Installation & Setup

Get RoboControl up and running on your system. Prerequisites, installation options, and first-run configuration.

Installation

Minimum Requirements

• OS: Windows 10/11, macOS, or Linux
• .NET Runtime: 8.0 or higher
• RAM: 4 GB minimum (8 GB recommended)
• Storage: 500 MB for installation

First-Time User Workflows

VEX Team Getting Started (20 min)

Step 1: Install RoboControl → Download and run installer

Step 2: Connect Your Robot → Plug V5 Brain via USB. App auto-detects.

Step 3: Calibrate (5 min) → Measure drivetrain dimensions (wheelbase, wheel diameter). Verify odometry.

Step 4: Design Path → Visual Path Designer. Draw waypoints. Set intake/shooter actions.

Step 5: Test → Click "Simulate" → watch physics simulation. Adjust trajectory.

Step 6: Deploy → "Generate Code" → Copy PROS C++ → Paste in project → Flash to robot.

Drone Fleet Manager Setup (30 min)

Step 1: Add Vehicles → Fleet Manager → "Add Vehicle" → Select aircraft type (DJI, ArduPilot, etc.)

Step 2: Plan Mission → "New Survey Mission" → Draw area on map → Input ground resolution → Auto-generates grid

Step 3: Set Safety → Draw no-fly zones → Set max altitude → Enable return-to-home on signal loss

Step 4: Upload & Arm → "Upload Mission" → Confirms on aircraft → Pre-flight checklist → Ready to fly

Installation Methods

From Source (Recommended)

Clone the repository and build from source for the latest development version.

# Clone repository
git clone https://github.com/smiles0527/RoboControl.git
cd RoboControl

# Restore packages
dotnet restore

# Build solution
dotnet build --configuration Release

# Run tests
dotnet test

# Launch application
dotnet run --project ControlWorkbench.App --configuration Release

From Visual Studio 2022

1. Open ControlWorkbench.sln in Visual Studio 2022
2. Build > Build Solution (Ctrl+Shift+B)
3. Debug > Start Debugging (F5)

Build Specific Modules

Build only the modules you need:

# Build only VEX module
dotnet build ControlWorkbench.VEX

# Build only Drone module
dotnet build ControlWorkbench.Drone

# Build only Math module
dotnet build ControlWorkbench.Math

# Build and run tests
dotnet test ControlWorkbench.Tests

First Run Setup

Step 1: Launch Application

dotnet run --project ControlWorkbench.App

Step 2: Select Mode

A welcome screen will appear. Choose VEX V5 Robotics or Drone/UAV based on your needs.

Step 3: Configure Hardware

For VEX: The application will auto-detect your V5 Brain via USB. If detection fails, manually select the COM port.

For Drone: Select your flight controller's serial port or TCP connection.

Step 4: Verify Connection

• Watch console for connection status messages
• Check telemetry panel for incoming data
• Verify safety limits are active

Troubleshooting Installation

Serial Connection Fails

Check available COM ports:

# PowerShell
Get-SerialPort

# Or Command Prompt
mode

Missing .NET 8.0

# Check .NET version
dotnet --version

# Download .NET 8.0
# https://dotnet.microsoft.com/download/dotnet/8.0

NuGet Package Issues

# Clear NuGet cache
dotnet nuget locals all --clear

# Restore packages without cache
dotnet restore --no-cache

Build Errors

Try a clean build:

# Remove build artifacts
dotnet clean

# Build from scratch
dotnet build --no-incremental

Next Steps

After successful installation: