FAQ
Where are the program config files saved?
The config files are saved in the C:/Users/user_name/AppData/Roaming/PositionSystemToExternalProgram/ folder.
What robotic arm devices are currently working?
As of currently, this software is known to function with the following robotic arms:
| Vendor | Model | Protocol | Communication mode | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tempest MAx | OSR2+ | T-code | Serial port | |
| Tempest MAx | SR6 | T-code | Serial port | ⚠️ Please read: Patching the SR6 firmware |
Although there is no support for wireless yet as we do not currently have contributing developers who own such a device, there is at least one OSR2+ user who has successfully used Serial over Bluetooth using custom firmware; so wireless is definitely a possibility.
Other robotic arms that support the T-code protocol may be supported.
My robotic arm is not in that list. How to add it?
If your device was designed by Tempest, it will likely work already because their devices use the T-code protocol. I have not tested this.
Otherwise, you're going to need the help of another developer to do this. I cannot add support for other devices myself as it's unlikely I will own other robotic arms like this.
If you know of a developer willing to try adding support, let them check out the GitHub.
- The Submit() function in
Routine.csis probably a good place to start.
If your device only has one axis of motion, it might be possible to add integration with Intiface sometime in the future.
If you made it this far into this documentation, you may want to know there is a new temporary Discord server here for early troubleshooting: https://discord.gg/3VzveJQYWE
Wireless: The robotic arm is stuttering, or it is not smooth
There has been at least one case reported by a user of a robotic arm abnormally stuttering, and that user was using wireless communication (serial communication over Bluetooth). It turns out that there was probably some wireless interference caused by the PC.
If you are using a wireless device, try to attach the Bluetooth dongle transmitter onto a USB extension cable distancing it away from the PC.
Wireless rate limiting
If you are developing a wireless module, or you are using special firmware that uses serial communication over Bluetooth, you may or may not want to reduce the number of updates sent to the device every second.
The Wireless tab in the UI lets you change the update rate. By default, the update rate is 100 per second.
A lower value, such as 20 updates per second, could be more reasonable for wireless devices.
Older versions of the software
The Install page only links to the newest version of the software and prefab.
For older versions, you need to look at the GitHub releases.
All releases and executables are compiled directly by GitHub's automation infrastructure using the source code of the repository.