Quick Start

Submitted by admin on Wed, 02/02/2011 - 12:56

There are 2 contexts which you may wish to start using MyRobotLab.  They are :

  • User - someone who uses MyRobotLab on some project.  They are interested in only utilizing the current capabilities of MyRobotLab and are not interested in developing new Services.  You may develop new functionality in Python within a "User" context and do not need Eclipse or any other dependencies.
  • Developer - someone who is interested in creating new Services in  Java.  They are interested in extending the functionality of MyRobotLab.

User

  • Install Java 1.7 or abover, for your operating system
  • Download MyRobotLab 
  • Currently you can use the GUI to change message routing and some parameters of configuration, or you may use the Jython Service to create scripts.  The Jython environment has access to nearly all functionality of MyRobotLab.
  • Check out the Tutorials for something you like, or make a request for a new tutorial.

Developer

  • Install Java 1.7 or above
  • Install Eclipse
  • Install the subversion plugin . Currently the repo is on googlecode who's version of SVN is 1.6.  The correct plugin url for eclipse would be here http://subclipse.tigris.org/update_1.6.x
    Here are instructions on how to install subversion (Subversion Installation Instructions)
  • Add the myrobotlab repo https://myrobotlab.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/
    You can do this by going to WIndow->Open Perspective->Other->SVN Repository Exploring

    Right click in the exploring pane and select Repository Location

    Add https://myrobotlab.googlecode.com/svn/trunk/

    If subversion complains that JavaHL (native) is not supported go to Windows->Preferences->Team->SVN and make sure your using "Pure Java" support.

    Open the repo and Right-Click on myrobotlab -> checkout

    The defaults should be good for checking out - select Finish

    Go and get a cup of coffee now or take a lunch break - the download downloads the project AND the entire repo.  Dependencies take a long time :P

  • Once it is finished you can switch to Java perspective Window->Open Perspective->Other->Java

    In the package explorer navigate to org.myrobotlab.service Right-Click on Runtime.java -> Debug configurations


     

  • The class org.myrobotlab.service.Runtime is capable of starting all other services.  Right click on this class and select debug configuration.  
  • The following is an example of debug config for a windows machine

 

  • Parameters Explained:
  • -service gui GUIService  Starts a GUIService named "gui", you may start multiple services at once with this command parameter. It will need to follow this convention -service <serviceName> <serviceType> <serviceName> <serviceType> ....
    For example, -service gui01 GUIService editor Jython    
    Starts a GUIService named gui01 and a Jython service named editor
  • -logLevel sets the current log4j level, other levels include (FATAL, ERROR, WARN, INFO, DEBUG)
  • -logToConsole redirects logging to the eclipse console, otherwise default behavior will be to a myrobotlab.log file
  • VM Arguments
    -Djava.library.path="libraries/native/x86.32.windows;libraries/native/x86.64.windows"  on Windows or
    -Djava.library.path="./libraries/native/x86.32.linux:./libraries/native/x86.64.linux:./libraries/native/x86.32.mac" on Linux or Mac allows MyRobotLab to use native libraries required by some of the services (e.g. OpenCV, Arduino, Joystick, etc).
    These directories are populated by the repo manager depending on what services are loaded & installed. 
  • Hit F11 on the Runtime file and you should be up and running MyRobotLab in the Eclipse debugging perspective... have fun :)

Optional

Script Development