Work in progress. This library and its docs are new and still changing, and some parts are not yet tested on a real robot. Something wrong or unclear?Tell us (a GitHub issue).

Tutorial 15: Telemetry, profiles and tuning

You will build: a lift program with a hideable debug screen, a practice/competition switch, a tuning menu and a match timer. The main track uses the same tuning menu: An intake, a lift and a claw.

You will learn: telemetry with a driver level and a debug level, the practice/competition profile, changing numbers live with the tuning menu, and the match timer.

You need: a motor lift (tutorial 08). Tutorial 14.

Full program: Tut15TelemetryTuning.java Reference: telemetry.md, core.md: Profile, tuning.md, match.md: MatchTimer

1. Two kinds of telemetry reader

The driver glances at the screen for half a second during a match: they need modes, targets, “READY”. The programmer at the bench needs powers, errors, raw sensor values. Showing both all the time buries what the driver needs. RobotTelemetry keeps them apart:

RobotTelemetry t = new RobotTelemetry(telemetry);
t.line("Time", timer.format());            // standard: always
t.debug("Loop", "%.0f Hz", loopHz);        // debug: only when debug is on
t.warn("Final 20 seconds!");               // always, at the TOP
t.update();                                // once per loop

Debug starts ON in the PRACTICE profile, OFF in COMPETITION, and BACK toggles it here (.bindPress(Pad.G1, Btn.BACK, t::toggleDebug)). Every mechanism helper’s addTelemetry already splits its lines the same way.

2. Profiles

A profile is a setting the whole robot reads: PRACTICE (at the bench) or COMPETITION (at an event).

InitMenu menu = new InitMenu(gamepad1).profile();     // a "Profile" line in INIT
...
lift.maxPower(Math.min(LIFT_MAX_POWER.get(), Profile.pick(0.5, 1.0)));

Profile.pick(practice, competition) gives one value or the other. The choice is saved on the Control Hub. Use it for comfort (speeds, extra screens), never to turn safety off. Guide: Profiles.

3. Live tuning

A Tunable is a number you can change from the gamepad while the program runs, without rebuilding.

static final Tunable LIFT_MAX_POWER = Tunable.number("Lift/maxPower", 0.8, 0.05).range(0.1, 1.0);
...
PositionMotor lift = ... .tunable("Lift");     // its PID gains and positions too
TuningMenu tuning = new TuningMenu(gamepad1);
ControllerBindings menuKey = new ControllerBindings().bindPress(Pad.G1, Btn.GUIDE, tuning::toggle);
ControllerBindings driver = new ControllerBindings().bindPress(Pad.G1, Btn.BACK, t::toggleDebug);
ControllerBindings operator = new ControllerBindings()
        .bindPress(Pad.G2, Btn.A, () -> lift.goTo("DOWN"))
        .bindPress(Pad.G2, Btn.Y, () -> lift.goTo("HIGH"));
...
menuKey.update(gamepad1, gamepad2);
operator.update(gamepad1, gamepad2);
tuning.update();
if (!tuning.isOpen()) driver.update(gamepad1, gamepad2);   // gamepad 1 belongs to the menu while it is open

Why three button lists? The menu uses gamepad 1’s D-pad, bumpers, A, B, X and Y. If the driver’s gamepad-1 buttons kept working, pressing Y to “reset all” would also run whatever Y does for the robot. The lift buttons are on gamepad 2, so a second person can test each change while you tune.

Press GUIDE (the center button) in PRACTICE: a menu lists every tunable. D-pad up/down chooses, right/left changes, A saves on the hub. Read the value every loop (LIFT_MAX_POWER.get()), so a change acts at once. When a number is right, copy it into the code and press Y (reset all). Guide: Tuning while the robot runs.

4. The match timer

MatchTimer timer = MatchTimer.teleOp().rumbleAt(20, gamepad1);
...
timer.start();          // right after START
timer.update();         // every loop: runs the cues
t.line("Time", timer.format());

2026-27: the field signals 1:00 (FLOWER ownership unlocks) and 0:20 (final 20 seconds). A buzz at those times helps drivers who cannot look up.

5. The INIT warning

if (Tunable.countChanged() > 0) t.warn(Tunable.countChanged() + " tuned value(s) differ from the code");

Saved tuning values come back after a restart. This warning makes sure nobody forgets them at an event. EasyAuto shows it for you.

Run it

INIT: set Profile to PRACTICE with the D-pad. START.
Debug lines (Loop, Profile, lift power) are visible. BACK hides them.
GUIDE: the tuning menu. Change Lift/maxPower to 0.3: gamepad 2 A/Y now move the lift slowly. Gamepad 1 A saves.
Stop and run again: the INIT screen warns “1 tuned value(s) differ from the code”.
Open the menu, Y: back to the code values; the warning is gone next time.
Set Profile to COMPETITION: GUIDE does nothing, debug starts off.

If something goes wrong

Problem	Fix
Menu does not open	Profile is COMPETITION (on purpose)
A change has no effect	the code reads the value once in INIT; read it every loop
Driving while tuning	check `tuning.isOpen()` and ignore gamepad1’s sticks while open

Try this

Make the D-pad slow-mode speed a Tunable and find the speed drivers like best.
Use setMinIntervalMs(100) and compare the loop speed (debug “Loop”) with and without.
Add a 1:00 cue that shows a warning line for 3 seconds.

Tutorial 16: Easy autonomous