feat: Implement command acknowledgment and improve command polling reliability for turtles

server/server.js

@@ -254,10 +254,20 @@ app.get('/api/turtle/:id/commands', (req, res) => {
         commands.forEach(cmd => console.log(`   - ${cmd.command}`, cmd.param ? `(${cmd.param})` : ''));
       }
       
-      // Clear pending commands
+      // Mark commands as sent but don't clear them yet - they'll be cleared on next poll if turtle is processing
-      turtle.pendingCommands = [];
+      // This allows the webbridge to retry if the turtle didn't receive them
-      
+      if (!turtle.lastCommandPollTime || (Date.now() - turtle.lastCommandPollTime) > 5000) {
-      res.json({ commands });
+        // First poll or more than 5 seconds since last poll - send commands
+        turtle.lastCommandPollTime = Date.now();
+        res.json({ commands });
+      } else {
+        // Recent poll - assume previous commands were received, clear them
+        if (commands.length > 0) {
+          console.log(`✅ Clearing ${commands.length} command(s) for turtle ${turtleID} (acknowledged)`);
+          turtle.pendingCommands = [];
+        }
+        res.json({ commands: [] });
+      }
     } else {
       res.json({ commands: [] });
     }
@@ -267,6 +277,30 @@ app.get('/api/turtle/:id/commands', (req, res) => {
   }
 });
 
+// Acknowledge commands were delivered (clears them)
+app.post('/api/turtle/:id/commands/ack', (req, res) => {
+  try {
+    const turtleID = parseInt(req.params.id);
+    
+    if (turtleData.has(turtleID)) {
+      const turtle = turtleData.get(turtleID);
+      const clearedCount = (turtle.pendingCommands || []).length;
+      
+      if (clearedCount > 0) {
+        console.log(`✅ Turtle ${turtleID} acknowledged ${clearedCount} command(s)`);
+        turtle.pendingCommands = [];
+      }
+      
+      res.json({ success: true, cleared: clearedCount });
+    } else {
+      res.status(404).json({ error: 'Turtle not found' });
+    }
+  } catch (error) {
+    console.error('❌ Error acknowledging commands:', error);
+    res.status(500).json({ error: error.message });
+  }
+});
+
 // Get all turtles
 app.get('/api/turtles', (req, res) => {
   res.json({

webbridge.lua

@@ -320,6 +320,25 @@ local function pollCommands(turtleID)
     end
 end
 
+-- Function to acknowledge commands were sent
+local function acknowledgeCommands(turtleID)
+    local success = pcall(function()
+        local response = http.post(
+            SERVER_URL .. "/api/turtle/" .. turtleID .. "/commands/ack",
+            "{}",
+            {["Content-Type"] = "application/json"}
+        )
+        
+        if response then
+            response.close()
+            return true
+        end
+        return false
+    end)
+    
+    return success
+end
+
 -- Initial setup
 if hasMonitor then
     drawDashboard()
@@ -333,9 +352,12 @@ end
 addLog("Listening on channels " .. STATUS_CHANNEL .. " and " .. CHANNEL_RECEIVE, colors.lightBlue)
 
 -- Start polling timer
-local POLL_INTERVAL = 1 -- Poll every 1 second
+local POLL_INTERVAL = 2 -- Poll every 2 seconds (reduced frequency for better reliability)
 os.startTimer(POLL_INTERVAL)
 
+-- Track which turtles we've sent commands to recently
+local recentCommandSends = {}
+
 -- Main loop
 local lastRefresh = os.epoch("utc")
 while true do
@@ -346,23 +368,51 @@ while true do
         for turtleID, turtleData in pairs(turtles) do
             local commands = pollCommands(turtleID)
             
-            -- Forward commands back to turtle
+            -- Only send commands if we got some
-            for _, cmd in ipairs(commands) do
+            if #commands > 0 then
-                stats.commandsSent = stats.commandsSent + 1
+                addLog("Received " .. #commands .. " command(s) for Turtle #" .. turtleID, colors.cyan)
-                addLog("CMD: " .. cmd.command .. " -> Turtle #" .. turtleID, colors.yellow)
                 
-                local commandPacket = {
+                -- Forward commands back to turtle
-                    command = cmd.command,
+                for _, cmd in ipairs(commands) do
-                    param = cmd.param,
+                    stats.commandsSent = stats.commandsSent + 1
-                    target = turtleID
+                    addLog("  CMD: " .. cmd.command .. " -> Turtle #" .. turtleID, colors.yellow)
-                }
+                    
-                
+                    local commandPacket = {
-                modem.transmit(COMMAND_CHANNEL, CHANNEL_RECEIVE, commandPacket)
+                        command = cmd.command,
-                
+                        param = cmd.param,
-                -- Debug: show what we're sending
+                        target = turtleID
-                if not hasMonitor then
+                    }
-                    print("  Sent to channel " .. COMMAND_CHANNEL .. ": target=" .. turtleID)
+                    
+                    -- Send command multiple times for reliability
+                    for i = 1, 3 do
+                        modem.transmit(COMMAND_CHANNEL, CHANNEL_RECEIVE, commandPacket)
+                        os.sleep(0.05) -- Small delay between retransmissions
+                    end
+                    
+                    -- Debug: show what we're sending
+                    if not hasMonitor then
+                        print("  Sent to channel " .. COMMAND_CHANNEL .. ": target=" .. turtleID)
+                    end
                 end
+                
+                -- Acknowledge that we sent the commands
+                os.sleep(0.5) -- Give turtle time to receive
+                if acknowledgeCommands(turtleID) then
+                    addLog("  ACK: Commands acknowledged", colors.lime)
+                else
+                    addLog("  WARN: Failed to acknowledge", colors.orange)
+                end
+                
+                -- Mark that we sent commands to this turtle
+                recentCommandSends[turtleID] = os.epoch("utc")
+            end
+        end
+        
+        -- Clean up old command send timestamps (older than 10 seconds)
+        local now = os.epoch("utc")
+        for turtleID, timestamp in pairs(recentCommandSends) do
+            if now - timestamp > 10000 then
+                recentCommandSends[turtleID] = nil
             end
         end