View source for Math Tools App

Math Tools an open source python-based app that extends the igus Robot Control with occasionally needed program functions, mainly around math and timing. The app has the following purposes:

* New functions can be quickly added on demand
* It lets us test rarely used functions before deciding to add them to the robot control software
* Very easy to extend base for program commands developed by customers

The Math Tools app is supported by iRC V14-004 and later.

= Available Program Functions =

Currently the following functions are provided:

* Kinematics:
** Forward kinematics: Convert joint angles to cartesian position
** Inverse kinematics: Convert cartesian position to joint angles
* Math:
** Calculate cartesian (XYZ) distance between two position variables
** Check cartesian (XYZ) distance between two position variables - to check whether a position is close to another
** Square root
** Exponentiation
** Minimum
** Maximum
** Copy position - Copies only selected components between position variables
* Timing
** Get time since start in seconds
** Get time since start in minutes
** Get time since start in hours
** Wait by variable (give the duration via a number variable)

= Download =

App package: [https://github.com/CommonplaceRobotics/RobotControlApps/releases GitHub Releases]

Source code: [https://github.com/CommonplaceRobotics/RobotControlApps/tree/v14-004/MathTools GitHub]

= Adding Functions =

Please refer to the [https://github.com/CommonplaceRobotics/RobotControlApps documentation and sample code] for any questions regarding the app interface.

Adding your own functions is easy:
1. Open rcapp.xml with a basic text editor and add a new [https://github.com/CommonplaceRobotics/RobotControlApps/blob/master/documentation/rcapp.xml.md function definition] with a unique ID, name and the necessary parameters
2. Open MathToolsApp.py and add a new function that does whatever you need, similar to the examples
3. In function _AppFunctionHandler add a new condition that checks for the ID of your app function. Call your function.
4. Zip your code, install it to the robot control and test it.

[[Category:Apps]]