RoboPlus - The new software that replaces BCP/Motion Edit,..

[altwolf]

Bug in Vista: Opening a second task file in Roboplus Task.

Operating System: Windows Vista

What: In RoboPLus Task, it takes two tries to open another task file when you already have a task file open.

Example:
You have a program open in RoboPlus Task. You want to open another .tsk file at the same time to compare code. You do the "File-Open", browse to the file, hit open. The pop-up window closes like normal, but no file opens.

If you do "File Open, select a file, and hit open" a second time, the file will open properly.

[PedroR]

Hi all

I myself also found four issues that I wanted to share:

OS: Vista SP1, Roboplus 1.0.2.7 and 1.0.2.8

1) If you have different regional settings with the "," and "." not set typically as thousand separator and decimal separator, you'll get "This file is for higher version motion" errors both in Roboplus Motion and Roboplus Task.
This seems to happen with files saved on that computer with the non-standard regional settings but I haven't tested the cause thoroughly.
It eventually opens the file after 2 or 3 attempts.


2)
When copying and pasting pose information between Roboplus Motion and Excel (one of my best loved features in Roboplus Motion) there are situations where Excel does not paste the correct data but instead some old data in the clipboard.
This is due the way Windows Clipboard works (with different formats for the same data in the clipboard simultaneously and programs having preference for the format of the data). The fix is simple anyway (making an API call to clear any residue from the clipboard before copying) but for those of you using Roboplus now, the best way to work around it when it happens it to copy a piece of text from notepad and then copy the data from Roboplus.
This will reset the contents of the clipboard to text and then put it back into the format used by roboplus.


3)
With regards to odd behaviours, on my other computer sometimes Roboplus Task and Roboplus Manager do not open for some reason.
The process is visible in Task Manager but no Windows appears.
Maybe it's an issue with .Net on that computer.....
In any case if you experience this behavious of programs not opening as well, please post here to try and track it down.

4)
Finally Clarence from AMainObjectives told me that Roboplus may not be working 100% on Windows 7.
This I don't know because I don't have a copy of 7 but theoretically it should work in 7 if it works in Vista.
In Windows 7 there are no major kernel and API changes but only improvements to all the changes and under the hood features introduced in Vista as well as a new guy
For this reason one would expect it to work in 7 if it works in Vista.

Anyway, if you have a copy of Windows 7 RC and have the time to take Roboplus for a test and share the results it would be really nice nice.

I will be collecting the first batch of bug reports in about two weeks to send to Robotis so it would be really nice to have your feedback.

Regards
Pedro.

[Merlin]

Hi Pedro

Thanks again for your work, it is very exciting for all to be involved with this new software...

In the way to get some bugs on Roboplus, let me report as follow:

1.- I was working with Roboplus package version 1.0.2.0 without any problems. Following the advice you post a few days, I uninstalled this version and I installed the 1.0.2.8

2.- After the language selection the installation process was interrupted with this error message:

"RoboPlus is running! Now shut down and restart, please

3.- I can ensure you there no other Roboplus job running on memory, so I guess is something wrong on the install procedure.

Best regards


merlin

[PedroR]

Hi Merlin

Have you restarted your computer and tryed again?
Does restarting it solve the problem and let you install?

Thanks
Pedro

[Merlin]

Pedro
Yes, I did have restarted the computer more than one time without any result.

Also I have checked the presence of any other Roboplus service or process running on memory with the Windows Task manager . There aren't Roboplus task running where this error message cames on.

Regards


merlin

[Merlin]

Pedro:

Update news regading last instalation error:

In order to reproduce the error, I re-download the original RoboPlus package 1.0.2.8 from the URL.

Then I had run the instalation process again and this time the process worked fine. I don't know exactly what happened before...both files downloaded to my computer appears to be exactly the same, but I didn't perform a binary comparison between them.

From my point of view, I will prefer to treat this "error" as a problem coming from Layer 8 of the OSI Model (wich is, of course, user mistake)

Thanks


merlin

[altwolf]

I have had one instance where after I had used Roboplus and then shut it down, hours later I happened to have a look into taskmanager to see what Processes were running, and Roboplus Task and Roboplus Manager were listed in there, even though I didn't have them open.

[altwolf]

This is kind of hard to explain so I apologize before hand:

OS: Vista

Bug:I can no longer launch any of the Roboplus programs from the MAIN Roboplus application where it lets you select a program to launch. This continues to happen even though I un-installed Roboplus and re-installed!

