User/AirborneCodeReorg

This page summarizes the changes needed to switch from the "raw makefile in airframes" to a new "xml only aiframes" syntax. Just want to quickly convert your tiny/twog airframe then go here (Brief)

Why

Because of its growth, paparazzi needs significant reorganization. To make this possible without breaking airframe files, the 'subsystem' idea introduced in booz is now generalized to all airframes.

1. A nicer looking XML structure.
2. users are not required to understand Makefile's anymore in order to choose what to compile.

Replacing the makefile section of the airframe file with xml:

1. Provide a simpler to understand and consistent syntax for end users.
2. Enable Paparazzi centre to provide a list of all targets for an airframe.
3. Simplify the design of tools that automatically generate airframe files.
4. Simplify the process of documenting the airframe file and any future additions to it.

The reorganization of directory structures is aimed at simplifying development and maintenance. The aim here is to provide :

1. A consistent structure for all targets, all architectures and all subsystems.
2. A structure that informs the naming of files.
3. A route to enable the merging of fixed wing and rotor craft code bases.

Naming

In your airframe you now put <firmware> which can be 'rotorcraft', 'fixedwing' or various 'setup and testing' groups of code.

This code can be compiled for 1 or more <target> 's like 'ap' and 'sim'. For each target you need to define which board it runs on.

Strictly separating <firmwares> and boards makes it possible to re-use code, remove double files, have clear naming (booz is now the name of the board but also the name of the code, which was OK as long as there was only 1 rotorcraft board) and start running the same code on more platforms (e.g. fixed wing on lisa, rotorcraft filters on gumstix, ... etc).

Most users will want to run

 <firmware name="fixedwing">
   <target name="ap" board="tiny_2.11" />

or

 <firmware name="fixedwing">
   <target name="ap" board="twog_1.0" />

or

 <firmware name="rotorcraft">
   <target name="ap" board="booz_1.0" />

FixedWing

In Brief

The idea is to replace the <makefile> section with a <firmware> section. Just change your board type, in case of ublox 5h change 4p to 5h and remove gyro if not needed.

Typicaly, replace:

<makefile>
 CONFIG=\"tiny_2_1_1.h\"
 include $(PAPARAZZI_SRC)/conf/autopilot/tiny.makefile
 FLASH_MODE=IAP
 ap.CFLAGS +=  -DFBW -DAP -DBOARD_CONFIG=$(CONFIG) -DLED -DTIME_LED=1
 ap.srcs = sys_time.c $(SRC_ARCH)/sys_time_hw.c $(SRC_ARCH)/armVIC.c main_fbw.c main_ap.c main.c
 ap.srcs += commands.c
 ap.CFLAGS += -DACTUATORS=\"servos_4017_hw.h\" -DSERVOS_4017
 ap.srcs += $(SRC_ARCH)/servos_4017_hw.c actuators.c
 ap.CFLAGS += -DRADIO_CONTROL
 ap.srcs += radio_control.c $(SRC_ARCH)/ppm_hw.c  
 ap.CFLAGS += -DDOWNLINK -DUSE_UART1 -DDOWNLINK_TRANSPORT=PprzTransport -DDOWNLINK_FBW_DEVICE=Uart1 -DDOWNLINK_AP_DEVICE=Uart1 -DPPRZ_UART=Uart1 -DDATALINK=PPRZ -DUART1_BAUD=B9600
 ap.srcs += downlink.c $(SRC_ARCH)/uart_hw.c datalink.c pprz_transport.c
 ap.CFLAGS += -DINTER_MCU
 ap.srcs += inter_mcu.c 
 ap.CFLAGS += -DADC -DUSE_ADC_0 -DUSE_ADC_1 -DUSE_ADC_2 -DUSE_ADC_3
 ap.srcs += $(SRC_ARCH)/adc_hw.c
 ap.CFLAGS += -DGPS -DUBX -DUSE_UART1 -DGPS_LINK=Uart1 -DUART1_BAUD=B38400
 ap.CFLAGS += -DGPS_CONFIGURE -DGPS_BAUD=38400
 ap.srcs += gps_ubx.c gps.c latlong.c
 ap.CFLAGS += -DINFRARED
 ap.srcs += infrared.c estimator.c
 ap.CFLAGS += -DNAV -DAGR_CLIMB -DLOITER_TRIM -DALT_KALMAN -DWIND_INFO
 ap.srcs += nav.c fw_h_ctl.c fw_v_ctl.c
 ap.srcs += nav_line.c nav_survey_rectangle.c
</makefile>

