Tutorial 20: Easy TeleOp

You will build: a full TeleOp (driving, lift and claw) in a few short methods. The main track’s Controls.java is built on EasyTeleOp and is shorter still: Buttons.

You will learn: how EasyTeleOp turns a TeleOp into a few short methods, which controls you get for free, how to add the operator’s buttons and sticks, and how TeleOp and autonomous share one robot description.

You need: a drivetrain set up in RobotSettings (tutorial 09), a motor lift, a servo claw. Tutorials 03, 14 and 16.

Full program: Tut20EasyTeleOp.java Reference: teleop.md.

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1. Compare with tutorial 12

Tutorial 12’s TeleOp set up the drive and IMU, read the sticks, shaped them, chose field- or robot-centric, updated the lift, showed telemetry, and stopped everything in finally. The starter kit’s old TeleOp added a match timer, a tuning menu and warnings: over 100 lines. All needed, all the same on every robot. EasyTeleOp does all of it; you write only what is special about YOUR robot. It is the TeleOp partner of EasyAuto (tutorial 16).

2. Tell it about the robot

public class Tut20EasyTeleOp extends EasyTeleOp {
    private PositionMotor lift;
    private PositionServo claw;

    @Override protected RobotConfig robotConfig() { return RobotSettings.config(); }

    @Override protected Subsystems createSubsystems() {
        lift = PositionMotor.create(hardwareMap, "lift")...;
        claw = PositionServo.create(hardwareMap, "claw")...;
        return new Subsystems().add(lift, claw);
    }

These are the SAME two methods as tutorial 16’s autonomous. The tutorial RobotSettings (from tutorial 09) keeps its settings in static methods, so RobotSettings.config() wraps them into one object. The starter kit’s RobotSettings IS such an object, so there you write new RobotSettings(). robotConfig() gives the drive, the autonomous tuning and the IMU in one object (a RobotConfig), so TeleOp and autonomous can never use different motor names or directions. The mechanisms you return are updated every loop, shown on the screen, and stopped at the end.

3. The driver’s controls: already done

You get these on gamepad 1 without writing anything:

Control	Does
left stick	drive (mecanum: any direction; tank: forward/back)
right stick X	turn
left trigger	slow: squeeze for fine moves
Y	field-centric on/off (starts off)
BACK (alone, on release)	“the robot now faces away from me” (one buzz)
GUIDE	tuning menu (PRACTICE profile)
START + BACK together	debug telemetry on/off (does not reset “forward”)
X / B in INIT	choose BLUE / RED when no autonomous ran before (it remembers autonomous’s choice)

Field-centric “forward” continues from where autonomous ended (also after INIT, STOP, INIT again), so the driver does not need BACK at the start of a match (DriverHeading).

4. The operator’s buttons

The operator is the second driver, on gamepad 2. They run the mechanisms while the driver drives.

@Override protected void bindButtons(ControllerBindings driver, ControllerBindings operator) {
    operator.bindPress(Pad.G2, Btn.A, () -> lift.goTo("DOWN"))
            .bindPress(Pad.G2, Btn.Y, () -> lift.goTo("HIGH"))
            .bindPress(Pad.G2, Btn.RB, () -> claw.toggle("OPEN", "CLOSED"));
}

These are the same bindings as tutorial 03, on the operator object EasyTeleOp hands you. Each action only sets a target and returns; the lift moves in its own update(). Extra buttons for the driver go on driver (they pause while the tuning menu is open, because the menu uses gamepad 1).

5. Every loop: sticks and rules

@Override protected void everyLoop() {
    lift.manual(StickShaping.shape(-gamepad2.left_stick_y, 0.1, 1));
}

A stick is not a button, so it goes here. everyLoop() runs after the buttons and the driving, before the mechanisms update. It keeps running while the tuning menu is open: if you read gamepad 1’s sticks here, check isTuningMenuOpen() first (the menu uses gamepad 1). Keep it quick: never sleep() or wait here (Non-blocking code).

6. Extra screen lines (optional)

@Override protected void addTelemetry(RobotTelemetry t) {
    t.line("Alliance", alliance());
}

The lift and claw already show their own lines, and the time and drive mode are on top.

Run it

1. Run tutorial 16’s autonomous first, then this TeleOp. INIT shows “Forward: from autonomous”.
2. START. Drive robot-centric. Press Y (two buzzes): field-centric. Push the stick up: the robot drives away from you, whichever way it faces.
3. Gamepad 2: A / Y move the lift, right bumper opens and closes the claw, the left stick moves the lift by hand.
4. Wait for 1:00 left: both gamepads buzz.

If something goes wrong

Problem	Fix
“EasyTeleOp needs your robot settings”	add robotConfig()
Field-centric “forward” is off	the robot did not start autonomous facing away from you: set startHeadingDeg() in the autonomous, or press BACK (in a Controls.java TeleOp: hold BACK 1 s)
Y does nothing	tank drivetrain or no IMU: field-centric needs mecanum wheels and the IMU
The robot will not drive	the tuning menu is open (GUIDE closes it)
A warning “button job took … ms”	a button action waits: remove the wait (Non-blocking code)

Try this

1. Start in field-centric: @Override protected boolean startFieldCentric() { return true; }.
2. Make slow mode slower: @Override protected double slowSpeed() { return 0.2; }.
3. Add a driver button: driver.bindPress(Pad.G1, Btn.A, ...) in bindButtons.

Next

Tutorial 21: Find your numbers. The starter kit puts tutorials 16 and 20 together into a whole robot program.