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Here are some Frequently Asked questions about ROBOLAB and LEGO Mindstorms for Schools in the classroom.

IR Communication Troubleshooting, where you can follow a list of troubleshooting techniques.

Are the LEGO Mindstorms for Schools RCX and IR Transmitter the same units as the LEGO Mindstorms components?

When I use the Long Range Setting on the IR Transmitter I have communication error messages. (MAC Legacy Serial Ports ONLY)

The power settings I have programmed in are not the same as the ones that are displayed on the RCX when I use the View button.

I keep on getting communication errors when I try to download to the RCX.

Does ROBOLAB work on USB-supported computers?

How do I change the computer IR Transmitter Range level?


Why do I get a "Save Changes To ROBOLAB Untitled x.vi" message even though I have not changed anything?

What is the Tools Palette that appears when selected from Windows - Show Tools Palette?

What are the other buttons and selections on the diagram window, and what are they used for?


Who sells the Sensor Adapter?

Which sensors work with the Sensor Adapter?

Why do the settings (RCX Powerdown Time, etc) on my RCX not change when I exit RCX Settings and then re-check them?


I have a question not listed here. How can I ask?


What is the difference between LEGO Mindstorms for Schools Sets and LEGO Mindstorms Sets?

What is the current version of the software?

How can I allow ROBOLAB to cover my entire screen display?

How do I stop the Instructional Video while it is playing?

How do I set up the ROBOLAB software on my network?

Does ROBOLAB work with the LEGO Educational Division Interface B system?

Is ROBOLAB available in other languages?

What Operating Systems are supported by ROBOLAB?

Can I recharge my batteries by plugging in the AC adapter to the RCX?

Where can I find support for the Control lab software?

Where can I get more help?

How do I contact technical support?

Where can I find my saved programs and pictures after I uninstall Robolab 2.5.4?

Is Robolab 2.5.4 compatible with Windows 95?

Can Robolab 2.5.4 be installed via a network?

The PDF training manual shows the training missions are available from the launcher. But I can’t find them, what happened?

How do I launch the Training missions in Robolab 2.5.4?

I use the training missions all the time in my classroom, is there a way to launch them without having to open the Start menu all the time?

During installation I get a message to reboot but the installation is not finished yet, what should I do?

After I installed Robolab 2.5.4 I get the message “File not Found: MSVCP60.dll”, when I try to launch Robolab 2.5.4, what can I do?

After I installed Robolab 2.5.4 I get the message “File not Found: MSVCP60.dll”, when I try to launch Robolab 2.5.4, and I have tried the other solution, what else can I do?

The “read me” refers to a file called DCOM 98, but I can not find it, did I get a bad CD?

After I uninstall Robolab 2.5.4 I get a blank Dialog box with Yes and No buttons. What do I do?

All the web links are dead, all I get when I click on a link is “Page not Found” is there anything I can do?

Can I install Robolab 2.5.4 on another computer if I still have it installed on the first one?

Can I edit a program with Robotics Invention System that I created with Robolab 2.5.4?

I’ve installed Robolab 2.5.4 but I still have a folder for my previous version of Robolab, why?

My Robolab 2.5.4 CD has “Robolab 2.5.4b” printed on the label, is this a Beta version??

The desktop Icon for Robolab 2.5.4 isn’t a picture anymore, what does that mean.

During installation I get a dialog box stating the following applications should be closed before continuing; and I am given a choice of Cancel / Retry / Ignore. What should I do?


Which building set should I use as the starting point for ROBOLAB?

Are any of the other LEGO Mindstorms for Schools building sets designed so they can be used as a starting point?

As a teacher, how do I become familiar with using the ROBOLAB software?

What is the difference between LEGO Mindstorms for Schools and the LEGO Mindstorms set I can buy in retail stores?

Are there extensive curriculum support materials for LEGO Mindstorms for Schools sets?

What are the key concepts covered with the activities in the LEGO Mindstorms for Schools Starter Set?

Do I need a computer for each RCX I have - or can more groups use the same computer for programming the RCX?

How do I handle inventory management with the LEGO Mindstorms fore Schools sets?

Earlier, I had already purchased LEGO Dacta (LEGO Educational Division) Control products. Can any of this be used with the RCX unit and the ROBOLAB Software?


Yes, the hardware portion of LEGO Mindstorms and the LEGO Mindstorms for Schools system are identical. The components can be used with either of the software packages. The LEGO Educational Division RCX also has the additional connection for an AC adapter, so that batteries do not have to be used.

ROBOLAB does not support Long Range for the IR Transmitter for these Macintosh computers. Use Short Range for all communications with the RCX.

