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This email announces a C language programming solution for the NXT. The
solution includes a comprehensive graphical IDE, C compiler, a full featured
debugger, and replacement NXT firmware. It runs ina Windows environment and
is available for download for anyone interested in participating in a beta
trial.
THis solution is the result of collaboration with the Robotics Academy at
Carnegie-Mellon University on development and commercialization of a new
robotics curriculum using the C programming language. Part of this
development includes a common C programming solution - "RobotC" - that runs
on several different robotics platforms. Three of these platforms are Lego's
Mindstorms RCX and NXT and the VEX Robotics controller. The primary focus
has been the education market, but I anticipate the programming capabilities
are likely also of interest to the LUGNET robotics community.
Following is a copy of information release distributed to numerous educators
today announcing download availability of a beta version.
Dear Robotics Educator:
The Robotics Academy is pleased to announce the release of a trial version
of RobotCT, a new C-based programming environment designed to work on the
RCX, the NXT, and VEX robot controllers. RobotC provides a common user
interface regardless of the actual controller in use. Programs written for
one platform can easily be ported to a different platform with little or no
changes.
Teaching programming in today's classroom can be very challenging. It
becomes harder when you have to change programming languages and
environments as students advance and migrate to more powerful controllers
and robots. At the Robotics Academy we're making the job easier. With the
new RobotC programming solution, teachers and students move from the RCX to
the NXT to Vex to the larger FIRST robot controllers using a single common
programming environment.
RobotC is designed for both beginner and advanced users. Advanced features
can be disabled and hidden from beginners under administrative control. A
graphical drag-and-drop interface simplifies program creation. It includes
an extensive library of how-to videos, sample programs, code 'snippets' and
curriculum support now in development at the Robotics Academy.
The secret to RobotC's cross-platform architecture is a small platform
specific Virtual Machine (VM) layer that provides the glue foreach specific
hardware platform. VM technology is the same architecture used by JAVA for
its cross-platform support. It's relatively easy to add future support for
additional controllers to RobotC based on feedback and demand.
RobotC was successfully trialed in live classrooms this past winter
semester. It's ready for broader exposure and feedback. At
http://www-education.rec.ri.cmu.edu/robotc/ you can download the software
and take it for a test drive. At the site you will find sample code for
multiple controllers, helper links, step-by-step videos, a bulletin board so
that the larger community can compare notes, and a bug tracker which will
enable the Robotics Academy to be responsive to any new feature requests,
issues and bugs you encounter.
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In lugnet.robotics, Dick Swan wrote:
> This email announces a C language programming solution for the NXT. The
> solution includes a comprehensive graphical IDE, C compiler, a full featured
> debugger, and replacement NXT firmware. It runs ina Windows environment and
> is available for download for anyone interested in participating in a beta
> trial.
From the install manual:
System Requirements:
• Windows 2000, XP based computer with 10MB of Hard Drive Space
• LEGO NXT Hardware with LEGO Mindstorms NXT Programming Software Installed
and/or
• LEGO RCX Hardware with Robolab 2.5 or later and/or
• Radio Shack Vex Hardware with Programming Kit with EasyC 1.0 or later and
Innovation First Loader 1.11 or later installed
These additional software are not offered by the Robotics Academy. RobotC will
natively support these platforms, regardless of previously installed software,
at time of Retail Release.
It's a pity the RCX version doesn't seem to support the LEGO retail RCX
software, I would have liked to try this out but I don't have Robolab.
ROSCO
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Rosco wrote:
> It's a pity the RCX version doesn't seem to support the LEGO retail • RCX
> software, I would have liked to try this out but I don't have Robolab.
For a USB tower, it requires Lego's Tower Driver DLL be installed.
Robolab is not required. If you use a serial tower, then nothing extra
is required.
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In lugnet.robotics, Dick Swan wrote:
> Rosco wrote:
>
> > It's a pity the RCX version doesn't seem to support the LEGO retail RCX
> > software, I would have liked to try this out but I don't have Robolab.
>
> For a USB tower, it requires Lego's Tower Driver DLL be installed.
> Robolab is not required. If you use a serial tower, then nothing extra
> is required.
Well, yesterday I quickly tried it with just the Mindstorms 2.0 software
installed, and it seemed to upload the firmware ok (firm0328.lgo), but I didn't
have a chance to test any further.
But today I tried to upload the firmware again, and got "Failed to build image
from SREC file", and it won't upload, so I can't test any further :( I guess
I'll have to go buy a battery for my old serial tower.
ROSCO
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In lugnet.robotics, Ross Crawford wrote:
> In lugnet.robotics, Dick Swan wrote:
> > Rosco wrote:
> >
> > > It's a pity the RCX version doesn't seem to support the LEGO retail RCX
> > > software, I would have liked to try this out but I don't have Robolab.
> >
> > For a USB tower, it requires Lego's Tower Driver DLL be installed.
> > Robolab is not required. If you use a serial tower, then nothing extra
> > is required.
>
> Well, yesterday I quickly tried it with just the Mindstorms 2.0 software
> installed, and it seemed to upload the firmware ok (firm0328.lgo), but I didn't
> have a chance to test any further.
>
> But today I tried to upload the firmware again, and got "Failed to build image
> from SREC file", and it won't upload, so I can't test any further :( I guess
> I'll have to go buy a battery for my old serial tower.
