Component: Formula AllCode API (Mechatronics)

Author	Matrix Ltd
Version	1.2 (Release)
Category	Mechatronics

Formula AllCode API component

A simulation only component to allow the Formula AllCode robot to be controlled via it's API interface and Bluetooth data connection without having to compile or re-program the robot.

Examples

The COM port for the Formula AllCode can be set via the panel properties which can be exposed to the SCADA runtime user.

LED Control

Controls the LEDs on the Formula AllCode by collecting the analogue value of a potentiometer on the simulation panel and sending the value to the robot.

LED Control Example

Motor Control Using Keypad

Uses the keypad on the simulation panel to control the speed and direction of the motors. Key 2 drives the robot forwards, 8 drives backwards, 4 and 6 turn the robot on the spot.

Motor Control Example

Motor Control Using Joystick

A simple example showing how to drive the Formula AllCode robot around in API mode using a panel based joystick control.

Formula AllCode Bluetooth

Proximity Alarm

Reads the front IR sensor on the Formula AllCode from the Flowcode simulation. If a near object is sensed then the Flowcode simulation will speak the word "Hello" using the Speech component.

Proximity Alarm Example

Driving Simulation using the API component

An example showing how to use the API component to drive the Formula AllCode robot component on the simulation panel.

FA API Sim Demo

JCB Bot Blog

Blog with example code showing how to drive the Formula AllCode robot using Key Mappings and how to add extra features such as a 3D printed cover and servo motors to operate a digger arm and bucket.

JCB Bot

Downloadable macro reference

This component does not contain any downloadable macros

Simulation macro reference

PlayNote

Plays a note using the speaker on the FA

Parameters

UINT Note

Range 1 to 65535 in Hz

UINT Delay

Number of milliseconds to play the note for

Return value

This call does not return a value

LEDOn

Sets a single LED 0-7

Parameters

BYTE index

Range: 0-7

Return value

This call does not return a value

LCDPrintString

Prints a string to the LCD

Parameters

BYTE X

X Pixel 0-127

BYTE Y

LCD Y Coordinate 0-31

<- STRING Data

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

This call does not return a value

ReadLight

Reads the light sensor 0-4095 - 4095 = Max Brightness

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

UINT

Right

Rotates the robot right - waits for the angle to be traversed before returning

Parameters

UINT Angle

Angle to turn in degrees

Return value

This call does not return a value

SetLogoSpeed

Sets the speed of logo movements

Parameters

BYTE Speed

Logo Speed 1-100 - Default 40

Return value

This call does not return a value

ReadAllSensors

Samples all of the robot's sensors at once, storing the values locally

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

This call does not return a value

SampleMag

Samples the magnetometer

0 = no new data, 1 = new data available

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

BYTE

CardCreate

Attempts to create a file on the SD card

255=Error, 1=File Already Exists, 0=Create OK

Parameters

<- STRING Filename

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

BYTE

LCDPrintNumber

Prints a 16-bit signed number to the LCD

Parameters

BYTE X

X Pixel 0-127

BYTE Y

LCD Y coordinate 0-31

<- INT Number

Range -32768 to 32767

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

This call does not return a value

LEDOff

Clears a single LED 0-7

Parameters

BYTE index

Range: 0-7

Return value

This call does not return a value

LEDWrite

Sets the value of the LEDs as an 8-bit output

Parameters

BYTE Value

LED value 0=All Off, 255 = All On

Return value

This call does not return a value

ReadAxis

Reads a single X/Y/Z axis from the accelerometer sensor.

Parameters

BYTE index

0=X, 1=Y, 2=Z

Return value

INT

ServoSetAutoMoveSpeed

Changes the speed of the auto movements

Default - 1

Parameters

BYTE Speed

Range 1-50

Return value

This call does not return a value

CardPlayback

Plays back a .Wav file audio stream from the card

Parameters

<- STRING Filename

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

BYTE

ReadMic

Reads the microphone sensor 0 - 4095

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

UINT

ReadSwitch

Read the switch value

Parameters

BYTE index

0 (left) or 1 (right)

Return value

BYTE

SampleAccel

Samples the accelerometer

0 = no new data, 1 = new data available

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

BYTE

Left

Rotates the robot left - waits for the angle to be traversed before returning

Parameters

UINT Angle

Angle to turn in degrees

Return value

This call does not return a value

ReadIR

Reads an IR sensor

0=Left, 1=FrontLeft, 2=Front, 3=FrontRight, 4=Right, 5=RearRight,

6=Rear, 7=RearLeft

Parameters

BYTE index

0=Left, 1=FrontLeft, 2=Front, 3=FrontRight, 4=Right, 5=RearRight, 6=Rear, 7=RearLeft

Return value

UINT

LCDDrawPixel

Allows a single pixel on the LCD to be set or cleared

Parameters

BYTE X

X Pixel 0-127

BYTE Y

Y Pixel 0-31

<- BYTE State

0=White (Off), 1=Black (On)

