Simulator Troubleshooting

Troubleshooting and FAQ

Find your problem in the list. If it isn't here, open an issue and say what you did and what you saw.

Starting the app

Problem	Fix
Nothing happens when I double-click ddl0-sim.exe	Extract the ZIP first (right-click > Extract All…). The exe needs the files next to it.
"Windows protected your PC"	Click More info, then Run anyway.
Mac: "can't be opened" or "is damaged"	Right-click ddl0-sim > Open, or System Settings > Privacy & Security > Open Anyway.
Linux: it won't start	It needs a Vulkan driver and libwayland-client, libxkbcommon and libasound2. See Get the simulator.
It asks me to pick a folder	It can't find the firmware. Pick the PropMaker_Feather folder from your copy of the project.
A box says something went wrong at start-up	Read the message: it names the missing file. Usually the simulator folder isn't above the exe, or the download is incomplete. Download it again.

While it's running

Problem	Fix
Lola doesn't move at all	Look at the status bar. If it says stopped, click ▶ Run. If paused, press Space. If the Log shows a red error, see the next row.
The Log shows a red traceback	The firmware has an error. If you changed a file, undo your last change. Click the blue line to open the file at the problem.
Boops don't work	Click without moving the mouse (a drag turns the camera). If Edit parts is on in the Parts panel, turn it off.
I can't make her angry	See Make her angry. Hard shake always works.
No sound	The sounds aren't included: add your own. Then check Mute in the Audio panel and your computer's volume.
The app is slow or jerky	Close other big programs. Pick Model > Primitive in the toolbar's Options for a simpler 3D model.
A panel disappeared	⚙ View and tick it, or ⚙ View > Layouts > Reset layout.
Keys don't do anything	You're typing in a text box. Click the 3D view or press Esc first.

Questions

Is the simulator exactly like the robot? Very close. It runs the same code, and copies the real board's speed, memory, servo speed and sensor limits. Real servos and LEDs can vary a little, and the 3D body isn't a perfect copy.

Can I break the robot by playing with the simulator? No. The simulator never touches the robot unless you press ⬆ Deploy with the robot plugged in.

Does it change my files? Only when you press Save in the Settings (settings.toml) or Parts panels. Anything the firmware writes, such as log.txt, goes to the fs folder next to the exe, not into your project.

Where are my screenshots? In the captures folder next to ddl0-sim.exe.

How do I go back to all the default settings? Close the app and delete ddl0-sim.prefs.toml next to the exe.

Does it run on Mac or Linux? Yes: 64-bit Linux and Macs with an Apple chip. See Get the simulator. Intel Macs aren't supported.

Why doesn't she make any sound? The sound files aren't included in the project or the download. Add your own: Adding sounds.

More detail (for tinkerers)

• [sim] … wing servo can't keep up in the log means the firmware asks the wing to move faster than a real FS90 can. On the robot that animation will look slower or fall short.
• [sim] <task> held the loop for N ms without an await means a behaviour blocked every other one, often a time.sleep() that should be await asyncio.sleep().
• Heap warnings at 80% / 100% mean the code may not fit in the board's memory.
• ImportError with CircuitPython strict on means you used something CircuitPython 9 doesn't have. Untick CircuitPython strict to check, but the robot will fail the same way.
• A module listed under not simulated in the Board panel is a stand-in that does nothing. Write a shim to make it work.