OpenPUC - Open Programming Utility Console

[Deprecated] - This project is currently deprecated and will not recieve updates. This project may move back out of this stage, but at this time its unknown.

A modern, cross-platform desktop application designed specifically for FRC (FIRST Robotics Competition) teams. OpenPUC provides comprehensive documentation, robot control capabilities, and development tools all in one unified interface.

Features

Documentation System

• Built-in Documentation: Comprehensive code examples and guides for FRC programming
• External Search: Search across WPILib docs, Chief Delphi, GitHub, and other FRC resources
• Code Copy: One-click code copying with syntax highlighting
• Search & Filter: Real-time search across all documentation with tag-based filtering
• Category Organization: Well-organized content covering motors, sensors, drivetrain, autonomous, and more

Robot Control Interface

• Real-time Robot Connection: Connect to and monitor FRC robots via multiple protocols
• Robot State Management: Enable/disable robot with visual feedback
• Mode Switching: Switch between Teleop, Autonomous, and Test modes
• Live Telemetry: Monitor battery voltage, signal strength, CAN utilization, and bandwidth
• Emergency Stop: Quick emergency stop functionality for safety

Controller Support

• Gamepad Integration: Full support for Xbox and PlayStation controllers
• Real-time Input Display: Live visualization of controller axes and button states
• Deadzone Configuration: Adjustable deadzone settings for precise control
• Vibration Testing: Test controller haptic feedback

System Features

• Auto-updater: Automatic updates to keep the application current
• Team Configuration: Store and manage team number and connection settings
• Connection Monitoring: Multi-address robot ping with automatic fallback
• Live Logging: Real-time robot communication and system status logging

Installation

Download the latest file corresponding to your operating system here.

Contribution Launching

Prerequisites

• Node.js 16.x or higher
• npm or yarn package manager

Setup

1. Clone the repository:

   git clone https://github.com/your-username/OpenPUC.git
   cd OpenPUC

2. Navigate to the client directory:

   cd client

3. Install dependencies:

   npm install

4. Start the application:

   npm start

Usage

Getting Started

1. Launch OpenPUC
2. Configure your FRC team number in the Settings section
3. The application will automatically attempt to connect to your robot using multiple addresses

Robot Connection

OpenPUC attempts connection using multiple methods:

• mDNS: roboRIO-####-FRC.local
• Static IP: 10.TE.AM.2
• USB: 172.22.11.2
• Alternative mDNS: roborio-####-frc.local

Documentation Usage

• Browse built-in documentation by category
• Use the search bar for quick code lookup
• Click the copy button to copy code examples
• Switch to external search for broader FRC resources

Controller Setup

1. Connect your controller (Xbox or PlayStation)
2. Select it from the controller dropdown
3. Adjust deadzone settings as needed
4. Use the vibration test to verify functionality

Technical Details

Architecture

• Frontend: Electron with HTML/CSS/JavaScript
• Backend: Node.js with Electron main process
• Communication: FRC 2024 protocol implementation
• Controller: Native gamepad API integration

FRC Protocol Support

• FRC 2024 protocol implementation
• UDP-based robot communication
• Real-time telemetry data parsing
• Robot state synchronization

File Structure

client/
├── index.html          # Main application interface
├── main.js            # Electron main process
├── frc-protocol.js    # FRC protocol implementation
├── controller-manager.js # Controller input handling
├── docs.json          # Built-in documentation data
└── package.json       # Application configuration

Development

Building

To build the application for distribution:

npm run build

Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch
3. Make your changes
4. Test thoroughly with actual FRC hardware when possible
5. Submit a pull request

Adding Documentation

To add new documentation entries, edit docs.json:

{
  "categories": {
    "category_name": {
      "name": "Display Name",
      "items": [
        {
          "title": "Example Title",
          "description": "What this code does",
          "code": "// Your code example here",
          "language": "java",
          "tags": ["tag1", "tag2"]
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}

Compatibility

Operating Systems

• Windows 10/11
• Linux (Ubuntu 18.04+, other distributions)

Robot Requirements

• roboRIO running FRC 2024 robot code
• Network connectivity (WiFi, USB, or Ethernet)
• Standard FRC networking configuration

Controllers

• Xbox One/Series controllers
• PlayStation 4/5 controllers
• Generic controllers with standard gamepad API support

License

This project is open source and available under the MIT License.

Support

For questions, issues, or contributions:

• Open an issue on GitHub
• Check existing documentation and examples
• Consult FRC programming resources and community forums