This file contains information to introduce you to the LabVIEW for FTC 2011-2012 Toolkit. This file also provides help resources that you can use while working with the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit.
Overview
System Requirements
Installation Instructions
Updating the NXT Brick Firmware
Features and Changes
Known Issues
Finding Examples
Accessing the Help
Overview
The LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit contains VIs that are specifically designed to help you program a robot for an FTC competition. Use the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit with LabVIEW for LEGO® MINDSTORMS® provided in the FTC 2011-2012 Kit to program the NXT brick to control FTC-specific sensors and motors.
System Requirements
The LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit has the following requirements:
LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS—You must have LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS installed on the computer before you download the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit.
Refer to the LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS DVD packaging for information about installing and activating LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS.
(Windows) 37.6 MB of additional disk space
(Mac OS X) 17.2 MB of additional disk space
Installation Instructions
Complete the following steps to download and install the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit.
Ensure LabVIEW for LEGO MINDSTORMS is closed.
Disable any automatic virus detection programs.
Visit the National Instruments website at ni.com/info and enter the info code FTCsoftware.
Follow the instructions that appear on the web page to download and install the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit for the operating system you are using.
After installation, enable any virus detection programs you disabled.
Updating the NXT Brick Firmware
You must download version 1.31 of the NXT brick firmware to your NXT brick to compete in the FTC competition. The field control system (FCS) at the FTC competition cannot communicate with your robot unless you use version 1.31 of the firmware on the NXT brick. The LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit provides the correct version of the firmware.
To update the firmware in LabVIEW, select Tools»NXT Terminal to open the NXT Terminal dialog box, and click Update Firmware. Make sure that LEGO MINDSTORMS NXT Firmware V1.31 is selected and click Update.
Features and Changes
The LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit includes the following features and changes:
The LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit supports the Samantha Wi-Fi Module, which the FTC 2011-2012 competition requires all users to connect to. Refer to the FIRST website to install and set up your wireless connection with the Samantha Wi-Fi Module.
The FTC Tools VIs palette contains nine VIs that are either new or altered from previous versions of the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit. In the LabVIEW NXT Module Help, refer to the VI & Function Reference»FTC Tools VIs topic for more information about each new or changed FTC Tools VI.
The Remote Control Editor contains a Generate Code button, which creates LabVIEW code based on the configurations you set for one or two game controllers. You can modify this base LabVIEW code as necessary for your specific robot.
The Run Program page of the Remote Control Editor contains two modes for testing the game controller configurations: Prototype and FTC Game. Prototype mode allows you to test the configurations using the game controller. FTC Game mode allows you to test the configurations with programs that you can download to the NXT brick or programs that already exist on the NXT brick so you can use the game controller as you would in an FTC match. The Enable and Disable buttons allow you to switch between Teleop mode and Autonomous mode respectively.
Known Issues
You can access known issues about the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit by visiting the National Instruments website at ni.com/first.
Finding Examples
Refer to the FTC Arm & Gripper template project for examples of autonomous and teleop programs in the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit. Select File»New and under Robot Project, select FTC Arm & Gripper to access the FTC Arm & Gripper project. Modify the project to fit an application for your robot.
Accessing the Help
Refer to the following resources for more information about the LabVIEW for FTC Toolkit:
TETRIX Robotics website—Use the TETRIX Robotics website to access the TETRIX Getting Started Guide, the FTC Extension, and the TETRIX Mastery LabVIEW Tutorials to familiarize yourself with building and programming an FTC robot that moves according to commands you send from a game controller.
LabVIEW FTC Tools VIs Help—Use the LabVIEW FTC Tools VIs Help to access reference information about the FTC Tools VIs. (Windows) Select Help»NXT Module Help to display the LabVIEW NXT Module Help, click the Contents tab if necessary, and then navigate to the VI & Function Reference»FTC Tools VIs topic. (Mac OS X) Select Help»FTC Tools Help to display the LabVIEW FTC Tools VIs Help. You also can right-click an FTC VI on the block diagram and select Help from the shortcut menu.
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Trademarks
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Other product and company names mentioned herein are trademarks or trade names of their respective companies.
Patents
For patents covering the National Instruments products/technology, refer to the appropriate location: Help»Patents in your software, the patents.txt file on your media, or the National Instruments Patent Notice at ni.com/patents.
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