README.md

groundStation

Make Process

First, if submodules were not recursevly added through git. Run this command if you have made any attempt to make vrpn manually. run 'git submodule update --init --recursive'

Now that you have all of the files necissary.

cd into the groundstation folder. cd groundStation make vrpn make

run the program with sudo privledges ./BackEnd

If you wish to change the way the backend communicates to the quad and vice versa, look at src/config.h. This provides a list of environment variables which you can set and use for your computer or time of use.

Modifying

See MODIFYING for the software architecture/organization and how to add new functionality.

Using

First, the backend daemon must be running. Run the backend with ./BackEnd. Note the environment variables in config.h, especially the backend socket path. The backend requires root for bluetooth, but can run as a normal user with TCP, as long as the socket path is writable by the user.

Once the backend is running, various CLI tools can be used to view the state of the quad and send commands. Each of these tools is given as the first argument to the CLI program, for example, to get a node output the quad, use cli getoutput. Note that the backend socket environment variable must be set to the same value as it was for the backend. The CLI program also supports busybox-style symbolic links. For example, if there is a symlink named getoutput that points to the cli binary, running the getoutput program will effectively run cli getoutput.

The names of the binaries is subject to change.

For a list of cli commands and more in depth usage explainations, use the --help flag. './Cli --help'

For help with the specific cli command you are running, use the --help flag once again. './Cli getoutput --help'

Example

In one terminal or screen, run the backend:

./BackEnd

This will activate the quad and the backend, and the backend will be available for connections from the frontend tools. One useful tool is the getnodes. In another terminal window, run

./Cli getnodes

or alternatively with symlinks

./getnodes

This will fetch the block_id, type_id and name of every node in the current graph

You can run any number of any combination of frontend tools at the same time.

Batch Update of PID constants

The CLI only supports setting one PID constant at a time using the following command.

From the groundStation folder:

./Cli setpid --pitch -p 1.000

This can get tedious for 27 PID constants.

To help, we made a batch script that allows you to easily set all 27 PID constants at once and save your progress as you go.

First, edit the parameters.txt file in the groundStation/scripts folder to specify the values you want to set. The script will parse this file and pass them to the Cli program.

Then simply run the script from the groundStation folder:

scripts/setpid_batch.sh

Remember to commit your changes in the parameters.txt file if you believe you have found a better default state for the quad.