formula allcode

[Bill Felker]

I got my buggy today and now wonder where I can find out what is connected to what on the buggy. And when will the coarse online be available? Thanks, Bill

[Benj]

Hello Bill,

We should be publishing the course on the website later today.

Here are the chip connections.

FA_Connections.jpg

(179.96 KiB) Downloaded 18601 times

[Benj]

Right we have a file we are now happy with and the examples have been checked and tested. We have one more pass to do tomorrow and a few tweaks to the FA web page and we will get all the content up there including the course, the documentation and the API examples.

For reference we currently have API examples for the following programming languages.
Android, AppInventor, C#, C++, Flowcode6, Labview, Matlab, Python, Scratch, VB

[Bill Felker]

OK , I've tried to load a program and I had no success . I am going out on a limb and thinking that the startup program you guys have in is an OS that I need to go into API mode to load a program? TIA Bill

[Benj]

Hi Bill,

Sorry for the delay.

I can confirm that the course and examples will be live today. I'll make an announcement on the forums as soon as it's up.

There are two modes of working with the Formula AllCode.

1) Using the inbuilt API firmware to control the robot remotely using Flowcode6, Android, Scratch, Python etc.

2) Using Flowcode or C to reprogram the firmware on the robot. The latest mLoader software that comes with Flowcode 6.1.3 should allow you to do this. Pressing the reset button on the Formula AllCode puts it into Bootloader mode which allows mLoader to detect the robot enabling you to set the Bluetooth name/key and change the firmware.

[Benj]

Hello,

The course is now available to download from here.
http://www.matrixtsl.com/resources/getr ... php?id=950

We haven't managed to get the download page put together just yet but the files can be found here. Hopefully this might be fixed very soon.
http://www.matrixtsl.com/lc_index.php

Type FA_ into the Filter Text box to bring up just the example files.

FA_FC - Flowcode
FA_AI - App Inventor
FA_C# - C#
FA_CP - C++
FA_VB - VB
FA_LV - Labview
FA_ML - Matlab

Scratch and Python examples are still pending but should arrive soon.

[Bill Felker]

OK frustration is building. I have had problems loading a program threw flowcode into the robot threw bluetooth. Very rarely do I get it to preform as I want it to. In your lessons you really do not put enough effort into instructing how to use it . Most program I try to run will not see the com4 for the robot only com3 which is the input to the computer. Here is an example of what I've tried to do and in the simulation on the screen it works but will not upload to the buggy. Bill

[Benj]

Hello Bill,

If the COM4 port is open by another application, instance of Flowcode or has simply become locked then Formula AllCode will not show the port in the list.

To avoid locking the port my advise is to always close the port before switching off the robot. Stopping the Flowcode sim will automatically close the port for you.

This also goes for switching between Flowcode and the programming software mLoader.

I have created a newer version of the API component here which has a refresh button allowing you to refresh the port list without having to close and re-open your project.

Simply copy the file into your "Flowcode 6/Components" directory to load the changes.

FormulaAllCodeAPI.fcpx

(72.76 KiB) Downloaded 1263 times

I noticed that in your attached program you have two instances of both the FA and FA_API components. Maybe this is causing some of the headaches you mentioned? For some reason the components on the Dashboard panel seem to be invisible (at least on my machine) so I will look into why this is happening.

If the COM port does become locked then make sure nothing is holding the port open, switch the robot off and back on and try again. If this fails then sometimes waiting a minute or two or unplugging and replugging the Bluetooth dongle (if you have one) can help and other times restarting Windows fixes the problem. If you don't have a USB Bluetooth dongle then you can usually switch Bluetooth off and back on for the same effect as unplugging and replugging.

[Bill Felker]

Thanks for the guidance Ben, it seems to be that you can only have the API open if you want to run the cart threw bluetooth. I redid my octagon program and other than not stopping at the start point it ran fine. Now onto more advance things. Bill

[Nitin]

Hello,

I am working on formula all code, could you help me in programming the line follower or obstacle avoider using scratch.
because I didn't find the sensor blocks in Scratch for Formula ALL code.

