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Profile Designer Suggestions

    • 7 posts
    March 10, 2019 7:06 AM CET
    Tamás Fábián said:
    Hey Ray, good idea, thank you. We're going to investigate the possibility of including this feature in the apps & profile designer.
    Ray Simon said:

    Feature Request: Reduce steering servo control sensitivity.

    I fly RC airplanes and a feature that is very helpful is called "Exponential". The most obvious use here would be steering of an RC vehicle. The benefit of Expo is that the steering is less sensitive around the neutral point of the control stick which gives great control for making fine adjustments left or right of neutral. Then the sensitivity is higher as you get closer to the end points to allow you to jam around corners.

    I use a Nimbus gamepad controller paired to an iPhone. I find that when using steering with the PF servo that a tiny bump on the control stick gives a big change in steering direction. Essentially my servo which has the capability of 7 positions in either direction is really acting as a 3 position turning servo (neutral, approx 50% turn, full turn). Fine adjustments in direction are not possible.

    Hope this is useful. Thanks.

     

     

    • 178 posts
    March 7, 2019 1:57 PM CET
    Yes, by default the SBrick apps lock the motors in neutral position. We're considering including this as an optional feature to allow free wheeling.
    Timber Brick said:

    I have similar observations about neutral sensitivity.  We fight battle bots with skid steer control.  Recently, we've been adding two speed transmissions.  At high speeds, control skid steering is difficult.  Two reasons.  1.  When the SBRICK is in the neutral off position, it locks the motor.  The result is an out of control sliding spin.  I believe there is a way for the h-bridge motor controller to allow it to coast instead.  That mode would be most helpful.  2. The neutral range is tight and linear.  As the previous poster just suggested, an exponential modulation would be very helpful, allowing a wider neutral range.

     

    • 178 posts
    March 7, 2019 1:56 PM CET
    Hey Ray, good idea, thank you. We're going to investigate the possibility of including this feature in the apps & profile designer.
    Ray Simon said:

    Feature Request: Reduce steering servo control sensitivity.

    I fly RC airplanes and a feature that is very helpful is called "Exponential". The most obvious use here would be steering of an RC vehicle. The benefit of Expo is that the steering is less sensitive around the neutral point of the control stick which gives great control for making fine adjustments left or right of neutral. Then the sensitivity is higher as you get closer to the end points to allow you to jam around corners.

    I use a Nimbus gamepad controller paired to an iPhone. I find that when using steering with the PF servo that a tiny bump on the control stick gives a big change in steering direction. Essentially my servo which has the capability of 7 positions in either direction is really acting as a 3 position turning servo (neutral, approx 50% turn, full turn). Fine adjustments in direction are not possible.

    Hope this is useful. Thanks.

     

    • 37 posts
    March 3, 2019 8:06 AM CET

    I have similar observations about neutral sensitivity.  We fight battle bots with skid steer control.  Recently, we've been adding two speed transmissions.  At high speeds, control skid steering is difficult.  Two reasons.  1.  When the SBRICK is in the neutral off position, it locks the motor.  The result is an out of control sliding spin.  I believe there is a way for the h-bridge motor controller to allow it to coast instead.  That mode would be most helpful.  2. The neutral range is tight and linear.  As the previous poster just suggested, an exponential modulation would be very helpful, allowing a wider neutral range.

    • 7 posts
    March 3, 2019 7:47 AM CET

    Feature Request: Reduce steering servo control sensitivity.

    I fly RC airplanes and a feature that is very helpful is called "Exponential". The most obvious use here would be steering of an RC vehicle. The benefit of Expo is that the steering is less sensitive around the neutral point of the control stick which gives great control for making fine adjustments left or right of neutral. Then the sensitivity is higher as you get closer to the end points to allow you to jam around corners.

    I use a Nimbus gamepad controller paired to an iPhone. I find that when using steering with the PF servo that a tiny bump on the control stick gives a big change in steering direction. Essentially my servo which has the capability of 7 positions in either direction is really acting as a 3 position turning servo (neutral, approx 50% turn, full turn). Fine adjustments in direction are not possible.

