Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Joseph Glanville on September 17, 2009 at 3:52am

You should be fine reading the documentation to modify most of the variables (gains etc.)
Waypoints and such.. I think the config tool would be your best way out.
There is no "User Friendly Code".

However I would agree that Ardu needs a little bit better docu.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Anderson on September 17, 2009 at 5:08am

Joseph,

This is an open source project and we very much encourage community participation. If there is something you'd like to see improved in the manual, I can give you edit permission so you can make the change yourself. Please just PM me.

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Permalink Reply by Anwar Ali Khan on September 17, 2009 at 10:49pm

Thanks Joseph but which documentation you are referring and where do I get this config tool?

Chris you are right. Probably it will take me a couple of months to understand this coding and then I would probably fly my plane.

What this 'headers' folder is about in the new code? I cannot open the file within that in Arduino. Do I need that folder or file?

I thik I need to exclude the files related to other GPSs that I am not using. Am I wright? Would it not be possible for you to split the 'Sensors' file into two, one for FMA and one for XYZ sensors like what you have done for the GPSs, so that we keep the required one and exclude the other?

I would further suggest to put some more comments/explanations for each command line within the code, so that people like me would better understand the code and would be able to edit it on their own (meanwhile I am trying to study this compter language/coding provided I could spare some time from my job).

To avoid any risk I don't want to be in a rush thats why I am asking these questions.

Many thanks for your guidance.

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Permalink Reply by David Sprague on September 18, 2009 at 6:10am

Hi Anwar,

The documentation is a combination of the Ardupilot manual and the comments in the header and source files for the ardupilot.

The config tool that Joseph is referring to can be found here: http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/configtool-v143. It is a tool that one of the community members has written to make it easier to specify waypoints for the ardupilot.

As far as I know, you need to edit the header file (easystar.h) using a text editor such as Notepad on MS Windows. The header file contains the configuration settings...these settings are all you should need to change.
For example, to specify which GPS you are using, you only need to change one line in the easystar.h file but since you're using the EM406 you don't even need to change that line because in the version 2.3 that is the default setting (it's called SIRF because that's the protocol used by the EM406 gps module).

So you don't need to delete the other gps source files...changing that setting in the easystar.h file will cause the compiler select the proper gps source file

You shouldn't need to change other parts of the code for what you want to do but longer term I'd encourage you to go through the code and get to the point where you understand how it works. If you've done programming in almost any other language you should be able to pick up the C/C++ language used for this project fairly quickly. It will probably be a worthwhile investment of time.

As the Ardupilot main page (http://diydrones.com/profiles/blogs/ardupilot-main-page) and the manual states, you can use the ardupilot for navigation only and use the FMA co-pilot for stabilization so you could start by just connecting the FMA to your airplane and fly with it to get comfortable with how it works.

Then you should be able to add the Ardupilot (with the "Walkaround mode" selected in the easystar.h file) with the EM406 gps for navigation and continue to use the FMA for stabilization.

(Read the section in the manual entitled: "[optional] Ground Testing with the Fixed Direction Mode", there's a note there about using the ardupilot for navigation only and using the FMA for stabilization.)

In this case, the FMA would not connect to the ardupilot, it would stay connected to the servos as it normally does. I believe the ardupilot would connect between the receiver and the FMA co-pilot.

Dave

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Permalink Reply by Anwar Ali Khan on September 18, 2009 at 11:10pm

Thanks David for your detailed reply. I will follow your guidance.

Just downloaded the latest Config Tool but the Google Map does not appear on right side of that?

Yes I can open the 'easystar.h' file which is within the headers folder by using Notepad. But I am still confused that how does a change made to this file can affect the rest of the code because this file is a separate one and nothing to do with the Arduino software. Do we need to change its extension to pde and combine with the other pde files? By the way I will not use Easystar and will go for an ordinary trainer plane.

Yes you are right that in the log run I should get familiar with the C/C++. I am hopeful about that as long ago when the PCs were introduced, I was a programmer using BASIC.

What does it mean by "Walkaround"? Is it only about ground testing? Because Chris Anderson has told me to turn it on for flying with FMA Co-Pilot. Thanks,

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Permalink Reply by David Sprague on September 19, 2009 at 7:51am

you need to have an internet connection for google maps to come up in the config tool. Even when you have an internet connect it takes several seconds or maybe longer for the google maps data to load. Other than that, I don't have much experience with this tool.

Near the top of the primary source file (ArduPilot_Easystar_V23.pde) is a line that says "#include easystar.h " (it actually has less-than and greater-than symbols around the file name but for some reason this forum editor doesn't like those symbols)

This causes the compiler to load that file and use the definitions in it as part of the compile process. As Chris recommends in the Ardupilot, you should read the documentation on the Arduino software development environment so you understand these kinds of things. Starting poing is: http://arduino.cc/en/Guide/HomePage

So, do not rename the easystar.h file. Just make the necessary changes to it and those changes will be reflected in the code when it is compiled.

The Walkaround mode causes the ardupilot to only do navigation (steering toward waypoints) and not stabilization (wing/pitch leveling) so it has two uses, one is ground testing (that's what Walkaround is referring to) and the other is using the ardupilot only for navigation.

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Permalink Reply by Anwar Ali Khan on September 23, 2009 at 10:03pm

Many thanks David. This is great. I have read basic introduction to C++ and found that some of my questions were just stupid.

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Permalink Reply by Anwar Ali Khan on October 21, 2009 at 2:49am

If "walkaround" means no stabilization then do we need to have those sensors like FMA Co-pilot on board? thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Chris Anderson on October 21, 2009 at 3:53am

yes

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Permalink Reply by Anwar Ali Khan on October 30, 2009 at 1:11am

Dear Chir,
I have received the board, EM406 and FTDI cable but still waiting for the FMA sensor.
Just one question here: I have both the knob and a three position toggle switch (in addition to a two position toggle switch) on my Futaba 7CAP 72MHz radio. Which switch should I prefer for the FMA among the knob and three position toggle? These switches can be assigned to any channel on the radio. Thanks.

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Permalink Reply by Morli_ on March 22, 2010 at 4:00am

Hi Anwar, if you are talking about mode selection switch then 3 position switch is preferred by many, if you don't have 3 P switch then a Pot(knob) switch can be used

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Permalink Reply by Anwar Ali Khan on March 22, 2010 at 3:42am

Dear Chris, Had orderd some of the stuff in September 2009, received the board (red one), EM406 and FTDI cable through a friend in UK but could never receive the FMA Co Pilot. Now I have decided to go for the Expension Shield and XY,Z sensors. The internet shopping is restricted in my country and the postage is not safe. Would it be possible for me to send you the price of these two items and expected postage charges via Western Union? There are many authorised agents of Western Union in my city. If it is possible then please let me know. I am visiting Europe by the end of June where I expect to receive the stuff without any loss, Thanks.

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