Robot Specific Python#

Introduction #

The VIQRC 25-26 Mix & Match Playground features methods exclusive to the build designed for this Playground, including two motor options, Optical Sensor, and Touch LED.

All standard VEXcode VR methods are available for use in the VIQRC 25-26 Mix & Match Playground.

Below is a list of all available Playground specific methods:

Motion – Move and track the robot’s motors.

Actions
- spin – Spins the selected motor or motor group indefinitely.
- spin_for – Spins a motor or group for a specific distance in degrees or turns.
- spin_to_position – Spins a motor or motor group to a set position.
- stop – Stops a specific motor or motor group from spinning.
Mutators
- set_position – Sets the encoder value of a motor or motor group.
- set_velocity – Sets the speed of a motor or motor group as a percentage.
- set_timeout – Limits how long a motor block waits before giving up if movement is blocked.
Getters
- is_done – Returns a Boolean indicating whether the motor is no longer spinning.
- is_spinning – Returns a Boolean indicating whether the motor is currently spinning.
- position – Returns the motor’s current rotational position in degrees or turns.
- velocity – Returns the motor’s current velocity in % or rpm.

Sensing - Utilize the robot’s various sensors.

Touch LED
- set_color – Sets the TouchLED to a selected color.
Optical
- is_near_object – Returns whether a detected object is near the Optical Sensor.
- color – Returns the color detected from the Optical Sensor.
- brightness – Returns the brightness percentage detected by the sensor.
- hue – Returns the hue value of the detected color.
- object_detected – Registers a callback function for when the Optical Sensor detects an object.
- object_lost – Registers a callback function for when the Optical Sensor loses an object.

Motion #

Actions #

spin #

spin spins a motor indefinitely.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.spin(direction)` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.spin(direction)` — The Lift Motor

Parameters

Description

direction

The direction for the motor to spin:

FORWARD – Opens claw or lowers the lift.
REVERSE – Closes claw or raises the lift.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

spin_for #

spin_for spins a motor for a given amount of degrees or turns.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.spin_for(direction, distance, units, wait=True)` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.spin_for(direction, distance, units, wait=True)` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
`direction`	The direction for the motor to spin: `FORWARD` – Opens claw or lowers the lift. `REVERSE` – Closes claw or raises the lift.
`distance`	The distance for the motor to spin as an integer.
`units`	The unit that represents the distance to rotate: `DEGREES` `TURNS`
`wait`	Optional. `wait=True` (default) - The robot waits until `spin_for` is complete before executing the next line of code. `wait=False` - The robot starts the action and moves on to the next line of code right away, without waiting for `spin_for` to finish.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

spin_to_position #

spin_to spins a motor to a given position.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.spin_to_position(angle, units, wait=True)` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.spin_to_position(angle, units, wait=True)` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
`angle`	The specific angle or number of turns that the motor will spin to.
`units`	The unit that represents the angle to rotate to: `DEGREES` `TURNS`
`wait`	Optional. `wait=True` (default) - The robot waits until `spin_to_position` is complete before executing the next line of code. `wait=False` - The robot starts the action and moves on to the next line of code right away, without waiting for `spin_to_position` to finish.

Parameters

Description

angle

The specific angle or number of turns that the motor will spin to.

units

The unit that represents the angle to rotate to:

DEGREES
TURNS

wait

Optional.

wait=True (default) - The robot waits until spin_to_position is complete before executing the next line of code.
wait=False - The robot starts the action and moves on to the next line of code right away, without waiting for spin_to_position to finish.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_to_position(-2, TURNS)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

stop #

stop stops a motor from spinning.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.stop()` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.stop()` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin(REVERSE)
  wait(2, SECONDS)
  lift_motor.stop()
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

Mutators #

set_position #

set_position sets a motor’s encoder position to the given position value.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.set_position(position, units)` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.set_position(position, units)` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
`position`	The specific integer for the motor’s encoder to be set to.
`units`	The unit that represents the angle to rotate to: `DEGREES` `TURNS`

Parameters

Description

position

The specific integer for the motor’s encoder to be set to.

units

The unit that represents the angle to rotate to:

DEGREES
TURNS

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.set_position(100, DEGREES)
  lift_motor.spin_to_position(-500, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

set_velocity #

set_velocity sets the speed of a motor.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.set_velocity(velocity, units)` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.set_velocity(velocity, units)` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
`velocity`	The speed that the IQ Motor will spin at, ranging from 0 to 100.
`units`	The unit that represents the new velocity: `PERCENT`

Parameters

Description

velocity

The speed that the IQ Motor will spin at, ranging from 0 to 100.

units

The unit that represents the new velocity:

PERCENT

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.set_velocity(100, PERCENT)
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

set_timeout #

set_timeout sets a time limit for a motor’s movement commands. This prevents motion commands that do not reach their intended position from preventing subsequent commands from running.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.set_timeout(value, units)` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.set_timeout(value, units)` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
`value`	The amount of time the motor will wait before stopping.
`units`	The unit to represent the timeout: `SECONDS` `MSEC` – milliseconds

Parameters

Description

value

The amount of time the motor will wait before stopping.

units

The unit to represent the timeout:

SECONDS
MSEC – milliseconds

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.set_timeout(2, SECONDS)
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 5, TURNS)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

Getters #

is_done #

is_done returns a Boolean indicating whether the specified motor is not spinning.

True – The specified motor is not spinning.
False – The specified motor is spinning.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.is_done()` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.is_done()` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES, wait=False)
  wait(0.1, SECONDS)
  while not lift_motor.is_done():
      touchled.set_color(RED)
      wait(0.5, SECONDS)
      touchled.set_color(NONE)
      wait(0.5, SECONDS)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

is_spinning #

is_spinning returns a Boolean indicating whether the specified motor is spinning.