The ROBOLAB software output power settings are 1 to 5. The RCX itself actually has a different set of speed settings of 1 to 8.
The comparison speeds are as follow:
ROBOLAB Power Setting 1 = RCX Setting 1
ROBOLAB Power Setting 2 = RCX Setting 2
ROBOLAB Power Setting 3 = RCX Setting 4
ROBOLAB Power Setting 4 = RCX Setting 6
ROBOLAB Power Setting 5 = RCX Setting 8

Here is a quick list of troubleshooting things to check. A more comprehensive list is available in the IR Comm Troubleshooting section of this site.
1. Ensure the IR Transmitter green LED is lighting.
- Set the Transmitter on Short Range.
- Check Comm Port Settings, Cable Connections to computer and Transmitter, 9V battery in the IR Transmitter

2. Ensure the RCX communication cones are appearing on the RCX.
- Ensure RCX is on, pointed in the right direction and is close enough (4" (10cm)) and has new AA batteries or the AC adapter pluggged in.
- Ensure that there is not fluorescent lighting or excessive sunlight in the area.

Yes, ROBOLAB will work with the computers with either legacy serial ports or USB Ports.
The legacy version of the IR Transmitter has either a 9-pin D connector (PC) or a round DIN connector (Macintosh). The USB version of the IR Transmitter will work on either the PC or the Macintosh platforms.

With the legacy serial IR Transmitter, there is a switch on the front panel. Recommended setting for classroom use is Short Range (Smaller Arrow).
With the USB IR Transmitter, to change the power level for the computer's IR Transmission, there is a separate software utility.
PC: Go to Start:Settings:Control Panel:LEGO USB Tower:
Recommended Setting for Classroom use is Medium or Short.
Macintosh: Go To Apple:Control Panel:LEGO Tower:
Recommended Setting for Classroom use is Medium or Short.


ROBOLAB reminds you to save any files that are open and have been modified. ROBOLAB initially assumes that you may have modified the default program template that appears.

This is a LabVIEW tools palette that can be used by advanced users. Please refer to the "LabVIEW Guide" for more information. This document is available for download via the Download section of this website.

Please refer to the "LabVIEW Guide" for more information. This document is available for download via the Download section of this website.


The Sensor Adapter is available through any LEGO Educational Division distributor. Contact your local LEGO Mindstorms for Schools distributor for details.

The Sensor Adapter is specifically designed for use with the DCP Microsense LogIT sensors. ROBOLAB INVESTIGATOR includes pre-calibrated menu choices for these sensors

The settings changed in RCX Settings are done only for that specific time. Whenever you enter that screen the RCX is reset to the original defaults of that screen. The proper method of manually changing these settings for an RCX is to enter this screen, change the desired settings and then exit from that screen via the BACK button or by clicking on another tab setting. Do not re-enter the RCX Settings tab screen.


Please use the convenient form under Submit a question to ask about other issues of LEGO Mindstorms for Schools and ROBOLAB.


LEGO Mindstorms for Schools Sets are designed by the LEGO Educational Division to be used in a curriculum setting. LEGO Mindstorms Sets are used in an individual environment. To see additional information click here

The current version of the software is Version 2.5.1. Different localized and nationalized ROBOLAB versions may be other versions.
Version Summary:
ROBOLAB 1.0 Initial Release
ROBOLAB 1.5 Inclusion of Additional Themes and Set Activities
ROBOLAB 2.0 Addition of 'Investigator' module
ROBOLAB 2.5 Addition of USB, Camera and multimedia support; Additional Help Structures
Check out the product information to know more about the current software

ROBOLAB is designed for use with all displays of 640x480 pixel size or above. On higher resolution displays the general ROBOLAB screens cannot be expanded to fill the screen. The Inventor levels can be expanded to fill the screen if desired by expanding the diagram window.

To stop the Instructional Video on a PC pres the ESC key. To stop the Instructional Video on a Macintosh press the CMD-Q keys.

To install ROBOLAB on a network, first install ROBOLAB on each computer. Then enter the ADMINISTRATOR - ROBOLAB Settings screen and click on the "Path to Program Vault" display. You can now specify a network drive in which to keep all user programs. This will have to be done at each computer. CAUTION: Each time you move the program vault, it will overwrite any pre-existing set of themes and programs that were there. Therefore it is best to immediately set up the network using the default theme areas and programs.

ROBOLAB has the capacity to communicate with the Interface B System. Included in the Palette selections are specialized commands to be used with this system. You can find additional information on the CD presentation "Using ROBOLAB Software with Control Lab Modules". This is available from your LEGO Educational Division distributor.

Yes, In addition to English, ROBOLAB is currently available in Chinese, Danish, French, German, Japanese, Norwegian, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Swedish. Language versions may be a different version than English. Contact your local distributor link to where to buy to see if ROBOLAB is going to be available in your language.

A compatibility chart for all of LEGO Educational Division software can be downloaded here

No, the AC adapter will only power the RCX; the RCX can not be used as a charging station.

Control Lab is supported from the Tufts website, you can find an online tutorial here; http://www.ceeo.tufts.edu/robolabatceeo/College/tutorials/image_cli/index.htm

Software support can be found on;

http://www.lego.com/eng/education/mindstorms/default.asp &
http://www.ceeo.tufts.edu/robolabatceeo/

Technical support can be found here;

http://www.lego.com/eng/service/techsupport.asp

Unless you have moved them or reassigned the default folder, your programs will be stored on the C:\drive in a folder called “Robolab 2.5.4”.

