Using labels in Roborun

The ability to add custom labels to inputs/outputs is very convenient.

Unfortunately it is not very useful for coding. The majority of microbasic scripts are universal enough to be used in various controller models. However because of the differences in pinouts and capabilities we have to adjust the code every time. It would be great to be able to use labels for portability.

1. Allow labels to be added to "Motor # Output" in Power Output tree

2. Alternative format for SetCommand/GetValue/SetConfig/GetConfig functions, using label instead of index:

SetConfig(_AMOD, "Throttle", 2)
speed = GetValue(_ANAIN, "Throttle")
SetCommand(_G, "Left wheel", speed)

3. Helper integer function Find(<label>) for channel discovery. Note that this function alone can replace (2) for very simple support of the same functionality. The scripts will be a little longer but no need to modify existing functions:

throttle = Find("Throttle")
SetConfig(_AMOD, throttle, 2)
speed = GetValue(_ANAIN, throttle)
motor = Find("Left wheel")
SetCommand(_G, motor, speed)


As a side note, "Pulse In" panel on Run tab is much smaller than "Analog inputs" panel. Even with 8 characters restriction custom labels do not fit in there. At least on my screen (Windows 7, display configured for 125% text size)

I was using #define macro before. However my customer uses a lot of different Roboteq controllers, often mixing several models in a single device, to accommodate power requirements. Some of them have DB15 connector, some have DB25. Even though the microbasic code is exactly the same the constants have to be changed every time, which slows down the development and has a potential for dangerous mistakes.

The idea to use labels accessible from microbasic solves this problem without the need to keep several scripts. Roborun can be used to assign labels to inputs, outputs and motors and then same script will work properly regardless on which model it is loaded to.

I only suggested Find() function because it is simplest way of accomplishing this goal without changing anything else. Of course alternative syntax described in (2) would produce a bit more readable code.

Regarding Help button - thanks a lot! I'll wait for next published version, no rush.

Hmm. Intrigued by your discussion of #define, something more than a little familiar for those of us who write C, I searched the nxtgen user's manual for it and can find no reference to it. Where can I find information about this "function" or (as the OP called it) "macro"?

My bad. When I looked at the MicroBasic Reference web page a long time ago, I decided that it was just a repeat of what was in the manual and never looked at it again. Yes indeed, #define is there, as are the added trig functions and RoboCAN calls. Thanks for the heads up.