True – The specified motor is spinning.
False – The specified motor is not spinning.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.is_spinning()` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.is_spinning()` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES, wait=False)
  wait(0.1, SECONDS)
  while lift_motor.is_spinning():
      touchled.set_color(RED)
      wait(0.5, SECONDS)
      touchled.set_color(NONE)
      wait(0.5, SECONDS)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

position #

position returns the total distance the specified motor has rotated.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.position(units)` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.position(units)` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
`units`	The units that represent the motor’s position: `DEGREES` `TURNS`

Parameters

Description

units

The units that represent the motor’s position:

DEGREES
TURNS

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin(REVERSE)
  while not -600 > claw_motor.position(DEGREES):
      wait(2, MSEC)
  lift_motor.stop()
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

velocity #

velocity returns the current rotational speed of the motor.

Usage:
One of two available motor objects can be used with this method, as shown below:

motor	Command
`claw_motor`	`claw_motor.velocity(units)` — The Claw Motor
`lift_motor`	`lift_motor.velocity(units)` — The Lift Motor

Parameters	Description
`units`	The unit that represent the motor’s position: `PERCENT`

Parameters

Description

units

The unit that represent the motor’s position:

PERCENT

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.set_velocity(100, PERCENT)
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES, wait=False)
  wait(0.5, SECONDS)
  brain.screen.print(lift_motor.velocity(PERCENT))
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

Sensing #

Touch LED #

set_color #

set_color sets the color of the Touch LED.

Usage:
touchled.set_color(color)

Parameters	Description
`color`	The color to set the Touch LED to: `NONE` – Turns off the Touch LED `RED` `GREEN` `BLUE` `YELLOW` `ORANGE` `PURPLE` `WHITE` `RED_VIOLET` `VIOLET` `BLUE_VIOLET` `BLUE_GREEN` `YELLOW_GREEN` `YELLOW_ORANGE` `RED_ORANGE`

Parameters

Description

color

The color to set the Touch LED to:

NONE – Turns off the Touch LED
RED
GREEN
BLUE
YELLOW
ORANGE
PURPLE
WHITE
RED_VIOLET
VIOLET
BLUE_VIOLET
BLUE_GREEN
YELLOW_GREEN
YELLOW_ORANGE
RED_ORANGE

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  touchled.set_color(RED)
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)
  touchled.set_color(NONE)

Optical #

is_near_object #

is_near_object returns a Boolean indicating whether or not the Optical Sensor detects an object close to the sensor.

True – The object is close to the Optical Sensor.
False – The object is not close to the Optical Sensor.

Usage:
optical.is_near_object()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)
  while not not optical.is_near_object():
      wait(2, MSEC)
  lift_motor.spin_to_position(0, DEGREES)

color #

color returns the color detected by the Optical Sensor:

Color Returned:
`NONE` – No color detected. `RED` `GREEN` `BLUE` `YELLOW` `ORANGE` `PURPLE` `WHITE` `RED_VIOLET` `VIOLET` `BLUE_VIOLET` `BLUE_GREEN` `YELLOW_GREEN` `YELLOW_ORANGE` `RED_ORANGE`

Color Returned:

NONE – No color detected.
RED
GREEN
BLUE
YELLOW
ORANGE
PURPLE
WHITE
RED_VIOLET
VIOLET
BLUE_VIOLET
BLUE_GREEN
YELLOW_GREEN
YELLOW_ORANGE
RED_ORANGE

Usage:
optical.color()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)
  while not optical.color() == RED:
      wait(5, MSEC)
  lift_motor.spin_to_position(0, DEGREES)

brightness #

brightness returns the brightness value detected by the Optical Sensor as a percent from 0% to 100%.

Usage:
optical.brightness()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)
  while not 30 > optical.brightness():
      wait(5, MSEC)
  lift_motor.spin_to_position(0, DEGREES)

hue #

hue returns the hue detected by the Optical Sensor.

Hue values range from 0 to 359 degrees, corresponding to positions on the color wheel shown below.

A circular color wheel displaying a full spectrum of hues labeled with degree values around the perimeter, increasing in 30-degree increments from 0° at the top to 360°.

Usage:
optical.hue()

Parameters	Description
	This method has no parameters.

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)
  while not optical.hue() > 0:
      wait(5, MSEC)
  lift_motor.spin_to_position(0, DEGREES)

object_detected #

object_detected registers a callback function for when the Optical Sensor detects an object.

Usage:
optical.object_detected(callback, arg)

Parameters	Description
`callback`	A function that will be called when an object is detected.
`arg`	Optional. A tuple that is used to pass arguments to the callback function.

def pin_in_open_claw():
  # Change color when claw isn't holding anything
  touchled.set_color(RED)

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  optical.object_detected(pin_in_open_claw)
  touchled.set_color(GREEN)
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)

object_lost #

object_lost registers a callback function for when the Optical Sensor loses an object.

Usage:
optical.object_lost(callback, arg)

Parameters	Description
`callback`	A function that will be called when an object is lost.
`arg`	Optional. A tuple that is used to pass arguments to the callback function.

def lower_lift():
  # Lower lift when Pin not in claw
  lift_motor.spin_to_position(0, DEGREES)

def main():
  # Place a Pin atop another Pin
  optical.object_lost(lower_lift)
  lift_motor.spin_for(REVERSE, 600, DEGREES)
  drivetrain.drive_for(FORWARD, 140, MM)
  claw_motor.spin(FORWARD)