New: LED and Rumble capability added to the Virtual Gamepad, thanks to Alan Smith, FTC team 16072. Rumble capability has now been added to the real gamepad(s) as well.
Field now changed to Power Play.
Coming soon: Power Play game elements.
Includes Programming Board configuration to serve as a companion to the book "Learn Java For FTC", by Alan Smith. The PDF can be downloaded for free or you can purchase the paperback on Amazon.
This is a JavaFX application developed using the (free) IntelliJ IDEA Community Edition IDE. The repository can be downloaded and unzipped, then opened with IntelliJ. It can also be run using Android Studio (see this video).
Multiple robot configurations are available. MecanumBot has a mecanum drive with a servo-driven arm at the back, and with three dead-wheel encoders. XDriveBot has four corner-mounted Omni-wheels, a rear arm driven by a cr-servo, and three dead-wheel encoders. ArmBot is a mecanum drive bot with a motor-driven arm and servo-driven grabber. Several other configurations (SwerveBot, DiffSwerveBot, etc) are available, but are currently disabled. They can be enabled by un-commenting the @Botconfig annotations in their configuration classes (package virtual_robot.robots.classes).
Each robot can be thought of as 18 inches wide. For the two-wheel bot and mecanum wheel bots, the distance between the centers of the right and left wheels is 16 inches. For the mecanum wheel bots, the distance between the centers of the front and back wheels is 14 inches, and the mecanum wheels (when viewed from the top) have an "X" configuration. For the X-Drive bot, the distance between the centers of any two adjacent wheels is 14.5 inches. Each motor has an encoder. There is a downward-facing color sensor in the center of each robot. A BNO055 IMU is also included. Each robot also has distance sensors on the front, left, right and back sides. A small green rectangle indicates the front of each robot. Wheel diameters are all 4 inches. For the robots with dead-wheel encoders (MecanumBot and XDriveBot), the forward-reverse encoder wheels are mounted 6 inches to the right and left of center, while the X-direction (i.e., right-left) encoder wheel is mounted at the center. The dead-wheels are two inches in diameter. Positioning of the dead-wheels can be changed easily in the robot configuration classes.
The field can be thought of as 12 feet wide. The field graphic (currently the Freight Frenzy field) is obtained from a bitmap (.bmp) image. The color sensor detects the field color beneath the center of the robot. The field graphic is easily changed by providing a different .bmp image in the virtual_robot.config.Config class. The .bmp image is the freight_field648.bmp file in the virtual_robot.assets folder. If a different .bmp image is used, it must be at least as wide and as tall as the field dimensions (currently 648 x 648 pixels to fit on the screen of most laptops). The Config class also allows selection between the use of "real" hardware gamepads versus a "virtual gamepad".
In addition to the robot configurations described above, there is an additional configuration called "ProgrammingBoard". It is meant to emulate the programming board described in the book "Learn Java For FTC", by Alan Smith. (The PDF can be downloaded for free or you can purchase the paperback on Amazon.) It is a board with several hardware devices attached: DcMotor, Servo, Potentiometer, Touch Sensor, and a Color-Distance Sensor. It also has a BNO055 IMU. The board doesn't move around the field, but it can be rotated (to test the IMU) by dragging the board chassis.
An approximation of the FTC SDK is provided.
User-defined OpModes must be placed in the org.firstinspires.ftc.teamcode package, and must extend OpMode (or LinearOpMode). OpModes are registered by placing a @TeleOp or @Autonomous annotation immediately above the class declaration.
Several example OpModes are provided in the org.firstinspires.ftc.teamcode package. To minimize clutter, a number of sample op modes are currently disabled; they can be re-enabled by commenting out the @Disabled annotation. A number of robot configurations are also disabled. A robot configuration can be re-enabled by finding its class in the virtual_robot.robots.classes package, and un-commenting its @BotConfig annotation.
To use:
- Make sure you have the Java 8 JDK installed on your PC. Also, install the free Community Edition of JetBrains IntelliJ IDEA.
- Download the virtual_robot .zip, and extract contents. Open the project in IntelliJ. You'll see three modules in the project (Controller, TeamCode, and virtual_robot) -- the only module you'll need to touch is TeamCode. It contains the org.firstinspires.ftc.teamcode package.
- Write your OpModes in the org.firstinspires.ftc.teamcode package; make sure to include a @TeleOp or @Autonomous annotation. These must extend the OpMode class (may either extend OpMode OR LinearOpMode). OpMode must provide init() and loop() methods; LinearOpMode must provide runOpMode() method.