    Hope this is useful. Thanks.

    • 37 posts
    November 10, 2018 8:45 PM CET

    Regarding my previous post about multiple circuits targeting the same channel:  This could be visually represented in profile designer:

    1. In the target box for a circuit, place a "*" ahead of each channel in the pop up menu which already is assigned to a circuit.

    2. If an already used channel is selected, then a new box appears below and to the left of the target menu.  It lists the circuit(s) that already target the selected channel.  Add an arrow that points from the other circuits to the target menu.  In the documentation area, add the text, "When multiple circuits target the same channel, their output adds together, and is capped at +1, or -1."

    Why is this useful?  I'm designing a 4 wheel servo steering vehicle, and will use multiple circuits targeting the same servo channel to switch between normal steering and crab side steering modes.

    • 37 posts
    November 6, 2018 6:43 AM CET

    Circuit Behavior Suggestion:

    I'd like to target a given channel with two separate circuits acting on input from two separate controls.  For example I'd like to move the left joystick in the x direction, and have it move a servo.  Then I'd like to move the right joystick in the x direction and have it move the same servo the opposite direction.  Currently, this doesn't work.  I set up two circuits. One is Input: Left Joystick - X, Logic: Linear, Target: "LF Servo".  The "LF Servo" channel is set up in a slider.  The Second circuit is is Input: Right Joystick - X, Logic: Linear, Target: "LF Servo".  Here's what happens.  Nothing works unless I assign the right and left joystick - x to an SBRICK port, wasting two ports.  Then, only the circuit I created last affects the "LF Servo" channel.  Turning off the second circuit allows the first circuit to work.

    Is there something I can do to make this work?  If not, please change the circuit behavior programming so that if two different circuits target the same channel, then their output is summed, and capped at +1 or -1.  Please also let a control be active for circuit input when not assigned a port.

    • 15 posts
    August 22, 2018 8:47 AM CEST

    Hi,

    Would it be possible to get a sneak preview of the profile designer interface for the ev3 adapter for sensors, how it looks and setup options?

    Thanks

    • 310 posts
    July 23, 2017 3:08 PM CEST

    [blockquote]Hod Carrier said:

    Hi,

    Apologies if these ideas have been raised before.

    Is it possible to have controls that influence the behaviour of other controls within the profile? As a train builder I would find it helpful to have a slider control for the throttle that operates with the range 0 to 1 and a seperate switch that acts as a reverser to modify the slider's output to give a reverse function. At the moment I'm having to operate with two sliders, one for each direction, in order to overcome the problem of finding the 0 point on a single slider with the range of -1 to 1.

    Also, can more control types be added? I'm thinking of a multi-position rotary switch with a user-defined number of positions that could be assigned to multiple ports for control of lights, for example.

    Many thanks.

    [/blockquote]

    Dear Hod, 

    Unfortunately it is not possible yet. :( 

    Maybe in the future, but it is in questions. 

    Best, 

    Balint
    SBrick Team

    • 4 posts
    July 22, 2017 1:05 PM CEST

    Hi,

    Apologies if these ideas have been raised before.

    Is it possible to have controls that influence the behaviour of other controls within the profile? As a train builder I would find it helpful to have a slider control for the throttle that operates with the range 0 to 1 and a seperate switch that acts as a reverser to modify the slider's output to give a reverse function. At the moment I'm having to operate with two sliders, one for each direction, in order to overcome the problem of finding the 0 point on a single slider with the range of -1 to 1.

    Also, can more control types be added? I'm thinking of a multi-position rotary switch with a user-defined number of positions that could be assigned to multiple ports for control of lights, for example.

    Many thanks.