Robolab 2.5.4 was not tested on Windows 95 and there for not supported, but the software should run, if there are any issues LEGO technical support can not assist you.

Installing from a remote location on a network is not supported at this time. We suggest reviewing our support pages from time to time to see if a solution for this has been developed.

If you launch Robolab from the desktop icon you are bypassing that menu and opening the actual Robolab program. To launch the training mission, go to the Start menu and open the Robolab 2.5.4 folder and you’ll find the launcher for the Training Missions.

The Training missions are launched from the start menu. Go to the Robolab 2.5.4 folder and click on "Training Missions".

Yes you can always add a shortcut to the desktop; go to the Robolab 2.5.4 folder and right click on the training missions, depending on your operating system you will have a choice to “create shortcut” or “send to” (desktop). This will make a copy of the shortcut and you can set it in a convenient place.

Please ignore the request to reboot until you see the message “Robolab 2.5.4 has finished installation” If you have rebooted before the installation was completed please install Robolab 2.5.4 again in order to insure it is installed properly.

In some cases this can be related to the Robolab 2.5.4 installation process not being finalized, please reboot your PC and wait until your PC has fully loaded the start programs before launching Robolab 2.5.4.

If you are using Windows 98 or have had installation problems with other installations, we recommend you install/reinstall the following components from the Robolab 2.5.4 PC CD;
• D:\ROBOLAB254_PC_CD\Install\LabVIEW\suppfiles\MSI 2.0.exe

The DCOM 98 file is a free download from Microsoft; we are not allowed to have it on a CD that is sold. If you have Windows 98 and have not installed any updates then you will need DCOM 98. It is highly recommended that you keep you PC up to date, going to the windows update page (http://v5.windowsupdate.microsoft.com) you can choose to automatically find the updates your PC needs.

That Dialog box is asking if you would like to reboot, clicking “yes” will reboot your PC.

We have seen that some Browsers will insert a space in front of the web address; we recommend that you use the default IE browser. Or contact the manufacture of your preferred browser.

The use of this Software is guided by the license agreement found on the CD, it is located here "CD drive letter":\ROBOLAB254_PC_CD\Launcher\license.txt. If you are an organization or other than a single user, check with your distributor, your license agreement will be different.

Unfortunately the engine used for the two applications are different so it is not possible to transfer one program to another application.

Robolab 2.5.4 does not automatically uninstall the previous version. You need to manually uninstall other versions of Robolab.

No certainly not, the first version of Robolab 2.5.4 was recalled due issue found late in production, so we reproduced the software and for inventory reasons we’ve called it Robolab 2.5.4b. The only version of Robolab 2.5.4 that was released was the Robolab 2.5.4 b version so all reference to Robolab 2.5.4 is referring to the CD that you have.

If you installed Robolab 2.5.4 to a different directory then the default; the icon file might not be found. If you right click on the Icon and open the properties, you can click the “change icon” button to choose your own or search for the Robolab 2.5.4 icon.

You should choose ignore or the Robolab 2.5.4 installer will shut down, if you have already experienced this and have not completed the install process you’ll need to uninstall and reinstall again.


The LEGO Mindstorms for Schools Starter Set is designed as the starting point. It starts with teaching the fundamental skills of designing and programming robots that use the RCX and the ROBOLAB software. Additionally the Starter Set has activities and projects that can require learning even some of the most advanced programming skills. The activities and projects are divided into 4 levels of difficulty - level 1 introducing the RCX and programming; to level 4; requiring quite advanced designing and programming skills. The set has more than 1600 pieces so there are plenty of opportunities to create very complex and demanding robotic models.

There are introductory materials for use within the Team Challenge Set 9790, The Team Challenge Training Mission Activity Pack. These materials provide a brief introduction to using ROBOLAB for those users who want a "refresher course" on ROBOLAB or for those users who are participating in the LEGO League challenges. Other sets can be used in their appropriate topic. In some markets the Amusement Park theme set is used as a starting point

The Teacher's Guide for ROBOLAB Software, gives you a step-by-step detailed explanation and includes a number of exercises that we suggest you try out. This should give you the basics you need to work comfortably with your class. An introduction to the basics of the different levels can also be found in the Programmopedia

Click here to download a listing of differences.

For any set there is an extensive Activity Pack with lesson plans, background information, teacher notes and hand-outs (photocopyable) for the students. Teacher notes also include sample answers and solutions to the student worksheets.

Click here to see the Knowledge and Skills overview.

No. You can have up to 4-5 groups working with ROBOLAB and using the same computer. Once the program is created on the computer and downloaded to the RCX unit, the running of the programs does not require the use of a computer.

The LEGO Mindstorms for Schools sets have element sorting trays, element survey cards and other tools to help with inventory set-up. Each set may have different set-ups to suit its design.

Any 9 volt motor, lamp or sensor purchased earlier will also work with the RCX and the ROBOLAB system. Electric components from LEGO TC Logo (4.5 volt) will not work with the new system. All bricks are compatible.




 
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