Previously Working Vex Controllers, Suddenly Not Running Previously Working Downloaded Programs

VEX V5 Technical Support
1

My students build Clawbots and use the Turning Point game board to do an in class competition to conclude the year.

We have been using Vex V5 Controllers and Vexcode (online version) to create programs for the Controllers.

I have two Remotes that were working well for a few days- running student created programs for the controller without issue.
As groups in other classes started adding their programs to these same remotes, the remotes began to “glitch”- freezing up, not running changes in the codes that were downloaded, even though previous versions of the code did work.

NO codes- multiple classes, multiple different codes, simple, complex, you name it- NO codes are working on these remotes anymore.

We tried resetting these 2 offending remotes with the reset and hold for 5 seconds trick on the bottom.
I also turned off brains and restarted them.
We have erased all programs from the brain.
We have tried creating newer, super basic- press A button, move claw motor forward- and downloading them to brain- nothing.

Remotes show the new code names (we’ve renamed them to make sure they are getting to the controller), remotes show they are connected, transmitters blink red and then blink green when we run these codes.

None of these have allowed ANY buttons or joysticks to cause ANY movement on the Clawbots these remotes are used with.

I have 2 backup remotes that have not bee used this year.
Out of other options and having been through forums for 4 days now and done countless searches and unable to come up with any options I haven’t listed above, I connected one of these new, unused remotes to one of the group’s brains that was not working with these offending remotes.

When I used these “new” remotes and transmitters, the codes and remotes worked perfectly.
For now, problem solved- just substitute the “new” unused so far controllers for the two not working- but I have 8 teams in each of my classes and 4 periods of classes that need to use these remotes.
What do I do if one of the 6 currently working start acting similarly?
What can I do to get these remotes that previously worked, back up and running again?

Any insights would be GREATLY appreciated.

Thanks for your consideration!

  • Frustrated Teacher in TX
2

Just a point of clarification.
No programs or user code is ever stored on the V5 Controllers.
All user programs are stored on the V5 brain.

The remote is given the program names by the V5 brain when they connect.

Test the V5 controller using the V5 brain devices screen, you can check each button and joystick is operating correctly.

3 Likes
3

When downloading code via controller make sure to have the controller connected to the brain via VEXnet or wired. As @jpearman said the user programs are stored on the brain.

4

Ive had this problem very recently as well.

From what I can tell, the brain is storing some kind of cache or something of the previous program (I really don’t know why it does it that’s just a guess). My solution for the vscode version was to delete the build folder to force the code to refresh :man_shrugging:

1 Like