My first try using ODE motors

[Dan Royer (Marginally Clever Robots)]

Hello all,

I'm simulating a robot leg on a vertical slide. 

So far I have the unpowered leg falling correctly.

Now I'd like to add motors so i went looking in the documentation.  http://ode.org/wiki/index.php/Manual

I think I want a linear motor to power each of the joints.  http://ode.org/wiki/index.php/Manual#Linear_Motor

Linear motor doesn't provide usage examples here on how to set the force.

I tried looking for another demo and found http://ode.org/wiki/index.php/HOWTO_build_a_4_wheel_vehicle

This page gives hints about future problems without addressing question "how to build a 4 wheel vehicle".

So.... what now?  Also FWIW I'm working in ODE4J, here's my leg.  The Slider is the top block.

[Dan Royer (Marginally Clever Robots)]

Why does ODE Slider have no anchor?  it suggests that anything anywhere in the universe is on the slider.  offset by accident?  no problem as long you're moving in parallel!

Setting the zero position based on the car on the track is wild, it means designers MUST put the car at the zero position, even in designs that don't work that way.