Work Around: I can run the individual Roboplus applications by clicking their actual EXE files, rather than using the Main Roboplus "chooser" application.

Further Explanation:
If I click the "Roboplus Manager" button, it APPEARS that nothing happens at all. If I then open up Windows Task Manager, I find that Roboplus Manager IS listed as an active Process. I have to kill the Roboplus Manager process manually or it will stay there active forever. This happens with all the programs if I try to use the Roboplus Chooser application.

I did a little research online for what it means when a program shows up in Processes, but not in Applications and read that it usually means that the program gets loaded into memory, but then fails for some reason to make it to the Application state of being.

My Theory: Since the problem persists despite a re-install of the software, I suspect that a registry value for thwas corrupted somehow and then the value was NOT cleared when the program was un-installed and re-installed.

[siempre.aprendiendo]

The new format of the RoboPlus task file it's plain text!

Wonderful!

[Merlin]

Pedro:

I am preparing my CM-5 to upgrade the firmware in order to be recognized by RoboPlus. In the Quick Start guide version 1.0 appears a procedure via Robot Terminal to roll back the firmware in case of something goes wrong on the upgrade. But in Quick Start version 1.1 this procedure was omitted, anybody knows why this happened?

And if this procedure is no longer valid, which could be the way to roll back the firmware of CM5 in case I would like to return to my old Behavior Program?

On other side, I believe that some initial syntax’s guide could be very useful to program and test RoboPlus properly. Maybe also could help some *.tsk demo programs for understanding the way Roboplus will communicate with CM-5 and AX-12.

Best regards to all of you


merlin

[PedroR]

Hi atwolf

I have also seen that behaviour in my computer as I mentioned.
It appears to be random though. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.
It may be some synchronization feature or some API call that locks it up.
I'll have a look at it with Robotis.


For Merlin:

I believe Robot Terminal is still the way to roll back the firmware. The bootloader is untouched by the upgrade procedure (you would need an ATMEL programmer to change the bootloader I believe) so if the bootloader is untouched, upgrading the firmware through Robot Terminal should continue to work.
I haven't tested but Robotis also says it's possible to roll back the firmware using other tools (I assume the old Robot Terminal).
With regards to sample files I haven't got any yet as I haven't been able to find the time to make them.
However Roboplus is quite straightforward.
The code you see is not actually "written". You double click on the lines and choose the instructions. They are all shown in a graphical way.
Once you click and double click they appear in the screen, typed but you don't actually write anything so it should be easy to get going with it.


For siempre-aprediendo:

Yes the format is plain text for all files I believe.
HOWEVER I think there is a checksum in the last bytes of the file because I have tried to change the files manually and it doesn't seem to recognize the file once I change it (it says "invalid file").
If you open the file with a nice text editor (not Notepad LOL; something like Notepad++) you will see some bytes at the end of the file which I think are the checksum.
The calculation of the checksum has not been released but I hope some curious mind cracks it

[trey3670]

I cant get it to find the cm-5 at all. using vista,usb dynamixel.
when I click on the manage button I can see the tx and rx lights start flashing then it says turn off and on then just stays there.

[PedroR]

HI

I am assuming you are using the "Controller Recovery Feature".
That's the only place that I know where it asks to turn off and turn on.

In this scenario , you need to do what it says: turn OFF and then turn ON.

Once you turn it back on, it enters the bootloader and installs the updated firmware.

Can you please confirm this is what you're trying to do?

Otherwise, for me it worked putting the CM-5 in "Management" mode and only then press "Connect".

Once you are connected, you need to go into the option "Controller Recovery" to install the firmware compatible with Roboplus.

[trey3670]

yup thats what I am trying to do. still doesnt find it. bummer

[PedroR]

Hi trey3670

Can you please confirm the following:

1) Are you using the default firmware and bootloader?

If so, can you please provide us with the firmware version and bootloader version?
I'll investigate how you can find out about this. I think using Robot Terminal will let you find out the version numbers.

2) Also, have you made sure the switch on the side of the USB2Dynamixel is set to "RS232"?
One more silly question: are you using the Bioloid Serial cable? Sorry for the silly question but here at the office we have 1 bioloid and 1 robobuilder and the cables look alike (except that RX and TX are switched).
It has happened to us try to use the Robobuilder cable on the Bioloid and it won't work because as I mentioned RX and TX are switched.

3) Finally what is the version of Roboplus you are using?

Thanks
Pedro.