ECE8990 Advanced Robotics/Homework 1

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Homework 1 for ECE8990 Advanced Robotics:

• Divide into groups to determine the process below. Consult with me if you get stuck with your task.
  • Download and install Microsoft Visual Studio 2005.
  • Install Matlab (if you don't yet have it); see Mr. Lane in Simrall 139. After MSVC is installed, type mex -setup and follow prompts to set up the compiler for use with Matlab.
  • Download and install MUnit and MTemplate for Matlab. If the website is down, use these binaries: munit-install-v2.4.exe, mtemplate-install-v1.4.exe
  • Download and build Coin 2.4.6 and SoWin 1.4.0.
  • Download and install TortoiseSVN; see the Subversion page for links and how-to instructions.
• Read instructions on how to edit the Wiki then document the process you followed on this page. For TortoiseSVN, read and edit the page to clarify any confusing items.
• Bring a laptop on Monday to class, ready to go with the above software configured.

Instructions to Download and install Microsoft Visual Studio 2005

• Login to ECE intranet. Use ECE username and password.
• Find a link MSDNAA under the information tab. click on it and login using ECE username and password.
• Or just GO HERE to login
• Click on the Software button.
• Click on the 'search product by title' drop down menu.
• Choose Visual Studio 2005 Professional Edition CD1.
• Click on Add to cart > I Agree > continue Shopping.
• Similarly add CD2 to the cart. If you want MSDN library is also available for free. add all you want to cart.
• Checkout and enter you details in the following screen and hit next.
• Click on Download and click on download in the next screen too.
• Save the *.exe file to hard disk.
• Run the exe file to start the actual download.
• Once the download see done you should see *.iso file in the download location.
• Burn the iso to a disc or mount it to a virtual drive to install (instructions below).
• Approach ECE System Administrator if you have any trouble.

Instructions for burning an iso to a disc

• Click on Alcohol 120% from Free downloads - United States from at the following link free downloads
• Save the file to a directory
• Run the setup
• When you see the additional software feature unselect it
• Everything else is fine as a default, just click next)
• If asked about creating virtual drives, you may go ahead and do this, select 1 drive and unselect remount images upon system reboot
• Click finish
• Reboot if necessary
• Start Alcohol 120%
• Since this is a trial version we have to wait a few seconds to use it, but afterwards click image burning wizard
• Browse to the directory where your files where downloaded too (if you did not change it, the iso will be in c:\temp)
• Select en_vs_2005_pro_cd1.iso, click next and then start the burn (with a CDR in your drive of course)
• When finished reinsert the cd (if ejected) and it should autorun
• When finished installing cd1 you can burn cd2 the same way

Instructions for creating a virtual drive (and then running the disc)

• With Alcohol installed (see instructions above), click file > open > browse to c:\temp
• Select the first cd iso (en_vs_2005_pro_cd1.iso > click open
• The file will be added to the front panel
• Right click the file and click mount on device (if mount device is unavailable see add virtual device below)
• The disc should autostart, if not go to my computer right click the correct drive and select autoplay
• Install with all defaults
• An error will occur about 3/4 of the way through the visual studio install that reads "Error 1308. Source file not found e:\wcu\JSharpRedistCore\vjredist.exe Verify that the file exists and that you can access it."
• When you see this error, browse to the iso folder and mount cd2 in Alcohol 120% as before.
• Click retry on the error prompt
• When it's finished installing, click finished

Instructions for creating virtual drives (if mount on device does not show up when you right click the iso file

• Open Alcohol 120%
• Click Virtual Device > Select 1 in Number of Virtual Devices > Uncheck Remount images upon system reboot > OK
• For reference, the virtual drive will be created and it will appear on the front panel under virtual CD/DVD-ROM
• Proceed with above instructions

Another option for virtual drives is DAEMON Tools.

Matlab setup and installation

• You can click this or go to here and click on Matlab software to get a copy from university. You need to agree with the Terms and Condition, then you have to fill in a form and complete it. You only can go to pick the CD or DVD after they send ticket number through email indicates that the software is ready for you.
• They have 2006 and 2007 version. 2007 version is in DVDs and 2006 version is in CDs.
• Once you have the DVDs (2 pieces), first thing that needs to be done is to copy license.dat file from DVD to your PC/Laptop. This file is needed for the installation.
• It will be better if you are connected to the internet while installing this software. If there is any dialog that mentions that there is a new version ready for you, just pick to install software from DVD.
• Then follow the instructions to the end.
• To run Matlab from PC/laptop, you have to have a connection to the internet. After Matlab runs, you can disconnect from internet and still be able to run the program.
• If you have more question about Matlab from the university, you can send an email to ITS helpdesk or just come to ITS and bring your laptop.
• Do not forget to return the software after you finish installing it on your computer.
• Type mex -setup after you run your Matlab program, then it will ask you about compiler. So, it will be better if you install Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 before you type this command.
• Choose compiler from Visual C++ 2005 and for help, just type help mex in Matlab's command window

MUnit/MTemplate setup and installation

• Install MUnit v2.4 by following the instructions on the install screen. If you have the .zip version, unzip files to C:\Program Files\XTargets\MUnit.
• Install MTemplate v1.4 by following the instructions on the install screen. If you have the .zip version, unzip files to C:\Program Files\XTargets\MTemplate.
• Add the paths for MUnit and MTemplate:
  • Start MatLab, click File->Set Path. In the box that pops up, click Add Folder. Navigate to 'C:\Program Files\XTargets\MUnit', click OK.
  • Do the same for 'C:\Program Files\XTargets\MTemplate'.
  • Click Save in the Set Path Box.
• For verification that MUnit and MTemplate were installed correctly, type munit in MatLab's command window. If you get the Munit Control Panel you have them both installed correctly.
• Do some hand-edits (under the Notes on installing MUnit) to fix a couple of minor bugs.

Coin3D setup and installation

• Choose a directory for the Coin installation. The path to the directory should not contain spaces. Something like C:\Coin3D will work. The directory must exist before you compile Coin.
• Browse to the PATH environment variable, you can do this from Control Panel | System | Advanced | Environment Variables | PATH. Add <coin directory>\bin to the paths that are already there, separating with a ';', e.g. C:\Coin3D\bin. In addition, define a new environment variable named COINDIR and set its path to the coin directory, e.g. C:\Coin3D. You can do this from Control Panel | System | Advanced | Environment Variables | New.
• Navigate to the sub folder of build/ folder in the Coin source directory that corresponds to your version of Visual C++ and open the coin2.sln.
• Choose Build | Batch Build. Check both the debug and release versions of the coin2 DLL as well as the coin2_install DLL, then click build. Check the build log and confirm that there were no errors, and check the $COINDIR to see if the installation files were copied there. The $COINDIR should now contain a bin/ folder with the Coin dll, a lib/ folder with the Coin lib file, an include/ folder with the headers, and a data/ folder with some iv files. If it does, you have successfully built and installed Coin.
• To build SoWin, repeat the last step with the sowin.sln. These libraries also depend on the $COINDIR variable. The dll, lib and header files will be copied to the $COINDIR/bin, $COINDIR/lib and $COINDIR/include folders.

To build the Matlab/Coin3D bridge: assuming mex -setup has already been done (see earlier instructions, change to the directory containing the bridge files then run the makeMatlaboi.m script located on the course repository.

This should create the necessary binaries. Test by running test_matlaboi from the munit dialog. All tests should succeed.