and hit OK!

7. (in vscode) on the left press explorer (these are the files!) and go to src->frc->java and open readme.md

8. (in vscode) open src/java/readme.md, to start the lesson read it all!

9. (in vscode) Press F5 to start debugging or Press Simulate robot code to Simulate the robot code!

10. Show the mentor your results to pass! or publish your branch to have your work on GitHub! you're famous!

Slow start (Step by Step, Not needed if you did quick start) :

hardware requirements

• Laptop or desktop from sometime recent (2016+). Most of our examples and guides expect a windows and not mac but mac is compatible with all components of FRC

• Get and Xbox controller, Logitech controller, or any usb xinput controller for windows

programming requirements

• Install your coding environment to a windows PC following these steps https://docs.wpilib.org/en/stable/docs/zero-to-robot/step-2/wpilib-setup.html
• the driver station we will need to install the Ni game tools. follow the WPi libs instructions to install the NI game tools https://docs.wpilib.org/en/stable/docs/zero-to-robot/step-2/frc-game-tools.html

Debug your 1st Code - (WPILib Built in Simulator with Mentors checking work)

1. Any FRC code can be simulated! (3rd party motors and encoders will need support and additional code)

2. (in Vscode) file-> open folder -> select a project folder

3. press F5 to start debugging! or click run-> debug or click the wpilib icon and hit simulate code.

4. (IF you want to use the REAL driver station used in events) open the driver station and press "use driver station" ( at the top when running debugging in vscode)

5. at very top of VSCode click ok and the simulation will open a window showing all robot data

6. in VScode you will be using your "terminal" or "console"(default bottom of screen) many times to read the text output from your robot! this is how your robot will send messages to you so pay attention for errors!

7. TO OPEN A PROJECT : in VScode click file->open folder and open any lesson folders included in this jgarder lesson GitHub repository. read the green text in the src/main/java/readme.md. these are mentor comments and information about the lesson and the task you need to complete! most of programming is understanding what you are reading.

8. CONTROLLER SETUP!!! -> if you simulate without the driver station you will need to drag your Xbox controller from the "joystick inputs" to the joystick[0] when inside the simulator! if you use the driver station then just plugging in any controller will assign it to port 0! great job!