Scrub that, found the RobotC firmware.
ROSCO
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> > Ross Crawford wrote:
> >
> > > Scrub that, found the RobotC firmware.
Sorry you're having trouble. You should download firmware RCX file
"fast0610.lgo" which is included as part of the installation.
RobotC will not run properly with the standard Lego firmware(
"firm0328.lgo"). It has too much missing functionality -- mostly in the
area of enhanced debugging and expanded infrared messaging.
The benefit of "fast0610.lgo" includes:
- 50 to 100 times faster execution speed than standard Lego firmware.
This execution speed is comparable to a NXT using standard Lego
firmware.
- Float and long variable support.
- Full featured debugger support: breakpoints, suspend/resume, single
step execution, full set of fast updated "watch" windows, etc.
- Expanded infrared messaging support.
For NXT users, RobotC also has its own firmware version. It's file
"NXT0611.a79" and is included as part of the RobotC distribution. It has
a similar list of advantages (execution speed, debugger support, float
support, etc) over the standard Lego NXT firmware.
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In lugnet.robotics, Dick Swan wrote:
> For NXT users, RobotC also has its own firmware version. It's file
> "NXT0611.a79" and is included as part of the RobotC distribution. It has
> a similar list of advantages (execution speed, debugger support, float
> support, etc) over the standard Lego NXT firmware.
Dick,
You are awesome! I'm excited to get my hands on RobotC and your alternate
firmware. If I understand correctly, you took the sourcecode for the official
LEGO firmware and replaced the odd National Instruments VM with a VM that is
essentially 100% compatible with the standard RCX firmware VM. Is that right?
Is this firmware the same as (or nearly the same as) what comes with Robolab
2.9? Can you comment on the compatibility between fast0103.lgo (which NQC
supports) and fast0610.lgo?
Thanks!
John Hansen
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> This solution is the result of collaboration with the Robotics Academy at
> Carnegie-Mellon University on development and commercialization of a new
> robotics curriculum using the C programming language. Part of this
> development includes a common C programming solution - "RobotC" - that runs
> on several different robotics platforms.
In its final form will RobotC be available separately from the curriculum, and
if so will it be free of charge. Thanks.
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In lugnet.robotics, Colin White wrote:
> > This solution is the result of collaboration with the Robotics Academy at
> > Carnegie-Mellon University on development and commercialization of a new
> > robotics curriculum using the C programming language. Part of this
> > development includes a common C programming solution - "RobotC" - that runs
> > on several different robotics platforms.
>
> In its final form will RobotC be available separately from the curriculum, and
> if so will it be free of charge. Thanks.
What is the licensing? I can't see anything on the web site. From your
comments, I take it that this will be free-as-in-beer, but *not*
free-as-in-speech? In other words, is this going to be published under some
kind of open source license?
-dave
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In lugnet.robotics, Dave Curtis wrote:
> In lugnet.robotics, Colin White wrote:
> > > This solution is the result of collaboration with the Robotics Academy at
> > > Carnegie-Mellon University on development and commercialization of a new
> > > robotics curriculum using the C programming language. Part of this
> > > development includes a common C programming solution - "RobotC" - that runs
> > > on several different robotics platforms.
> >
> > In its final form will RobotC be available separately from the curriculum, and
> > if so will it be free of charge. Thanks.
>
> What is the licensing? I can't see anything on the web site. From your
> comments, I take it that this will be free-as-in-beer, but *not*
> free-as-in-speech? In other words, is this going to be published under some
> kind of open source license?
>
> -dave
Dick told me in a private email that RobotC will remain a strictly commercial
offering for the foreseeable future due to his desire to earn back all the sweat
equity he has invested in the product. He also urged me to not add support for
his alternate firmware to NQC and BricxCC unless I wanted to face legal action.
His alternate firmware for the NXT is built on top of the official LEGO NXT
firmware sourcecode with the virtual machine from his home-grown fast0103.lgo
RCX firmware running in place of the virtual machine that LEGO contracted out
the National Instruments (which is based on the virtual machine used in
LabView). He uses all the standard LEGO-designed file extensions such as .rso
for sound files, .rxe for user executables, .rtm for sample executables
delivered with the firmware (tm == try me), and .rdt for datalog (which LEGO cut
from the standard NXT firmware). The file format for executables (.sys, .rxe,
and .rtm files) is far simpler than the format used by the NI virtual machine.
John Hansen
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> Dick told me in a private email that RobotC will remain a strictly commercial
> offering for the foreseeable future due to his desire to earn back all the sweat
> equity he has invested in the product. He also urged me to not add support for
> his alternate firmware to NQC and BricxCC unless I wanted to face legal action.
I think I speak for everyone in appreciating the huge effort John has put in on
BrickCC with no financial reward. I also appreciate that certain folks would
like to get compensated for their efforts, which appears to be the case with
RobotC. I have no problem with this. What I do have a problem with is making an
announcement on this board about a free beta version for testing without making
it clear that if you want to use the product in the future you will have to pay
for it. I think this is dishonest. The developer clearly want their product
tested for free. Rather than supporting this community, the developer is
exploiting it. Further to threaten John with legal action if he supports the new
firmware is beyond words. I intend to boycott RobotC even though it is a very
attractive product because I have a RCX, NXT and VEX.
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