- You can either use the Virtual Gamepad (currently the default), or use one or two real Gamepads; to use real gamepads, open Controller/src/virtual_robot/config/Config.java and set USE_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD to false. Then plug in your gamepad(s).
- Run the application (by clicking the green arrowhead at the toolbar).
- If using real gamepad(s), press start-A or start-B on gamepad(s) to select which is gamepad1 vs. gamepad2.
- Use Configuration dropdown box to select a robot configuration. The configuration will be displayed.
- Use the Op Mode drop down box to select the desired OpMode.
- Prior to initialization, position the robot on the field by left-mouse-clicking the field (for robot position), and right-mouse-clicking (for robot orientation).
- Use the INIT/START/STOP button as you would on the FTC Driver Station.
- If desired use the sliders to introduce random and systematic motor error, and inertia.
LOG OF CHANGES
CHANGES 8/26/2022 Rumble and LED capability added to the Virtual Gamepad, thanks to Alan Smith, FTC 16072. Also, fixed the invert method for 1x1 and 2x2 matrices in MatrixF, now that the corresponding bug has been fixed in the FTC SDK.
CHANGES 10/16/2021 Implemented the Freight Frenzy game, and FreightBot robot configuration. The NoGame simulation is still available, and can be set in Config.java (see below). In keeping with the FTC SDK v7.0, the Gamepad.setJoystickDeadzone method has been removed. The deadzone is fixed at 0.2, and absolute input values from 0.2->1.0 are mapped into the 0.0->1.0 range. The ACME Robotics RoadRunner core is now included as a library. EasyOpenCV is also included as a library, although only for compatibility with import statements in user classes.
CHANGES 5/7/2021 Incorporated changes from Daniel McDonald/Bots Of Prey to allow interaction with game elements. Then, to accommodate future games and simplify collision handling, incorporated the dyn4j physics and collision engine. Most robot configurations have been modified to work with the physics engine (though ArmBot has not, and provides a purely kinematic simulation). Only one configuration, BetaBot, actually takes up game elements (rings) and shoots them. A NoGame simulation is available: in Config.java, just set GAME = NoGame(). For the physics simulation, the friction coefficient between the robot wheels and the field is currently very high (10), so there is virtually no skidding. This can be modified in the Config.java class.
CHANGES 1/22/2021 Changed telemetry to match (nearly completely) the API of the FTC SDK (but no speech). Also, add stack trace output for exceptions thrown by op modes.
CHANGES 9/20/2020 Added Swerve robot configuration. Each of four swerve units has: a DcMotor for drive, a CR-Servo for steering, and a separate encoder to monitor steering (this appears as a DcMotor in the config file). A TestSwerve op mode is included for demonstration.
CHANGES 9/13/2020 Added the ability to "constrain" the field, to simulate partial fields being used for remote competitions. For a "RED" field, change the value of X_MIN_FRACTION in Config.java from 0 to 0.3333. For a partial "BLUE" field, change the value of X_MAX_FRACTION from 1 to 0.6667. This will mask the excluded parts of the field, and constrain robot motion. The distance sensors will behave as if the wall has been moved to the edge of the constraint area.
CHANGES 8/29/2020 Added the ability to have the "virtual gamepad" triggers and joysticks "snap back" to zero when released. By default, they will hold at current position when released. But, if the SHIFT or ALT key is being pressed, then when these controls are released, they will return to zero. The default behavior can be changed by changing the value of HOLD_CONTROLS_BY_DEFAULT in virtual_robot.config.Config.java.
CHANGES 8/22/2020
Added programming board configuration to serve as a companion for the book "Learn Java For FTC", by Alan Smith.
The PDF can be downloaded for free or you can purchase the paperback on Amazon.
CHANGES 7/22/2020 Added "Dead-wheel" encoder capability, and a new robot configuration that has mecanum drive wheels and three dead-wheel encoders. Also added a new op mode to demonstrate dead-wheel odometry.
CHANGES 12/16/2019 Further changes to facilitate creation of new robot configurations. The robot configuration classes (e.g., MechanumBot) still extend VirtualBot. But now, these classes are also the JavaFX Controller classes for the fxml markup files that define the robot's graphical representation in the UI. The robot configuration class must have a @BotConfig annotation that indicates the name of this config (as it will be displayed to the user) and the filename of its corresponding fxml file. The fxml file must have a Group object as its root, and must set the fx:controller attribute of that group to the name of the robot config class. Individual nodes in the group can be given fx:id attributes, which make them accessible in the robot config class by using a @FXML annotation. The easiest way to create a new configuration is to copy, then modify, the ".java" and ".fxml" files from an existing configuration (for example, MechanumBot.java and mechanum_bot.fxml). See extensive comments in the virtual_robot.controller.VirtualBot and virtual_robot.robots.classes.ArmBot classes and the virtual_robot.robots.fxml.arm_bot.fxml file for more explanation.
