Botbuilder is a VSCode extension to assist in developing FRC java robots.

The extension features multiple sidebar treeviews outlining components of the robot.

The subsystem view shows a list of subsytem classes in the workspace. Classes are identified as subsystems if they directly extend edu.wpi.first.wpilibj2.command.SubsystemBase. Subsystems can be opened directly from this view, and their test classes can be executed.

For each subsytem, the following is shown:

• Hardware components passed in the constructor, from the hardware list in botbuilder.json (name & type)
• Publicly accessible fields & all constants (name, scope, modifiers, type, value if final)
• Publicly accessible functions (name, parameters, return type)
• Publicly accessible enums and inner classes (name, fields/values, functions)

The command view shows a list of command classes in the workspace. Classes are identified as command if they directly extend edu.wpi.first.wpilibj2.command.CommandBase or edu.wpi.first.wpilibj2.command.InstantCommand. Commands can be opened directly from this view, and their test classes can be executed.

For each command, the following is shown:

• Whether the command is normal, instant, or autonomous (auto determined by package)
• Subsystems passed in the constructor (name & class)
• Publicly accessible fields & all constants (name, scope, modifiers, type, value if final)
• Publicly accessible functions (name, parameters, return type)
• Publicly accessible enums and inner classes (name, fields/values, functions)

The extension also adds wizards for creating subsystems and commands

The subsystem wizard allows for the simplified creation of subsystems. It has the following options:

• Name: Name of the subystem
• Description: A description of the subsystem that will be used as javadoc
• Package: The package where the subsytem will be placed
• Create Test: If checked, a test class will be created in the test folder (as defined in botbuilder.json). NOTE: For full functionality, FRCMocks must be installed.
• Hardware: A list of hardware components required by the subsystem. These are passed to the constructor then stored in fields.
  • Type: A dropdown list of hardware types defined in botbuilder.json
  • Name: The name of the hardware component variable
  • Javadoc: The javadoc describing the hardware component

The command wizard allows for the simplified creation of commands. It has the following options:

• Name: Name of the command, a warning will be given if this does not meet the format *Command
• Description: A description of the command that will be used as javadoc
• Package: The package where the command will be placed
• Auto: If checked, the command will be placed in the autonomous package
• Instant: If checked, the command will extend InstantCommand and be placed in the instant package
• Create Test: If checked, a test class will be created in the test folder (as defined in botbuilder.json). NOTE: For full functionality, FRCMocks must be installed.
• Subsystems: A list of subsystems required by the command. These are passed to the constructor then stored in fields.
  • Type: A dropdown list of subsytems found in the workspace
  • Name: The name of the subsytem variable
  • Required: If checked, the addRequirements function will be called for this subsystem.
  • Javadoc: The javadoc describing the subsystem

The Botbuilder extension requires that the project be valid FRC Robot code.

For full test building funcitonality, FRCMocks is required. It can be automatically installed on initialization.

The extension uses it's own JSON configuration file. This file is created automatically when botbuilder is initialized.

The location of this file is set by the VSCode setting botbuilder.configPath. The default is a file named botbuilder.json at the workspace root.

There are five configuration entries which are used to configure the packages for code elements. These are:

• subsystemPackage: The package where subsystems will be placed
• commandPackage: The package where commands will be placed
• instantCommandPackage: The package where instant commands will be placed
• autoCommandPackage: The package where auto commands will be placed. Additionally, commands in this package will be marked as autonomous in the command view
• instantAutoCommandPackage: The package where commands that are both instant and autonomous will be placed. Additionally, commands in this package will be marked as autonomous in the command view

There are four configuration entries which are used to locate source and built files

• baseClassName: The name of the entry class, this will be used to determine the base package
• srcFolder: The java source folder
• buildFolder: The gradle build folder
• testFolder: The java test folder

The hardware configuration is the list of hardware components that will be recognised by the extension. Components are broken into four categories: motorControllers, pneumatics, sensors, and other.

Each component has the following properties

• name: The name of component's class
• prettyName: A pretty-print name to be used on the frontend
• descriptor: The java descriptor for the component's class