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== Last night (Wednesday - Nov 11, 2009)... ==

our programmer group walked with Chief Roboteer Steve Rhoads through a RobotC competition template. We examined the grammar of "C" (semi-colons, sequence, branching, and looping) and the structure of a competition relative to the template.

Mike Long, DEWBot Programmer, asked about using the 150+ sample programs to assemble a stellar competition program. Using his question as a guide, we copied basic movement code from the "Moving Forward.c" program from the "Basic Movement" folder and driving code from the "Dual Joystick Control.c" program in the "Radio Control Transmitter" folder. We put those lines of code into a copy of the "Vex_Competition_Template.c" program from the "Templates" folder.

The result? Code that I think might seriously be able to win most beginner-to-intermediate competitions (as long as the machine was mechanically sound).

Mike was put to the test almost immediately afterward. Foster Schucker, STEM Robotics Chief Roboteer, came over to the programmer area and asked if Steve could program a robot for a demo the next day. Steve said, "No, but Mike can!" Mike put his new skills to the test. He successfully programmed and verified a dual-joystick, dual-transmitter solution for the Protobot (4-motor base, tank drive: Lever arm with intake roller) in moments! GO MIKE!

That's what I call "Combat Coding!"

Come next week, and participate in "Combat Coding" our Robot Relics. I will slap down a machine (dual motor, quad-motor, or holonomic drive), specify a game objective, a drive-control type (dual or single joystick) and any associated sensors along with an environmental manipulator.

You make it work! (I am supposed to only take half the session time, so you need to do this in less than an hour.)

Happy solutioning!