    This post was edited by Hod Carrier at July 22, 2017 1:09 PM CEST
    • 310 posts
    July 17, 2017 12:02 PM CEST

    [blockquote]Frank Matthijs said:

    Here's my wish list.  Hope it can help increase the development priorities:

    +1 for being able to connect multiple channels to one control or even better to link controls using mathematical functions (*)

    +1 for copy/paste inside a profile and between profiles.  Copy/paste controls, images (for example, the image of a knob), sequences, circuits,...

    +1 for the ability to add images

    +1 for the ability to add text labels (putting this below images, as one can render images with text)

    +1 for the ability to switch aspect ratio.  If we have copy/paste, an auto-switch aspect ratio becomes slightly less important for me, as I could at least copy/paste everything over to the new profile.

    (*) It would already help if one can use multiple sequences as the output of a circuit, or controls other than sequences as the output of a circuit.  For example: if this button is pressed, then activate sequence 1 and sequence 2. Now I need to create 2 circuits and I have the impression that one circuit lags behind the other one.  Not sure though, as the app crashes when I activate 2 sequences (see separate post).

    One additional suggestion: it would be good if I wouldn't be forced to assign a port to a button (or other control).  I am using a button as trigger of a circuit, the button does not control any of the ports directly.  Still when I press the button, I'm forced to assign a port to its channel.  I tried leaving the channel blank in the designer, but the app still insists on assigning a port.

    Keep up the good work!

    Frank

    [/blockquote]

    Thank you for the great suggestionsn Frank. 

    I sent all of them to our developers. We will be working on implement these kind of new options. 

    Best,

    Balint
    Sbrick Team

    • 2 posts
    July 15, 2017 6:46 PM CEST

    Here's my wish list.  Hope it can help increase the development priorities:

    +1 for being able to connect multiple channels to one control or even better to link controls using mathematical functions (*)

    +1 for copy/paste inside a profile and between profiles.  Copy/paste controls, images (for example, the image of a knob), sequences, circuits,...

    +1 for the ability to add images

    +1 for the ability to add text labels (putting this below images, as one can render images with text)

    +1 for the ability to switch aspect ratio.  If we have copy/paste, an auto-switch aspect ratio becomes slightly less important for me, as I could at least copy/paste everything over to the new profile.

    (*) It would already help if one can use multiple sequences as the output of a circuit, or controls other than sequences as the output of a circuit.  For example: if this button is pressed, then activate sequence 1 and sequence 2. Now I need to create 2 circuits and I have the impression that one circuit lags behind the other one.  Not sure though, as the app crashes when I activate 2 sequences (see separate post).

    One additional suggestion: it would be good if I wouldn't be forced to assign a port to a button (or other control).  I am using a button as trigger of a circuit, the button does not control any of the ports directly.  Still when I press the button, I'm forced to assign a port to its channel.  I tried leaving the channel blank in the designer, but the app still insists on assigning a port.

    Keep up the good work!

    Frank


    This post was edited by Frank Matthijs at July 16, 2017 4:35 PM CEST
    • 1 posts
    May 12, 2017 12:23 AM CEST

    [blockquote]Timber Brick said:

    [blockquote]Horst Horstensen said: Can you implement the battery voltage and the sbrick temperature into the profile Editor? Maybe as free movable Data fields? So one can always See the actual stats? This would be great and should be possible as you already have the information in the App. Thanks a lot, Chris [/blockquote]

    Bump!

    [/blockquote]

    Bump!

     

    Greets from germany

    • 4 posts
    April 3, 2017 6:24 PM CEST
    Modifications - I apologize if some of these suggestions have already been mentioned

    Pictures on background - Allow for jpgs to be added on top of backgrounds in design phase.

    Text on background - Allow for text to be added on top of backgrounds in design phase.

    Dual Rates - Presently there is only one set of initialization data for a control (slider or joystick). It would be great if there was a linked switch with 2 or more positions for multiple settings. Position 1 would automatically fill in with the data from the slider itself and be greyed out when the link is made to the slider (or joystick). For position 2 or 3 the user could enter additional initialization data. To make programming easier for the developers the rule should be that as soon as a control is no longer in the initialization state the dual rate switch associated with that control is greyed out.
    A switch like this would very useful when 'getting acquainted' with a model or letting a new person try playing with it.

