I don’t want this to be a rant but when is VCS going to get an update. When Pros and RobotMesh just released their update I hoped VCS would have one. But unfortunately, I have lost faith in the VCS team because there has been no word about an update. I am currently installing Pros and Robotmesh. This post is to inform the VCS team and VEX that if VCS doesn’t get an update soon those who have stayed with VCS are going to be jumping ships to the other platforms which seem to have more support than VCS and I have a feeling that once programmers transfer their code they won’t be coming back.
Sincerely,
1069B’s Programmer
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Don’t use VCS.
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Made the jump when I realized VCS doesn’t have Ctrl + S and lost half my auton. I mean seriously, VCS is quote: “meant to be the go to programming interface for vex robotics” and it doesn’t have basic keystrokes, a recently opened menu, or Ctrl + Z? The API is essentially useless (e.x. Instead of telling me that one value is a Boolean since I can see that from the example, tell me what that Boolean means!)
While I’m also really disappointed VCS hasn’t been updated, I think it’s important to keep in mind the value of VCS to VEX. They can offer a FREE software that can be advertised with their educational products. It’s not the money they are making from VCS sales.
There could be other reasons VEX is putting it’s resources into providing the free VCS. It could be a request/requirement from the RECF? It could be that IFI/VEX just likes to provide cool things to kids who love robots?
I don’t believe VEX minds if competitive teams choose PROS or Robot Mesh Studio over VCS.
While I want to agree with this, think of the kid who doesn’t realize his program hasn’t saved because of no Ctrl + S, and the first experience he has with programming is his hard worked program getting deleted because of the software.
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Whatever the intent, the reality is that the promotion of VCS over RMS or PROS is driving people away from the platform, as seen in this post:
I believe that my reply there is also applicable here:
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ThIs is absolutely correct.
IMO, the advertising behind the v5 launch has been misleading. “Our motors don’t overheat” = completely impossible statement
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To release VCS as the state it’s in and to keep it as such without an update would cost me my job as a software engineer. It’s not in the spirit of VEX.
Furthemore to give no word or notice to their end users about what will be happening to it is unacceptable in engineering.
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Is robot mesh studio free? How difficult would it be to transfer over from VCS to RMS or PROS?
Yes, for individuals and teams. There is a licensed Classroom edition, too, that adds some class management features that teachers want, but both versions have exactly the same programming environment.
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RMS has a C++ API that tries to be compatible with VCS’s C++ API (but with a few minor differences).
PROS is a solution designed for programmers with some experience (i.e. not complete beginners to programming), although libraries like OkapiLib make it very easy to get advanced control of your robot without a lot of programming (just specify the parameters of your robot and tell it to go).
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Chomebook/iOS support was a huge thing that VCS had going for it, compatibility with chromebooks would be great for schools. Unfortunately, VCS isn’t getting updates.
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We just recently transitioned into RMS. It is a pretty simple task, you just have to redo motor setup, and basically everything else works perfectly fine. Took me ~20 minutes to actually get it switched and working like it should.
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