WPI/NI Software Integration

The stock software frameworks in the FRC control system has several features used by teams. To leverage these features, the C++ /Java Phoenix API has six additional classes:

• WPI_TalonFX

• WPI_TalonSRX

• WPI_VictorSPX

• WPI_CANCoder

• WPI_PigeonIMU

• WPI_Pigeon2

The first three are wrappers for the Talon FX/SRX and Victor SPX, that provide:

• LiveWindow support

• Motor Safety features

• Compatibility with DriveTrain classes

All six classes also provide support for the WPILib simulation GUI.

C++ / Java Drive Train classes

To leverage the Drive Train classes in WPILib:

• Create your motor controller objects like normal.

• Create the Drive object like normal.

• Call setRightSideInverted(false) so that when moving forward, positive output is applied to left and right.

• Adjust setInverted() so that motors cause robot to drive straight forward when stick is forward.

package frc.robot;

import com.ctre.phoenix.motorcontrol.can.*;
import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.*;
import edu.wpi.first.wpilibj.drive.*;

public class Robot extends TimedRobot {
  WPI_TalonSRX _talonL = new WPI_TalonSRX(1);
  WPI_TalonSRX _talonR = new WPI_TalonSRX(0);
  DifferentialDrive _drive = new DifferentialDrive(_talonL, _talonR);
  Joystick _joystick = new Joystick(0);

  @Override
  public void teleopInit() {
    /* factory default values */
    _talonL.configFactoryDefault();
    _talonR.configFactoryDefault();

    /* flip values so robot moves forward when stick-forward/LEDs-green */
    _talonL.setInverted(false); // <<<<<< Adjust this
    _talonR.setInverted(true); // <<<<<< Adjust this

    /*
     * WPI drivetrain classes defaultly assume left and right are opposite. call
     * this so we can apply + to both sides when moving forward. DO NOT CHANGE
     */
    _drive.setRightSideInverted(false);
  }

  @Override
  public void teleopPeriodic() {
    double xSpeed = _joystick.getRawAxis(1) * -1; // make forward stick positive
    double zRotation = _joystick.getRawAxis(2); // WPI Drivetrain uses positive=> right

    _drive.arcadeDrive(xSpeed, zRotation);

    /* hold down btn1 to print stick values */
    if (_joystick.getRawButton(1)) {
      System.out.println("xSpeed:" + xSpeed + "    zRotation:" + zRotation);
    }
  }
}

Tip

It is advantageous to setup Talon / Victors in this fashion so that positive (green) represents forward motion. This makes integrating the other control modes into your drive train simpler.

C++ / Java Motor Safety Feature

The Java classes WPI_TalonFX, WPI_TalonSRX, and WPI_VictorSPX all implement the motor safety interface.

The C++ classes WPI_TalonFX, WPI_TalonSRX, and WPI_VictorSPX do not inherent the motor safety abstract class, but they do implement the exact same routines. This means the same routines can be called on the Phoenix WPI objects.