pid control problem

Projects Programming
1 
/*
 *       Example of PID library.
 *       2012 Code by Jason Short, Randy Mackay. DIYDrones.com
 */

#include <AP_Common.h>
#include <AP_Progmem.h>
#include <AP_HAL.h>
#include <AP_HAL_AVR.h>
#include <AP_Math.h>
#include <AP_Param.h>
#include <AC_PID.h>
#include <AC_HELI_PID.h>

const AP_HAL::HAL& hal = AP_HAL_BOARD_DRIVER;

// default PID values
#define TEST_P 1.0
#define TEST_I 0.01
#define TEST_D 0.2
#define TEST_IMAX 10

// setup function
void setup()
{
    hal.console->println("ArduPilot Mega AC_PID library test");

    hal.scheduler->delay(1000);
}

// main loop
void loop()
{
    // setup (unfortunately must be done here as we cannot create a global AC_PID object)
    AC_PID pid(TEST_P, TEST_I, TEST_D, TEST_IMAX * 100);
    AC_HELI_PID heli_pid(TEST_P, TEST_I, TEST_D, TEST_IMAX * 100);
    uint16_t radio_in;
    uint16_t radio_trim;
    int16_t error;
    float control_P, control_I, control_D;
    float dt = 1000/50;

    // display PID gains
    hal.console->printf("P %f  I %f  D %f  imax %f\n", (float)pid.kP(), (float)pid.kI(), (float)pid.kD(), (float)pid.imax());

    // capture radio trim
    radio_trim = hal.rcin->read(0);

    while( true ) {
        radio_in = hal.rcin->read(0);
        error = radio_in - radio_trim;
        control_P = pid.get_p(error);
        control_I = pid.get_i(error, dt);
        control_D = pid.get_d(error, dt);

        // display pid results
        hal.console->printf("radio: %d\t err: %d\t pid:%4.2f (p:%4.2f i:%4.2f d:%4.2f)\n",
                (int)radio_in, (int)error,
                (float)(control_P+control_I+control_D),
                (float)control_P, (float)control_I, (float)control_D);
        hal.scheduler->delay(50);
    }
}

AP_HAL_MAIN();

why it need while(true)?
when will the function exit the while loop

why it need to test instead of get an initial value to act as the PID 'setpoint' directly?

hal.console->printf("P %f  I %f  D %f  imax %f\n", (float)pid.kP(), (float)pid.kI(), (float)pid.kD(), (float)pid.imax());

is it the print test value?
why it need to do that ?
and where is the Kp Ki Kd , because of the test value did't have it

what is AP_HAL main()?when will it act?
I still have problem about radio_trim = hal.rcin->read(0) and radio_in = hal.rcin->read(0)
if this code just test my apm , can I really read the new values ?? and where can I read about the set point

2

Maybe you should ask the guys that wrote the code:

2012 Code by Jason Short, Randy Mackay. DIYDrones.com

They will probably say they needed the while (true) because of

// setup (unfortunately must be done here as we cannot create a global AC_PID object)

And probably have "good" reasons for the other code questions as well.