Editing Paths and Autos

Waypoints

Within paths, waypoints are the positions on the field the define the shape of the spline that the robot will follow. Each waypoint consists of two types of points: anchor points and control points. Anchor points define the exact position that the spline will pass through, and control points are used to define the heading, or tangent, of the spline as well as to fine-tune the shape of the spline via the control point's distance from its associated anchor point.

Waypoints can be added to a path by double-clicking on the field within the path preview. A new waypoint will be added to the end of the path at the clicked location. Waypoints can be edited by click and drag in the path preview, or via the waypoints tree.

Waypoints Tree

Lock Button

Locks the waypoint to prevent it from being changed by dragging it around in the path preview. This will still allow the control point lengths to be changed via click and drag.

Delete Button

Delete the waypoint from the path

X Position

X Position of the waypoint's anchor point on the field in meters.

Y Position

Y Position of the waypoint's anchor point on the field in meters.

Heading

The heading, or direction of travel, of the robot while passing through this point in degrees.

Previous Control Length

The distance between the anchor point and the previous control point in meters.

Next Control Length

The distance between the anchor point and the next control point in meters.

Add Rotation Target Button

Adds a new rotation target to the path at the position of the selected waypoint.

New Waypoint After Button

Inserts a new waypoint in the path after the selected waypoint.

Link Waypoint Button

Link this waypoint to other waypoints by giving them a shared name. Updating the position of one linked waypoint will update the positions of all other waypoints linked to it in all other paths.

Global Constraints

Global Constraints define the kinematic constraints of the robot along the entire path. These constraints will be used anywhere that is not covered by a constraints zone. The global constraints can be edited via the Global Constraints tree.

Global Constraints Tree

Max Velocity

The maximum velocity of the robot in meters/sec.

Max Acceleration

The maximum acceleration of the robot in meters/sec^2.

Max Angular Velocity

The maximum angular velocity of the robot in degrees/sec.

Max Angular Acceleration

The maximum angular acceleration of the robot in degrees/sec^2.

Nominal Voltage

The nominal battery voltage during the path in volts. This is effectively a max velocity and max angular velocity constraint that can be used to properly limit those speeds when you expect the battery voltage to sag during auto due to other systems running such as a shooter or intake. This constraint is still used for unlimited constraints.

Use Default Constraints

Ties these constraints to the default constraints in the settings menu.

Unlimited

Use unlimited constraints for this path. If unlimited, the robot will move as fast as the torque output will allow.

Ideal Starting State

The ideal starting state defines the state the robot should be at when starting the path. This will be used to pre-generate the trajectory which will be followed if the robot matches this state when it starts to follow this path. This can be edited via the goal end state tree, or the rotation (holonomic mode only) can be edited via click and drag in the path preview.

Ideal Starting State Tree

Velocity

The velocity that the robot should start the path with, in meters/sec. Non-zero velocities means that the robot will not be stationary at the start point.

Rotation

The goal rotation for the robot at the start of the path, in degrees. Only available when holonomic mode is on.

Goal End State

The goal end state defines the target state of the robot when the path ends. This can be edited via the goal end state tree, or the rotation (holonomic mode only) can be edited via click and drag in the path preview.

Goal End State Tree

Velocity

The velocity that the robot should end the path with, in meters/sec. Non-zero velocities means that the robot will not stop at the end point.

Rotation

The goal rotation for the robot at the end of the path, in degrees. Only available when holonomic mode is on.

Rotation Targets

Rotation targets define points along the path where the robot should target a given rotation. When path following, the robot will look ahead for the next rotation target, then attempt to rotate to its associated rotation. Rotation targets can be edited in the rotation targets tree. This is only available when holonomic mode is on.

Rotation Targets Tree

Rotation

The rotation that should be targeted, in degrees.

Position Slider

Controls the rotation target's waypoint relative position along the path.

Event Markers

Event markers define points along the path where other commands should be triggered while path following. Each event marker has a command group associated with it that can be used to build more complex functionality via adding named commands, wait commands, and nested command groups. Please note that when the robot reaches the end of a path, all commands triggered via event markers are commanded to end. If you'd like a command to activate when the robot reaches the end of a path, you may want to either experiment with Autos, or place that command at the start of the next path.

Event markers also have the option to be used as triggers, which allow for binding commands to the start/end of an event zone, combine multiple triggers together, using other conditions, etc.

Event Markers Tree

Zoned Event Checkbox

Indicates whether this event marker should be zoned. Zoned events will have a start and end position that controls when their associated command gets scheduled/canceled, and when their associated trigger goes true/false. If an event is not zoned, its command will not be canceled unless it is still running at the end of a path, while its trigger will go true for one loop.

Start Position Slider

Controls the event marker's starting waypoint relative position along the path.

End Position Slider

Controls the event marker's ending waypoint relative position along the path. Only available for zoned events.

Command Tree

Defines the command that will be run when reaching the event marker.

Constraint Zones

Constraint zones are used to change the kinematic constraints of the robot for a given region of the path. This allows for fine control over the maximum velocity and acceleration of the robot throughout the entire path. Multiple constraint zones can be added to the path and they can overlap. At a given point along the path, the constraints for the zone closest to the top of the list of zones will be used. If there is no constraint zone, the global constraints will be used. Constraint zones can be edited via the constraint zones tree.

Constraint Zones Tree

Constraints

Identical configuration as global constraints. Minus the ability to use defaults or unlimited constraints.

Start Position Slider

Controls the waypoint relative position of the start of the zone.

End Position Slider

Controls the waypoint relative position of the end of the zone.

Point Towards Zones

"Point Towards" Zones are used to create a zone along a path where the robot should aim at a position on the field.

Point Towards Zones Tree

Field Position X

The X coordinate of the target field position, in meters.

Field Position Y

The Y coordinate of the target field position, in meters.

Rotation Offset

An additional rotation to add to the angle to target when in the zone, in degrees. Can be used to have the robot point away from the target position, for example.

Start Position Slider

Controls the waypoint relative position of the start of the zone.

End Position Slider

Controls the waypoint relative position of the end of the zone.

Path Optimization

The path editor includes a path optimizer tool that uses a genetic algorithm to adjust the shape of the path, minimizing the total runtime of the path. The optimizer is not guaranteed to find the true "optimal" path shape, but it can be run multiple times if better results are desired.

Path Optimizer Tree

Optimized Runtime

The total runtime of the current best result of the path optimizer

Optimize Button

Run the optimizer for the current path. The progress of the optimizer will be displayed in the progress bar below the buttons

Discard Button

Discard the result of the optimizer

Accept Button

Accept the result of the optimizer and update the current path to match

Reversed

This reversal checkbox is only available if holonomic mode is off. If selected, the robot will drive backwards when following this path.

Command Group

The command group tree is used to define the entire autonomous routine within a sequential command group. This command tree works the same as the command tree for event markers. Commands can be added, removed, or reordered. The same rules that apply to command groups when creating them programmatically still apply here.