how to build a custom parallel plate drivetrain and code autonomous routes using Pedro Pathing
According to Game Manual 0, building a drivetrain with parallel plates is highly compatible with a dead axle setup. This design allows the axle to serve as a structural standoff between the plates, simplifies custom power transmission, and reduces the overall number of parts. However, this setup makes it more difficult to transfer power over long shafts and is typically restricted to mechanisms placed between the parallel plates .
When integrating a custom drivetrain with Pedro Pathing, the official introduction states that the software requires an omnidirectional drive system, such as mecanum, swerve, or x-drive, and does not support tank drives. If you create a custom drivetrain, the Pedro Pathing documentation explains that you must extend the Drivetrain class. All hardware, including motors and servos, must be initialized and stored within this custom class. You must also implement the abstract calculateDrive method to determine motor powers based on pathing vectors and heading, and the runDrive method to physically apply those powers to the hardware .
To program autonomous routes, the Pedro Pathing documentation recommends using its official command library, Ivy, to chain paths and subsystem actions into a single sequential command. Alternatively, you can manually program routes using the PathBuilder class. This utility allows you to chain multiple segments together using addPath, define how the robot's orientation changes using heading interpolation methods, and compile the sequence into an executable PathChain by calling the build method .