with

  <firmware name="fixedwing">
    <target name="sim" 			board="pc"/>
    <target name="ap" 			board="tiny_2.11">
      <define name="AGR_CLIMB" />
      <define name="LOITER_TRIM" />
      <define name="ALT_KALMAN" />
    </target>
    <subsystem name="radio_control" 	type="ppm"/>
    <!-- Communication -->
    <subsystem name="telemetry" 	type="transparent">
      <param name="MODEM_BAUD" 		value="B9600"/>
    </subsystem>
    <!-- Actuators are automatically chosen according to the board-->
    <subsystem name="control"/>
    <!-- Sensors -->
    <subsystem name="gyro"              type="roll"/>
    <subsystem name="attitude" 		type="infrared"/>
    <subsystem name="gps" 		type="ublox_lea4p"/>
    <subsystem name="navigation"        type="extra"/><!--this includes OSAMNav, nav, discsurvey and nav_cube as well-->
  </firmware>
  <!-- Carefull: add the location after!! -->
  <makefile location="after">
    # specific stuff that only you are needing... be aware that files might move, so USE the firmware-source variable
  </makefile>

But you can also add:

 <firmware name="setup">
   <target name="tunnel" 		board="tiny_2.11" />
   <target name="setup_actuators" 	board="tiny_2.11" />
 </firmware>

In details

Let's look in more detail how this is done

You can define several <firmware> branches that are linked with you airframe

For a tiny2 this is typically the 'fixedwing' firmware. This chooses which main routine will run. In this case the fixedwing main.c

 <firmware name="fixedwing">

The old first two lines of the makefile

CONFIG=\"tiny_2_1_1.h\"
include $(PAPARAZZI_SRC)/conf/autopilot/tiny.makefile
FLASH_MODE=IAP

are now replaced by the <target> block. Notice that this name is automatically filled in paparazzi center.

 <target name="ap" board="tiny_2.11"/>

The FLASH_MODE is already set correctly for your board, however you can still define it (or override it with e.g. ISP for programming over the serial line):

 <target name="ap" board="tiny_2.11">
   <param name="FLASH_MODE" value="IAP"/><!-- this is already the default if not set -->
 </target>

The only field you might want to adapt depending on your configuration is the board one. The list of supported boards is

• "twog_1"
• "tiny_2.11"
• "tiny_2.1"
• "tiny_1.1"
• "tiny_0.99"
• "booz_1.0"
• "lisa_l_1.0"
• "pc"

Then you should define which subsystems to use for you board. For most fixedwing Tiny users this will be standard. But for booz there are already many more options, and wait until you see the power of Lisa!

The following line defines what kind of radio control you'll be using. For now fixedwing doesn't have a choice and uses ppm

<subsystem name="radio_control" type="ppm"/>

replaces

ap.CFLAGS += -DRADIO_CONTROL
ap.srcs += radio_control.c $(SRC_ARCH)/ppm_hw.c

Available Subsystems

Name	type	airframe(s)	description
radio_control	ppm	FW, rotor	ppm R/C input
	spektrum	FW, rotor	Spektrum serial R/C input
telemetry	transparent	FW, rotor	to be used with any serial link replacement
	xbee_api	FW, rotor	for XBee modems in API mode
actuators	4017	FW	4017 decade counter (automatically used on tiny_2 and twog)
	4015	FW	4015 decade counter (automatically used on tiny_1)
	ppm	FW	outputs ppm to a R/C receiver
attitude	infrared	FW
gyro	roll	FW	roll gyro sensor
	pitch	FW	pitch gyro sensor
gps	ublox_lea5h	FW
	ublox_lea4p	FW
	skytraq	FW
navigation	-	FW	standard navigation routines
	extra	FW	plus extra navigation routines: OSAMNav, snav, discsurvey, nav_cube
	bomb	FW	bomb drop routine
control	-	FW	standard control loops
	adaptive	FW	adaptive horizontal control
	new	FW	merged auto pitch and auto throttle, adaptive horizontal control

Some of these (optional) subsystems will probably be moved to modules to limit the number of #ifdef in main_ap

Generated transition guide

• fixedwing_subsystems
• rotorcraft_subsystems

Description of available firmwares

• Rotorcraft
• Fixedwing
• Lisa_l_test_progs
• Booz_test_progs