CHANGES 12/12/2019 Changes made to all more versatile building of new robot configurations. A transparent robot base layer (equal in width to the field) was added. This makes it possible for the robot to have accessories that extend well beyond the chassis in all four directions. A new robot configuration, ArmBot, was added. It has an extensible arm with a grabber at the end. The arm is DC Motor-operated. The grabber is Servo-operated. It is a mecanum-wheeled bot.
CHANGES 11/29/2019 Range class and additional op modes contributed by FTC Team 16072. Servo interface (and ServoImpl class) enhanced with more features of the actual FTC SDK: ability to reverse direction and to scale position range.
CHANGES 10/6/2019 Added the option of using "Virtual GamePad" instead of real GamePad. To do this, go to the Config.java class in the virtual_robot.config package (within the Controller module), and assign "true" to the USE_VIRTUAL_GAMEPAD constant. Other constants in this class include the field image (BACKGROUND) and the field width in pixels (FIELD_WIDTH). If changing FIELD_WIDTH, need to supply a square bitmap (.bmp) field image that is FIELD_WIDTH pixels wide.
CHANGES 8/17/2019 RUN_TO_POSITION mode is now available for DcMotor, with setTargetPosition, getTargetPosition, and isBusy methods. Added 175 ms of latency to the BNO055IMU.
CHANGES 8/4/2019 To better approximate real robot behavior, latency of 175ms added to the standard gyro sensor (used only on the Two-Wheel Bot). That is, updated values are available only every 175ms. The amount of latency can be changed easily in the createHardwareMap method of the virtual_robot.robots.classes.TwoWheelBot class. Will probably make a similar change to the BNO055IMU soon.
CHANGES 7/10/2019 To improve plug and play with OpModes copied and pasted from Android Studio, multiple packages were renamed. In addition, Continuous Rotation Servo capability was added. The XDrive Bot now has a CR Servo in the back rather than a standard servo. The XDriveBotDemo op mode demonstrates the use of this servo, using gamepad2.
NOTE: OpModes copied directly from Android Studio to Virtual Robot do not automatically compile when pasted into
Virtual Robot in IntelliJ, and won't show up in the OpModes dropdown box until they are compiled. Three different
methods to force compilation are: 1) Right click the file and select "Recompile"; 2) From the "Build" menu,
select "Rebuild Project"; or, 3) Make any change at all to the OpMode file (e.g., add a comment). Any one of these
methods is sufficient.
CHANGES 7/06/2019 Now uses @TeleOp, @Autonomous, and @Disabled class annotations to control the display of OpModes in the OpMode combobox. For @TeleOp and @Autonomous, a name parameter must be specified. The group parameter is optional (default group is "default"). GamePad setJoystickDeadzone capability contributed by FTC team 16072.
CHANGES 7/01/2019 Now supports two GamePads instead of just one. Use start-A and start-B to select gamepad1 and gamepad2, as you would in the FTC SDK. Two op modes for Mecanum Bot contributed by FTC team 16072, including a nice demonstration of field-centric drive using the IMU. These are in the org.firstinspires.ftc.teamcode.ftc16072 package.
CHANGES 6/25/2019 Contribution from Alan Smith (alan412): now supports "regular" op modes in addition to linear op modes.
CHANGES 4/3/2019 1. Added BNO055IMU interface to simulate (in a limited way) coding for the IMU in the REV Expansion Hub. 2. The Mecanum Bot and X Drive Bot now have a BNO055IMU rather than the original gyro. 3. The Two-Wheel Bot still has the original gyro. 4. DCMotor interface renamed to DcMotor, in keeping the the FTC SDK. 5. New utility classes: enum AngleUnit, enum AxesOrder, enum AxesReference, class Orientation
CHANGES 3/23/2019 1. Uses real game pad (instead of the original "virtual" game pad. 2. Added an X-Drive robot configuration. 3. Tweaks to opModeIsActive() and addition of isStopRequested() to allow while() loop before START. 4. Added Color class with single static method: RGBtoHSV(red, green, blue, hsv). 5. Added distance sensors to all robot configurations to measure distance from walls. 6. Replaced LineFollow example opMode with MechBotAutoDemo, a line follower that actually works.