Device Setup: Drivetrain#

Add a Drivetrain#

Open the Devices Tab#

Select the Devices tab.

Screenshot of VEXcode's tab bar, with the Devices tab highlighted.

If the Devices tab is not visible, see Add a Tab in the Navigating VEXcode tutorial.

Select ‘Add a Device’#

Select Add a Device in the Devices tab.

Screenshot of the Devices tab, with the Add a Device button highlighted.

Select a Drivetrain#

Select Drivetrain 2-Motor or Drivetrain 4-Motor, depending on how many motors you’re using in your drivetrain.

Screenshot of the Select a device screen, with Drivetrain 2-Motor and Drivetrain 4-Motor highlighted.

Select the Left Motor Port(s)#

Select the ports for the motors that drive your robot’s left wheels.

Screenshot of the Left Motor port selection screen, showing ports 1 through 12 to choose from.

Select the Right Motor Port(s)#

Select the ports for the motors that drive your robot’s right wheels.

Screenshot of the Right Motor port selection screen, showing ports 1 through 12 to choose from.

Select a Sensor#

Select what sensor you want to use with your Drivetrain:

  • No Sensor — No Inertial or Gyro Sensor will be connected to your Drivetrain. Blocks that rely on these sensors will not appear in your toolbox.

  • Gyro — Select the port for an external Gyro Sensor to measure the drivetrain’s movements.

  • Brain Inertial — Use the VEX IQ (2nd gen) Brain’s built-in Inertial Sensor to measure the drivetrain’s movements.

Screenshot of the Select device option screen, showing No Sensor, Gyro, and Brain Inertial options.

Configure Your Drivetrain#

Adjust the Drivetrain Settings#

Configure your Drivetrain’s settings. If you’re using a pre-made build, the default values do not need to be changed.

  • Wheel Size (Circ.) — The circumference of your Drivetrain’s wheels: 100mm, 160mm, 200mm, or 250mm.

  • Gear Ratio — The ratio between the Input and Output gears, if your Drivetrain uses external gears. Use 1:1 if no external gears are used.

  • Direction — The direction the Drivetrain moves when driving forward.

Screenshot of the Drivetrain Settings screen, showing Wheel Size, Gear Ratio, and Direction options.

Additional Settings for No Sensor#

If you selected No Sensor, two additional settings will also appear:

  • Track Width — The distance between the left and right wheels.

  • Wheel Base — The distance between the front and back wheels.

These measurements help the Drivetrain estimate its movement without a Gyro or Inertial Sensor to measure it directly.

Screenshot of the Drivetrain Settings screen for a Drivetrain with No Sensor, showing the additional Track Width and Wheel Base options.

Finish Adding the Drivetrain#

Select Done to add the Drivetrain to your robot.

Screenshot of the Drivetrain Settings screen, with the Done button highlighted.

View the Drivetrain in Your Devices List#

The Drivetrain will now appear in your list of devices, and the Drivetrain category and blocks will be added to your toolbox.

Screenshot of the Devices tab, showing Drivetrain in the list of devices with its left and right motor ports.
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