    Visible/Hidden switch -
    Option 1 - when the switch is in the visible position the control can be seen. Otherwise it is Hidden

    Option 2 - Same as Option 1 except multiple controls are associated to the switch.

    Option 3 - Instead of calling position 1 Visible and 2 Hidden lets just call it Position 1 and Position 2. Have a control listed under each position. If the switch is in position 1 the control under it is visible and the control under position 2 is hidden. If the switch is put into position 2 then the control under that poison is visible and the control under position 1 is hidden.

    Option 4 - Same as Option 3 but there would be multiple controls under each button position.

    Use - Sometimes the user may want to use a joystick and other times sliders. Or other times, especially if the control is handed to another person you may not want to perform certain functions.

    Sensitivity around center for joysticks. - Useful but complicated to program. For info on the topic refer to any RC airplane/helicopter transmitter manual. (Futaba, Spectrum Etc)

    Put Program/profile on home screen - It would be nice if you could put the sbrick app and desired profiles on the home screen. That way you could go straight to a particular model.

    Present app

    Operator Menu Option - There should be an option to let the user see a list of profiles and then to go directly to that profile without giving the edit option. Presently, unless I am doing something wrong, it takes multiple presses to access a profile.
    • 310 posts
    April 3, 2017 11:09 AM CEST

    [blockquote]Eric Blumer said: Joystick Presently with a servo for steering I find when I move the joystick straight up or down the model still turns slightly. is it possible to add a start variable where no data is transmitted if the stick is within +/- from the zero point of that value. When going forward or backward no data would be sent to the servo until the stick passed the entered value. That way if you have a 'nervous' finger you could still go straight without any steering movement. [/blockquote]

    Dear Eric, 

    Sorry for this slow answer. 

    Unfortunately, you can only set the maximum and minimum values in the profile designer, so this settings is not possible. :(

    If you have any further questions, just let us know, and we will help you. 

    Have a nice day,

    Balint
    SBrick Team

    • 4 posts
    March 31, 2017 7:56 PM CEST
    Joystick
    Presently with a servo for steering I find when I move the joystick straight up or down the model still turns slightly.
    is it possible to add a start variable where no data is transmitted if the stick is within +/- from the zero point of that value. When going forward or backward no data would be sent to the servo until the stick passed the entered value. That way if you have a 'nervous' finger you could still go straight without any steering movement.
    • 37 posts
    March 1, 2017 6:54 PM CET

    [blockquote]Horst Horstensen said: Can you implement the battery voltage and the sbrick temperature into the profile Editor? Maybe as free movable Data fields? So one can always See the actual stats? This would be great and should be possible as you already have the information in the App. Thanks a lot, Chris [/blockquote]

    Bump!

    • 1 posts
    March 1, 2017 4:25 AM CET

    I am having the 8043 so I need to be switch

    +1 to 3 state button ( -1, 0 , +1) for switching

    +1 to text label

     

    Able to show/hide text label or switch text. Because for teh set, you can switch control function for the same motor. In this case if I am postion +1, show left track. At postion -1 show scope. 

    • 310 posts
    February 7, 2017 11:19 AM CET

    [blockquote]Kfir Y said: [blockquote]Balint Mezei said:

    [blockquote]Jakob Peterhänsel said:

    Hi All,

    Here is some input to Profile Designer.

    1: Sliders

    Values goes from -1 to +1
    Points go from 0 to 1

    That does not make sense! 

    2: We desperatly need copy/paste!

    Profile designs are getting very complex, and something that takes quite some time to design.
    We really, really need copy/paste of at least Elements (including configs), Sequences and maybe other things as well.

    We need to be able to copy/paste inside the same layout (select+alt+drag to make a copy would be awesome!) and we need to be able to copy/paste from one profile to another.

    3: Store often-used elements/group of elemets.

