PoMoCo questions

Hexy Questions, Problems and Suggestions
#1

Hey all,

I’ve been noticing that my hexy doesn’t work right when using PoMoCo version df86d0d5ff. Whenever I click on the actions on the left(e.g. walkForward) the Hexy twitches and locks and has what appears to be a seizure.

I’ve been starting to look at the source, and I’m learning python as I go, but from what I can tell(after having enabled the debug flag and also putting a sleep statement into servotorComm.py, it looks like the data that is being sent from PoMoCo.py may not be properly calibrated? I’m going to go and experiment some more, but wondered if anyone else had a similar experience(maybe the carriage return isn’t properly parsed in a Mac OSX or something?).

If I connect directly to the Servotor32 and start issuing commands, like #24P1500T0, the servo moves properly - but when I click on a pre-defined action, Hexy loses it.

Also, after clicking on a button, Hexy seems to be locked - clicking on the other buttons don’t do anything or PoMoCo GUI gets locked and I have to close it. When I DO close it, only the GUI closes and I have to force kill the instance in order for it to let go of the device so I can start it up again.

Anyone have similar/better experience with PoMoCo(maybe my MBA’s environment is messed up?)

#2

tldr; problem solved! Go download the new version.

Trying it out on OSX, I had the same problems. Turns out it was a hangup on how it chose to send serial commands or not. Before it only checked once to see if the serial port connected, and that choice would stay with the program, even if the serial port connected later on. This would lock up the gui, because then you had a bunch of movement commands bouncing around waiting to shove info out of the serial port. Now it checks every time it tries to send a command whether or not the serial port is connected, and if not, closes the thread trying to send it anyway.

#3

Good job!

Okay, looks promising - but battery died when I gave it a quick try this morning, will try again after work.

Although, I clicked the turn left, and while the legs didn’t twitch and lock up, the movement seemed… off. If you have a Hexy connected to a Mac, can you verify the pre-defined movements(so much easier to work on if I know it works on other Hexys and therefore the issue is on mine)…

#4

Yes, we tested this on a macbook pro (where I do most of my development). The biggest causes of ‘off’ movements is mismatched servo wiring and improperly centered servos. And of course, make sure you’re running the latest firmware.