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## Description Updates best practices in the documentation. Include more information on how to get a camera stream into a driver dashboard. ## Meta Merge checklist: - [x] Pull Request title is [short, imperative summary](https://cbea.ms/git-commit/) of proposed changes - [x] The description documents the _what_ and _why_ - [x] If this PR changes behavior or adds a feature, user documentation is updated - [x] If this PR touches photon-serde, all messages have been regenerated and hashes have not changed unexpectedly - [x] If this PR touches configuration, this is backwards compatible with settings back to v2024.3.1 - [x] If this PR touches pipeline settings or anything related to data exchange, the frontend typing is updated - [x] If this PR addresses a bug, a regression test for it is added
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Best Practices For Competition
Before Competition
- Ensure you have spares of the relevant electronics if you can afford it (switch, coprocessor, cameras, etc.).
- Stay on the latest version of PhotonVision until you have tested your full robot system to be functional.
- Some time before the competition, lock down the version you are using and do not upgrade unless you encounter a critical bug.
- Have a copy of the installation image for the version you are using on your programming laptop, in case re-imaging (without internet) is needed.
- Extensively test at your home setup. Practice tuning from scratch under different lighting conditions.
- Confirm you have followed all the recommendations under the {ref}
Networking<docs/quick-start/networking:Networking>documentation (network switch and static IP). - Only use high quality ethernet cables that have been rigorously tested.
Camera Streaming
- All camera streams are published under the NetworkTables table
CameraPublisher. - The only subtable under
CameraPublisherthat will work for viewing a driver mode camera stream is the one that containsOutputin the name. - To view a camera stream in a dashboard, drag the correct subtable from the NetworkTables tree into your dashboard.
- Use the latest driver dashboard recommended by WPILib on your driver station laptop.
During the Competition
- Use the field calibration time given at the start of the event:
- Bring your robot to the field at the allotted time.
- Make sure the field has match-accurate lighting conditions active.
- Turn on your robot and pull up the dashboard on your driver station.
- Point your robot at the targets and ensure you get a consistent tracking (you hold one targets consistently, the ceiling lights aren't detected, etc.).
- If you have problems with your pipeline, retune the pipeline following the {ref}
camera tuning <docs/pipelines/input:Camera Tuning / Input>documentation. - Move the robot close, far, angled, and around the field to ensure no extra targets are found.
- Monitor camera feeds during a practice match to ensure everything is working correctly.
- After field calibration, use the "Export Settings" button in the "Settings" page to create a backup.
- Do this for each coprocessor on your robot that runs PhotonVision, and name your exports with meaningful names.
- This will contain camera information/calibration, pipeline information, network settings, etc.
- In the event of software/hardware failures (IE lost SD Card, broken device), you can then use the "Import Settings" button and select "All Settings" to restore your settings.
- This effectively works as a snapshot of your PhotonVision data that can be restored at any point.
- Before every match:
- Check the ethernet and USB connectors are seated fully.
- Close streaming dashboards when you don't need them to reduce bandwidth.
- Stream at as low of a resolution as possible while still detecting AprilTags to stay within field bandwidth limits.