# Software ## Overview Welcome to the Software Onboarding for the 2025-2026 school year! ## Goals - Learning - How do we write software in SCR? - How does a microcontroller control hardware? - practical - Writing Arduino/ C++ code - Managing software dependencies - Reading software documentation ## Downloads **Arduino:** Go [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://www.arduino.cc/en/software/) and download the version of the arduino IDE for your operating system (Windows, OSX, linux). [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755190920456.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755190920456.png) **Pico board support:** We'll be using the Raspberry Pi Pico 2 for onboarding. To develop on the pico, you need to add an additional board manager URL to the Arduino IDE. Go [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://github.com/earlephilhower/arduino-pico) and scroll to the **installation** section. Follow the short directions there. [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755191035848.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755191035848.png) [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755191065835.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755191065835.png) In the boards manager tab, search for these two libraries and **install** them [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755192255242.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755192255242.png) ## Compilation **Select the Pico 2:** Use the Arduino IDE to select the Pico 2 as the compilation target. [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755192324815.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755192324815.png) Connect the Pico 2 to your computer using a micro-usb cable. You should see this drop down turn **bold**. [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755192471761.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755192471761.png) **Verifying Source Code:** Copy this skeleton code into an arduino sketch file. ```c++ #define LED1_PIN 13 #define LED2_PIN 14 #define LED3_PIN 15 #define IR1_PIN 0 #define IR2_PIN 1 #define IR3_PIN 2 #define IR4_PIN 3 #define IR5_PIN 4 #define MOTOR2_IN3 18 #define MOTOR2_IN4 19 #define MOTOR1_IN1 20 #define MOTOR1_IN2 21 #define SERVO_PIN 22 Servo payloadServo; void driveForward() { // right motor digitalWrite(MOTOR1_IN1, HIGH); digitalWrite(MOTOR1_IN2, LOW); // left motor digitalWrite(MOTOR2_IN3, HIGH); digitalWrite(MOTOR2_IN4, LOW); } void dumpPayload(Servo servo) { servo.write(180); } void setup() { // IR Pin Setup pinMode(IR1_PIN, INPUT); pinMode(IR2_PIN, INPUT); pinMode(IR3_PIN, INPUT); pinMode(IR4_PIN, INPUT); pinMode(IR5_PIN, INPUT); // LED Setup pinMode(LED1_PIN, OUTPUT); pinMode(LED2_PIN, OUTPUT); pinMode(LED3_PIN, OUTPUT); pinMode(LED_BUILTIN, OUTPUT); // Motor setup pinMode(MOTOR1_IN1, OUTPUT); pinMode(MOTOR1_IN2, OUTPUT); pinMode(MOTOR2_IN3, OUTPUT); pinMode(MOTOR2_IN4, OUTPUT); // Servo setup pinMode(SERVO_PIN, 22); payloadServo.attach(SERVO_PIN); } void loop() { // put your main code here, to run repeatedly: driveForward(); delay(500); dumpPayload(); delay(500); } ``` This file contains `#define`s for the Pico 2's inputs and outputs as well as a function to drive both motors forward. Edit the `setup()` function and add the line `digitalWrite(LED1_PIN, HIGH);` Click the check mark at the top left of the IDE to check for compilation errors. If your program compiles correctly you should see this output. [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755192857560.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755192857560.png) **Flashing Pico 2:** Click the arrow at the top left of the IDE to flash the Pico 2. If flashing doesn't work, you may need to unplug the Pico 2 and hold the BOOTSEL button while reconnecting the micro-usb cable. If your flash is successful, you should see this output, and LED1 should be turned on. [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755193492543.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755193492543.png) [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755194024811.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755194024811.png) ## Useful Documentation **Motor Driver:** You shouldn't need more than this truth table, but if you'd like to read the full documentation you can do that [here](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://www.ti.com/lit/ds/symlink/drv8421.pdf?ts=1755179802802). [![](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054im_/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/scaled-1680-/image-1755195517843.png)](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://wiki.soonerrobotics.org/uploads/images/gallery/2025-08/image-1755195517843.png) **Arduino:** [Arduino API](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://docs.arduino.cc/learn/programming/reference/), [Servos](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://docs.arduino.cc/tutorials/generic/basic-servo-control), [Search](https://web.archive.org/web/20250912193054/https://docs.arduino.cc/)