From 4ab9a8f5c4bb3cfd1e1f30ebca6f04fb2b4e01a6 Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001 From: Westside Robotics Date: Fri, 25 Feb 2022 09:52:47 -0800 Subject: [PATCH] Replace Google Play Store process with text from Sec. 3.3 of Blocks Programming Manual provided 2-24-2022. Describe alternate side-loading. --- Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller.md | 29 ++++++++++------------- 1 file changed, 12 insertions(+), 17 deletions(-) diff --git a/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller.md b/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller.md index 96a33be..513568b 100644 --- a/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller.md +++ b/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller.md @@ -73,26 +73,21 @@ Note that you can see the Robot Controller app version number through the Robot

[[/images/Managing-a-Control-Hub/aboutRobotController.jpg]]

-If you use the FTC Blocks Development Tool or the FTC OnBot Java Tool to write your op modes, then the easiest way to update the Robot Controller App is using the Google Play store. To be able to use the Google Play Store to update your software, you will first need the following items: -1. A Google e-mail account (available for free from Google). -2. Access to a wireless network that can connect to the Internet. -3. Your Android smartphone. +As of 2021, the FTC apps (v 6.1 and higher) are not available on Google Play. -**Important Note:** If you update your Robot Controller, then you should also update your Driver Station software to the same version number. +For FTC teams using Blocks or OnBot Java for programming, the [REV Hardware Client software](https://docs.revrobotics.com/rev-control-system/managing-the-control-system/rev-hardware-client) will allow you to download the apps to FTC devices: REV Control Hub, REV Expansion Hub, REV Driver Hub, and FTC-approved Android devices. Here are some of the benefits: +- Connect a REV Control Hub via WiFi. +- One Click update of all software on connected devices. +- Pre-download software updates without a connected device. +- Back up and restore user data from Control Hub. +- Install and switch between DS and RC applications on Android Devices. +- Access the Robot Control Console on the Control Hub. -**Important Note:** if you are an Android Studio user, then you cannot use the Google Play Store to update your Robot Controller app. Instead, by updating to the newest version of the FTC Android Studio project folder, you will update the Robot Controller app when you build the project and install it on your smartphone. For the Skystone season, you can download the newest version of the project folder [here](https://github.com/FIRST-Tech-Challenge/SkyStone). +As an alternate, the FTC app releases are available on the [FTCRobotController Github](https://github.com/FIRST-Tech-Challenge/FtcRobotController/releases). Download the Robot Controller APK file to a computer, transfer it to the RC phone's Downloads folder, then open that file to install the RC app. This process is called "side-loading". -| Updating the Robot Controller App (Using Google Play)| -| ---- | -| 1. Connect your Android phone to the wireless network that has access to the Internet.| -| 2. Launch the Google Play Store app on the Android device.

[[/images/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller/launchGooglePlayStore.jpg]]

| -| 3. In the Google Play Store, if you haven’t signed into your Google account yet, follow the onscreen instructions to log into your Google account.| -| 4. In the search window of the Google Play Store type in the words “FTC Robot Controller” to find the app in the Play Store.

[[/images/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller/findFTCRobotController.jpg]]

| -| 5. Select the app (“FTC Robot Controller”) that you want to update on your Android phone from the search result list.| -| 6. If you do not have the most current version of the Robot Controller app, then the Google Play Store listing should have a button that reads “UPDATE”. Press the “UPDATE” button and follow the onscreen instructions to update your app.

[[/images/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller/updateFTCRobotController.jpg]]

| -| 7. The update process might prompt you to accept request for permissions that are needed in order to run the app on your Android phone. If prompted, hit the “ACCEPT” button to accept the request and to continue with the update process.| -| 8. Once the update process is complete, the “UPDATE” button on the screen should change to an “OPEN” button. You can press the “OPEN” button to launch the new app.

[[/images/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller/openFTCRobotController.jpg]]

| -| 9. After you have updated the software, you must forget the wireless network that you used to connect to the internet to access the Google Play store. You do not want to have your Android devices configured to connect to anything other than each other during a competition.

[[/images/Managing-a-Smartphone-Robot-Controller/forgetWifiNetwork.jpg]]

| +**Important Note:** If you update the Robot Controller (RC) app, you should also update the Driver Station (DS) app to the same version number. + +**Important Note:** Teams using Android Studio should not update the RC app with the REV Hardware Client or by side-loading. Instead, by updating to the newest version of the FTC Android Studio project folder, you will update the Robot Controller app when you build the project and install it on your RC device. You can download the newest version of the project folder [here](https://github.com/FIRST-Tech-Challenge/FtcRobotController). ### Uploading a Custom Webcam Calibration File The Robot Controller app has built-in calibration information for a variety of commonly available webcams. Users can also create their own custom calibration files and then upload these files to a Control Hub.