    It would be really usefull if the designer could store elements with a setup as a 'master' that could be added to the design, maybe dragged out from a template-library. (this could lower the need to copy/paste between profiles..)

    4: Change Profile to another aspect ratio!!!!

    We rellay need to be able to change a profiles aspect ratio!
    It should not be that hard to move the elements inside a safe-area, if the aspect requires it.

    Best of all, would be if the layout simply allowes all aspects. Look at Apple's interface design tools, it Just Works if you do it right. :-)

     

    All for now.. action.. ;-)

    [/blockquote]

    Hello Jakob, 

    Thank you for these great suggestions! 

    I have forwarded them to our developers, they will see what they can do. 

    Best regards,

    Balint
    SBrick Team

    [/blockquote] Hey what with my suggestion? It is relly important for me and for the way to create many things with the controllers If you does not fully understand what I meen I can explain.. [/blockquote]

    I have also forwarded your idea. :) 

    Best regards,

    Balint
    Sbrick Team

    • 2 posts
    February 4, 2017 11:12 PM CET
    [blockquote]Balint Mezei said:

    [blockquote]Jakob Peterhänsel said:

    Hi All,

    Here is some input to Profile Designer.

    1: Sliders

    Values goes from -1 to +1
    Points go from 0 to 1

    That does not make sense! 

    2: We desperatly need copy/paste!

    Profile designs are getting very complex, and something that takes quite some time to design.
    We really, really need copy/paste of at least Elements (including configs), Sequences and maybe other things as well.

    We need to be able to copy/paste inside the same layout (select+alt+drag to make a copy would be awesome!) and we need to be able to copy/paste from one profile to another.

    3: Store often-used elements/group of elemets.

    It would be really usefull if the designer could store elements with a setup as a 'master' that could be added to the design, maybe dragged out from a template-library. (this could lower the need to copy/paste between profiles..)

    4: Change Profile to another aspect ratio!!!!

    We rellay need to be able to change a profiles aspect ratio!
    It should not be that hard to move the elements inside a safe-area, if the aspect requires it.

    Best of all, would be if the layout simply allowes all aspects. Look at Apple's interface design tools, it Just Works if you do it right. :-)

     

    All for now.. action.. ;-)

    [/blockquote]

    Hello Jakob, 

    Thank you for these great suggestions! 

    I have forwarded them to our developers, they will see what they can do. 

    Best regards,

    Balint
    SBrick Team

    [/blockquote] Hey what with my suggestion? It is relly important for me and for the way to create many things with the controllers If you does not fully understand what I meen I can explain..
    • 310 posts
    February 4, 2017 10:07 PM CET

    [blockquote]Jakob Peterhänsel said:

    Hi All,

    Here is some input to Profile Designer.

    1: Sliders

    Values goes from -1 to +1
    Points go from 0 to 1

    That does not make sense! 

    2: We desperatly need copy/paste!

    Profile designs are getting very complex, and something that takes quite some time to design.
    We really, really need copy/paste of at least Elements (including configs), Sequences and maybe other things as well.

    We need to be able to copy/paste inside the same layout (select+alt+drag to make a copy would be awesome!) and we need to be able to copy/paste from one profile to another.

    3: Store often-used elements/group of elemets.

    It would be really usefull if the designer could store elements with a setup as a 'master' that could be added to the design, maybe dragged out from a template-library. (this could lower the need to copy/paste between profiles..)

    4: Change Profile to another aspect ratio!!!!

    We rellay need to be able to change a profiles aspect ratio!
    It should not be that hard to move the elements inside a safe-area, if the aspect requires it.

    Best of all, would be if the layout simply allowes all aspects. Look at Apple's interface design tools, it Just Works if you do it right. :-)

     

    All for now.. action.. ;-)

    [/blockquote]

    Hello Jakob, 

    Thank you for these great suggestions! 

    I have forwarded them to our developers, they will see what they can do. 

    Best regards,

    Balint
    SBrick Team

  • February 4, 2017 12:12 AM CET

    Hi All,

    Here is some input to Profile Designer.

