Six motor drive

[10102Z]

How should I program six motor drive using c++, just added it for regionals

[xTigr]

The best option would be to use motor groups.

Vexcode api:
https://api.vexcode.cloud/v5/class/classvex_1_1motor__group

Forum post with example code:

VEXcode, motor groups and drivetrain example

There have been quite a few requests for instructions on how to use motor groups and creating a drivetrain with more than 2 motors in VEXcode. I’m going to discuss these classes a little and provide a simple example. What is a motor group ? A motor group collects two or more motors together and allows control as if they were a single entity. Just about all motor class member functions (by that I mean spin, spinTo, setVelocity etc.) are available on the motor group class. We introduced motor…

[anon4126930]

IMO I feel like the option above restricts what you can do in the future. You have a lot more flexibility programming each motor individually, especially considering a 6 motor drivetrain.

Here is the controller layout:

With this in mind, also knowing that VEX motors have voltage from -12.0 to 12.0, with controllers values range from -100 to 100:

int forward;
int turning;
int left_side;
int right_side;
double left_side_volts;
double right_side_volts;

while(true){

    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    // Drivetrain Code - Split Arcade
    //////////////////////////////////////////////////////////////
    forward = Controller1.Axis3.value();
    turning =  Controller1.Axis1.value();

    left_side = forward + turning;
    right_side = forward - turning;

    left_side_volts = 12.0 * (left_side / 100.0);
    right_side_volts = 12.0 * (right_side / 100.0);

    Left1.spin(fwd, left_side_volts, voltageUnits::volt);
    Left2.spin(fwd, left_side_volts, voltageUnits::volt);
    Left3.spin(fwd, left_side_volts, voltageUnits::volt);

    Right1.spin(fwd, right_side_volts, voltageUnits::volt);
    Right2.spin(fwd, right_side_volts, voltageUnits::volt);
    Right3.spin(fwd, right_side_volts, voltageUnits::volt);

    vex::task::sleep(20);
  }

[10102Z]

our driver prefers tank drive, would this code work?

[xTigr]

Yes, that will work. It’s probably better to use voltage instead of percent, but this is fine.

[xTigr]

@anon4126930

IMO I feel like the option above restricts what you can do in the future. You have a lot more flexibility programming each motor individually, especially considering a 6 motor drivetrain.

Just wondering, how do motor groups restrict what you can do? And what things can you do with individual motors that you can’t with motor groups?