Mail communication usingWiFi connection

[aitschi]

Hi,

I would like to let my EV3 robot move around while reporting its position to the computer via WiFi. So there is the program on the EV3 and there supposed to be a monitor program on the PC. What is the easiest way to communicate data from the EV3 to the host PC via WiFi?

Actually I wanted to do using mail commands. But that doesn't work via WiFi. Any ideas? Thanks!

[garrett8357]

Hi,

Mailboxes work via WiFi. 

[aitschi]

Thanks for you fast response.

Maybe I'm doing something wrong. Let's check:

On the EV3 side I use the "Send host mail" and on the PC side I use the "Read mailbox". Correct?

Actually I tried every combination but I only got a blank as reply. Is there any other setting I have to consider?

[garrett8357]

aitschi,

Sorry I misread your initial question. You're right, there is no built in way for an EV3 to write to its own mailbox (which is what Send Host Mail is doing). That functionality is actually one of the features to be added in the update to the MINSTORMS Competition Toolkit which will be available at the beginning of September on ni.com/ftc.

For now, you can use mailboxes to communicate from the computer to the EV3. However, to communicate from the EV3 to the host computer you must use File I/O, which may be comparatively slow. Be on the lookout for the MINDSTORMS Competition Toolkit 2014, which will enable you to use your current approach.

[aitschi]

Thanks a lot for clarifying this matter. Now, I can stop trying and better wait for the September update.

[garrett8357]

Hi aitschi,

The recent LabVIEW Module for LEGO MINDSTORMS includes the ability to send mail from the EV3 to the host computer (aka the ability for the brick to write to its own mailbox). You can get it by downloading the LabVIEW Toolkit for MINDSTORMS Competition here: https://decibel.ni.com/content/docs/DOC-17997

[aitschi]

Hi Garrett,

Thanks for the update - I'm happy it is released. I installed it without any errors. But mail with WIFI seems still have problems.

When I send data from my EV3 to the PC via USB -> no problem.

When I switch to WIFI -> I get an error from the VI that reads the data from the brick saying there are connection problems with my connection and I should check the Bluetooth (!?) connection. One more thing: Labview gets extremly slow and I can hardly manage to move icons.

When I switch back to USB -> no problem.

Do you have an idea?

Regards,

Ivo

[aitschi]

I forgot to add: It works also flawlessly with Bluetooth. Only with WIFI I exerience difficulties.

Regards,

Ivo

[garrett8357]

I see. We are looking into the issue. Thanks for reporting this.