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ISSUE — Focus Axis Control Lost After Switching from Pan/Tilt to Target Tracking

CONFIRMED ONGOING BOTH BOLT

Summary

Switching from Pan/Tilt Tracking back to Target Tracking (or entering Carts View for the first time in a new job) causes the focus axis to lose control — the value may drift to infinity and cannot be adjusted in Carts View. A known bug under MRMC investigation. The workaround is to switch to Locked View, run a small forward move, then return to Carts View to restore focus control.

Symptoms

  • After switching from Pan/Tilt Tracking mode back to Target Tracking mode, the focus axis loses control
  • First instance in a new job: switching to Carts View for the first time, focus cannot be adjusted
  • Focus axis value may spontaneously drift to infinity
  • Focus control returns in Locked View but not in Carts View
  • "Convert Focus" function does not fix it

Systems Affected

  • Bolt on Track (Tom D)
  • Bolt (Colin Michael Quinn, Josh T.)
  • Flair Classic confirmed; likely both ecosystems

Software Environment

BOTH

Possible Causes

  • Bug in the tracking mode state machine — focus axis state not correctly carried between modes
  • Under investigation by MRMC engineer Fabrizio (as of March 2024)
  • Does not reproduce reliably ("never on my test system" — Simon Wakley)

Solutions

Solution A — Switch to Locked View, run small move, return to Carts View

CONFIRMED WORKAROUND BOTH

Contributor(s): Tom D — 2024-03-17

Steps

  1. When focus is unresponsive in Carts View, switch to Locked View.
  2. Focus axis control returns in Locked View.
  3. Run a small Forward Run of the move while in Locked View.
  4. Switch back to Carts View — focus control should now be available.

View selector at top of Flair Classic interface. Locked View = standard numeric/axis view. Carts View = Cartesian (world-space) control mode.

Equivalent mode switching available in Flair 7 interface.

Notes

"To get control of focus in carts view again I need to forward run a small move in locked view before focus will ever work in carts view." — Tom D

This workaround is reliably repeatable but is not a root-cause fix.

Solution B — Restart Flair and Hot Boot

CONFIRMED BOTH

Contributor(s): ~ Colin Michael Quinn — 2024-03-18

Steps

  1. Restart Flair completely.
  2. Perform a Hot Boot on the network.
  3. Re-engage the robot and return to the required tracking mode.

Notes

"Usually happens after I have done something in Pan Tilt Tracking then switch back to Target Tracking. The only fix is to restart Flair and hot boot." — Colin Michael Quinn

"I have been having issues with this as well. Switching between Pan/Tilt and back to Target Tracking. I've tried doing the 'Convert Focus' function but that does not correct the issue." — Josh T.

Timeline

Event Date Contributor
First reported + workaround found 2024-03-17 Tom D
Independently confirmed 2024-03-18 ~ Colin Michael Quinn
Independently confirmed 2024-03-18 ~ Josh T.
Acknowledged, not reproducible on test system 2024-03-18 ~ Simon Wakley

Official Documentation

Document Section Notes
Flair 7 Operator Manual - PDF p.171: Chapter 10 Target Tracking Target tracking section Target Tracking modes and Cartesian control behaviour

Flair Classic Manual — Ch.2 Installation: Hot Booting — p.18

Flair Classic Manual — Ch.13 Target Tracking — p.207

WhatsApp Excerpts

[17/3/2024, 8:27:27 am] Tom D: I've started to notice this too in classic when starting a new job - the first time I switch to carts view, I can't adjust focus (and sometimes focus axis value adjusts itself to infinity). To regain focus control I have to switch to locked view where control of focus returns. Then, weirdly, to get control of focus in carts view again I need to forward run a small move in locked view before focus will ever work in carts view. I've run this by Fabrizio and he says he's looking into it.

[18/3/2024, 2:34:11 am] ~ Colin Michael Quinn: I've had this issue several times. Usually happens after I have done something in Pan Tilt Tracking then switch back to Target Tracking. The only fix is to restart flair and hot boot.

[18/3/2024, 2:35:58 am] ~ Josh T.: I have been having issues with this as well. Switching between Pan/Tilt and back to Target Tracking. I've tried doing the "Convert Focus" function but that does not correct the issue.

[17/3/2024, 12:21:15 pm] ~ Simon Wakley: I have seen that but have not gotten it fixed yet. Happens only rarely and never on my test system :-(

Revision History

Date Change Editor
2026-05-24 Initial extraction Tom D / Claude Code
2026-05-24 Reformatted to CSS-tag template Tom D / Claude Code