Configuring a Controller in VEXcode IQ

When starting to program with VEXcode IQ, Controller blocks will not appear in the Toolbox until a Controller has been configured.

Note: If you have a Controller configured, you must have a Controller paired with your VEX IQ Brain for your project to run.


Adding a Controller

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration options for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement to aid educational and beginner robotics enthusiasts in building and programming robots.

To configure a Controller, select the Devices icon to open the Devices window.

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement to aid educational and beginner robotics enthusiasts in building and programming robots.

Select “Add a device.”

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement, aimed at aiding educators and students in understanding robot assembly and programming.

Select "Controller."

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement for educational robotics projects.

If you want to program the Controller using VEXcode IQ, select “Done” to complete the configuration.

  • If you want to configure the Controller for use without coding, see the additional options below.

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing key components and their arrangement to aid educators and students in building and programming robots effectively.

Once the Controller is added, you will see the Controller added to the Devices Window, and Controller blocks (like those highlighted in this image) will appear in the Toolbox.


Assigning the Drivetrain to the Controller’s Joysticks

Now that the Controller has been added to the robot configuration, you can assign the Drivetrain to the Controller’s joysticks in the Devices window. This allows you to assign the Drivetrain to the Controller’s joysticks without having to add additional code.

  • The following example uses the Clawbot (Drivetrain 2-Motor)- (2nd gen) Example project.

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration options for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement to aid educational and beginner robotics enthusiasts in building and programming robots.

Select the Devices icon to open the Devices window.

Diagram illustrating the VEX IQ robot configuration, showcasing various components and their arrangement for educational robotics projects, as part of the VEX IQ knowledge base.

Select "Controller."

Diagram illustrating the configuration of a VEX IQ robot, showing various components and their placements for optimal performance in educational robotics projects.

Select a joystick icon to toggle through the options.

  • Selecting a joystick icon multiple times will cycle through all the options.
  • Stop once the desired drive mode is displayed.

The four drive modes that you can choose from are: Left Arcade, Right Arcade, Split Arcade, Tank.

 

Diagram illustrating the configuration of a VEX IQ robot, showcasing various components and their arrangement, designed to aid educators and students in understanding robot assembly for educational robotics projects.

Left Arcade

All movement is controlled by the left joystick.

Diagram illustrating the configuration options for VEX IQ robots, showcasing various components and their arrangement, aimed at helping educators and students understand robot assembly and programming for educational robotics projects.

Right Arcade

All movement is controlled by the right joystick.

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration options for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, highlighting various components and their arrangement for educational robotics projects.

Split Arcade

Forward and backward movement is controlled by the left joystick while turning is controlled by the right joystick.

Diagram showing the configuration of a VEX IQ robot, illustrating key components and their arrangement for educational robotics projects, as part of the VEX IQ knowledge base.

Tank

The left motor is controlled by the left joystick while the right motor is controlled by the right joystick.

 

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement for educational robotics projects.

Select “Done” to save your configuration.


Assigning Motors or Motor Groups to the Controller’s Buttons

Once the Controller has been added to the robot configuration, you can assign motors or motor groups to specific Controller buttons in the Devices window.  Assigning motors or motor groups in the Devices window allows you to control individual motors or motor groups without needing to add code. 

  • The following example has a motor and a motor group configured: ClawMotor and ArmMotorGroup.

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration options for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement to aid educational and beginner robotics enthusiasts in building and programming robots.

Select the Devices icon to open the Devices window.


Diagram illustrating the robot configuration for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement, designed to assist educators and students in building and programming robots effectively.

Select "Controller."

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement, aimed at helping educators and students understand optimal robot design for educational robotics projects.

Configure a motor or motor group to a button by selecting the buttons on the Controller.

  • Selecting the same button multiple times will cycle through your configured motors and motor groups.
  • Stop once the desired motor or motor group is displayed.

The controller has four button groups (L, R, E, and F). Each group can have a single motor or motor group (that is not a part of the Drivetrain) configured to them.

Note: Once a motor or motor group has been configured, it will not display as an option for the other buttons.

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration options for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement for educational robotics projects.

Select “Done” to save your configuration.


Deleting a Controller

Diagram illustrating the robot configuration for the VEX IQ Robotics platform, showcasing various components and their arrangement, aimed at helping educators and students understand building and programming robots.

A Controller can be deleted by selecting the “Delete” option at the bottom of the screen.

For more information, help, and tips, check out the many resources at VEX Professional Development Plus

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