    1: Sliders

    Values goes from -1 to +1
    Points go from 0 to 1

    That does not make sense! 

    2: We desperatly need copy/paste!

    Profile designs are getting very complex, and something that takes quite some time to design.
    We really, really need copy/paste of at least Elements (including configs), Sequences and maybe other things as well.

    We need to be able to copy/paste inside the same layout (select+alt+drag to make a copy would be awesome!) and we need to be able to copy/paste from one profile to another.

    3: Store often-used elements/group of elemets.

    It would be really usefull if the designer could store elements with a setup as a 'master' that could be added to the design, maybe dragged out from a template-library. (this could lower the need to copy/paste between profiles..)

    4: Change Profile to another aspect ratio!!!!

    We rellay need to be able to change a profiles aspect ratio!
    It should not be that hard to move the elements inside a safe-area, if the aspect requires it.

    Best of all, would be if the layout simply allowes all aspects. Look at Apple's interface design tools, it Just Works if you do it right. :-)

     

    All for now.. action.. ;-)

    • 2 posts
    February 3, 2017 8:28 AM CET

    hi

    if a channel will be able to be controlled bytow or more buttons/joisticks it is be normal.

    for example: if i want to use sequence and circuits for one motor...

    and more many basic things...

    thanks

    • 2 posts
    July 20, 2016 7:13 PM CEST

    My first SBrick arrived today, so, here' just a few "I think it would be nice to have this"-remarks after 1,5 hours of playing with it.

     

    1. It would be nice to have kind of "suggestions" for channel, when editing control. Maybe, a drop-down with all previously entered channel names in a current profile or something like this. I've tried to give channels some "self-explainatory" names for channels, that are shared between several controls, and I need constantly switch back and forth between controls to see "what was the name".

    2. Possibly not a Designer-only question, but "Designer+App" issue. For some applications it might be useful to have one physical SBrick port assigned to several "Channels" in profile. It's possible now to somewhat replace absence of this using "Sequence", but only for "pre-defined sequences", not something like slider controls. What this could be used for: imagine two engines (f.e. of some aircraft). Now you can individually throttle each (by giving them different channels for each port) or throttle them simultaneously (giving them one channel and add two ports to it). What I can't do, is to have three sliders - "Engine 1", "Engine 2" and "Engine 1+2", as one port on SBrick couldn't be added to 2 different channels. 

    3. +1 to Label control and regular (with defineable step, like "line every 50px") grid with snap to it. 

    4. Some numeric indicator of "what's output to specific channel now". Will be useful for debugging/testing complex structures, depending on actual rotation velocity. 

    P.S. Just forgot about something:

    5. It would be nice to be able to type-in values for "rotation", "zero points" etc. not only on third tab (manual settings), but on "control settings" tab too. 

    Best regards.


    This post was edited by Iurii Vaslyenko at July 20, 2016 7:22 PM CEST
  • April 5, 2016 10:41 AM CEST

    [blockquote]Balint Mezei said:

    [blockquote]Jakob Peterhänsel said:

    Ok, sad (and bad) decision. How many broken Profiles do we need to see on the Public Market before you change your mind?!?

    There is already one!

    And, could you please come up with just ONE place where it's useful that the two fields are programatically changed AFTER the user has defined it's value?!? I'm really, really curious .. 

    [/blockquote]

    Dear Jakob, 

    What do you mean, under "broken profiles"? What is the problem with the public profiles? 

    We ask you to share these with us. 

    If there is something wrong, we will fix it. 

    Regards, 

    Balint

    [/blockquote]

    The 'Horizon Express 1.5' profile on the Public market is broken. The designer used the Element Name to name the different elements on the screen, and since the Designer auto-changes the Ellement Channel to the Name, all the speed elements does not co-operate.
    Coast and Stop does not work - you have to change the channel name after making a copy for yourself!

    How many broken profiles on the market will it take to reconsider this decision?!?

    As one been doing programming myself, I still can't come up with One example of why you do this - could you please give me one?