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

This call does not return a value

ServoSetPosition

Allows one of the servo positions to be assigned

Parameters

BYTE Channel

Range 0-3

BYTE Position

Range 0-255

Return value

This call does not return a value

CardBitmap

Displays a monochrome bitmap read from the card on the LCD

Parameters

BYTE X

Range 0-127

BYTE Y

Range 0-31

<- STRING Filename

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

BYTE

CardRecordMic

Records an audio stream on the card from the microphone

Parameters

BYTE BitDepth

0=8-bit, 1=16-bit

BYTE SampleRate

Sample Rate 0=8KHz, 1=16KHz

UINT RecordTime

Time to record for in seconds, Range 0-65535

<- STRING Filename

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

BYTE

CardOpen

Attempts to open an existing file on the SD card

255=Error, 1=File not found, 0=Open OK

Parameters

<- STRING Filename

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

BYTE

Forwards

Drives the robot forwards - waits for the distance to be traversed before returning

Parameters

UINT Distance

Distance in mm

Return value

This call does not return a value

ReadBearing

Reads the compass bearing based on the degrees clockwise from magnetic north.

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

INT

GetConsoleHandle

Gets the handle to the console allowing data displaying on the panel etc.

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

HANDLE

LCDDrawLine

Allows a single pixel width line to be drawn on the LCD

Parameters

BYTE X1

X Pixel 0-127

BYTE Y1

Y Pixel 0-31

<- BYTE X2

X Pixel 0-127

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

BYTE Y2

Y Pixel 0-31

Return value

This call does not return a value

ServoAutoMoveToPosition

Allows one of the servo positions to move gradually to a new position

Parameters

BYTE Channel

Range 0-3

BYTE Position

Range 0-255

Return value

This call does not return a value

ReadAllValue

Reads a single value stored from the read all command

Index dictates which sensor value to read

Parameters

BYTE Index

0=SW, 1-8=IR, 9-10=Line, 11=Light, 12=Mic, 13-15=Accel

Return value

UINT

LCDBacklight

Allows the LCD backlight brighntess to be adjusted

Parameters

BYTE Intensity

Range 0-100, 0=Off, 1=Min Brightness, 100=Max Brightness

Return value

This call does not return a value

LCDDrawRect

Allows a rectangle to be drawn on the LCD

Parameters

BYTE X1

X Pixel 0-127

BYTE Y1

Y Pixel 0-31

<- BYTE X2

X Pixel 0-127

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

BYTE Y2

Y Pixel 0-31

Return value

This call does not return a value

ReadLine

Reads one of the IR line sensors 0-1

0=Left, 1=Right

Parameters

BYTE index

0=Left, 1=Right

Return value

UINT

ServoDisable

Allows one of the servo outputs 0-3 to be disabled

Parameters

BYTE Channel

Range 0-3

Return value

This call does not return a value

ServoEnable

Allows one of the servo outputs 0-3 to be enabled

Parameters

BYTE Channel

Range 0-3

Return value

This call does not return a value

CardReadByte

Reads a byte from the currently open file.

Starts at the beginning of the file and auto increments to the end

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

BYTE

CardErase

Attempts to delete an existing file on the SD card

255=Error, 1=File not found, 0=Delete OK

Parameters

<- STRING Filename

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

BYTE

CardWriteByte

Appends a byte to the end of the currently open file

Parameters

<- BYTE Data

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

This call does not return a value

EncoderRead

Reads one of the motor encoder counters.

Approx 0.328296mm of travel per encoder unit.

Parameters

BYTE index

0=Left, 1=Right

Return value

UINT

SetMotors

Sets the motor speeds without feedback

Range -100 to 100

Parameters

INT Left

Range -100 to 100

INT Right

Range -100 to 100

Return value

This call does not return a value

Backwards

Drives the robot backwards - waits for the distance to be traversed before returning

Parameters

UINT Distance

Distance in mm

Return value

This call does not return a value

EncoderReset

Resets the motor encoder counters

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

This call does not return a value

LCDVerbose

Allows the LCD to automatically report the API commands as they get processed.

Default - verbose on

Parameters

BYTE State

0=Off 1=On

Return value

This call does not return a value

SetProp

Allows the COM port property to be set from a parent component.

Parameters

<- STRING PropName

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

ULONG PropVal

Return value

This call does not return a value

CardInit

Attempts to startup the SD card

255=No Card, 254=Init Fail, 0=Init OK

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

BYTE

GetProp

Allows the property filter for the COM port list to be copied to a parent component.

Parameters

<- STRING PropName

This parameter may be returned back to the caller

Return value

STRING

LCDClear

Clears the LCD

Parameters

This macro has no parameters

Return value

This call does not return a value

Property reference

COM Port

This property is of type Fixed list of ints and can be referenced with the variable name COM_port.

Selects which port to communicate with, only lists ports which are currently available.

Refresh COM Ports

This property is of type True or false and can be referenced with the variable name Refresh.

When set to yes the COM port list is rescanned for newly connected or available ports.

Note that refreshing the ports list may take a few seconds depending on the number of connected ports.

Baud

This property is of type Signed integer and can be referenced with the variable name baud_rate.

Baud rate passed to the COM port to control the rate of data.

Label

This property is of type Line of text and can be referenced with the variable name label.

No additional information