Where to Start Programming

[Mastermime]

Hello everyone,

I just finished with the electrical on my robot.  All that is left now is programming, testing, and implementation.  I'm not familiar with programming other than some Arduino programming and a few other small applications.  I need help creating an outline of what to do and the order I should do it in.  If I know what I need to do, I'm sure I can figure out how to do it.

Here is my circuit http://www.societyofrobots.com/robotforum/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=16099.0;attach=6550;image

I plan to communicate through simple serial and create my own user interface.  The robot will be controlled by a joystick.

If someone could point me in the right direction, I would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks

J

[waltr]

List what you want the robot to do.
List what it will do if 'X' sensor reads 'z'.

List what you want to control from the PC & joystick.
Draw what you want to GUI to look like.
Choose a programming language/IDE for the PC side.

Take each task and work on the code to get that piece working.
1- Motor speeds. start, stop, turn,
2- serial interface between robot and PC. Get this working with a hardwired connection (don't forget RS232 level shifter). The put in the XBees and get them working.
3- Through the serial link turn LEDs on/off. This will require you to design a protocol with commands.
4- What is the Servo for? Define it. Then write code to control the servo.
5- On the PC get the joystick interface working so your PC program can read the joystick position.
Define what the joystick will do and add to the serial protocol command set.
6- Get the camera working and displaying in the GUI.

Last is to put all the pieces together.

[Mastermime]

This is fantastic.  Thank you. If I run into any problems, I will probably keep the questions to this thread.