Regards
Nitin

[Benj]

Hello Nitin,

Are you using the Scratch examples from here?
http://www.matrixtsl.com/formula-allcode/downloads/

The sensors are automatically polled in scratch so you should simply be able to use the existing variable values.

I haven't been much involved with scratch but I can have a look into it for you if you are still struggling to make it work.

[Bill Felker]

What is Formula AllCode Firmware V2 for ? Do we need to upgrade our buggies? Bill

[Bill Felker]

OK I've tried the proximity program and could not get it to run on bluetooth. I wrote my own and to work like your program . Is there a way to get the buggy to speak the message? As it is now my laptop speaks message with the ir trigger (also works on light read) .I am thinking that maybe more people could load up their programs here so that others can learn from their progress. Anyway thanks for this toy it is fun when I get to play with it. Bill

[Benj]

Hello Bill,

What is Formula AllCode Firmware V2 for ? Do we need to upgrade our buggies?

The v2 firmware covers a few minor bugs we found in the v1 API firmware and also has additional API functions for use with reading sensors in Scratch.

You can upgrade the firmware using mLoader using the USB or Bluetooth connection.

Is there a way to get the buggy to speak the message?

Yes this should be possible but using Phonemes rather than the RealSpeak functionality in the Flowcode sim. I will see if I can cobble together an example for this.

We would love for users to share their programs on this forum so if you write a program you are happy with then we would love to see it.

[DeepeshKH]

Hello Everyone!

I have a issue with Formula AllCode buggy or robot.
It's not working without the charging cable. The buggy does not switches on without the charging cable. It shows me it's charged 90% only when I plug in.
Need urgent help.

Thanks and regards
Deepesh

[LeighM]

Is the battery connected?
It is the black and red cable with two pin connector.
It should be plugged into the two pin socket on the main board.
(The buggy is shipped with this disconnected)

[DeepeshKH]

Hello Everyone,

Thank you for the support. The previous issue was with the battery connector wire. Now It's solved!
As I'm new with Formula AllCode, I was working with the examples available on the site.
I would like request support for Android Eclipse example. I'm using Samsung Galaxy Tab A (Android 5.0.2). The .apk is installed properly and the application is running fine.
But after connecting the Formula Allcode robot there's no moment on the robot. I have tried connecting from both secured and insecure connections.

Need Help!

Thank you

[Benj]

Hello,

I cobbled together the Android Eclipse example from another application so could be I didn't do it properly. I'll have a play and see if I can make it work correctly for you.

I didn't re-build the APK file after making changes so this could be the issue if you've not compiled the code.

I'll have a look and re-build the APK so it's good to go.

[Karl]

Hello,

I am the owner of a Formula Allcode Robot Buggy. Until now, I could not manage, to let the robot run with a scatch program
Is the somewhere who can tell me step by step what I have to do and how I connect the robot with my PC - Windows 8.

Thank you

[Kjell Holen]

what program can I use to read .fcpx
rgds

[JohnCrow]

Hi Kjell

The fcpx files are the compiled components used in flowcode and cannot be read in the same was as for example a "C" source code file.

You can look at the code using an editor such as UltraEdit (my choice), but all you will see us blocks of hex numbers.
Changing the file will almost certainly result in it failing to work.

[sundgau]

Hello,

Some errors on the direction of repositionable pins

Bruno

FA_Expansion2 (modif).jpg (83.5 KiB) Viewed 21530 times

Hello Bill,

We should be publishing the course on the website later today.

Here are the chip connections.
FA_Connections.jpg

[Benj]

Hi Bruno,

Many thanks for letting us know.

[sundgau]

Hello,
another error that can be problematic if we use the connector A7 servo motor to communicate with another system; it's not A7/AN23/RPI22 but A7/AN23/RPI23

Screen Shot 05-16-18 at 10.44 AM.PNG

(176.6 KiB) Downloaded 5407 times

Bruno

[Benj]

Hi Bruno,

Many thanks for letting us know. I have now made these changes to the image and curriculum, I'll get it changed on the website ASAP.

Thanks again.