Drone integration

Installing vcstool and colcon

For getting the sources of all libraries the easiest way is to use vcstool. The tool is available from pip in all platforms:

#!c++

pip install vcstool

To compile all the different libraries and ign-gazebo in the right order it is recommended to use colcon. The colcon tool is available in all platforms using pip:

#!c++

pip install -U colcon-common-extensions

Getting the sources

The instructions bellow use some UNIX commands to manage directories but the obvious alternatives on Windows should provide the same result.

The first step would be to create a developer workspace in which vcstool and colcon can work.

#!c++

mkdir -p /data/ignition_ws/src
cd /data/ignition_ws/src

All the sources of ignition dependencies are declared in a subt.yaml file. Create it with the following content:

#!c++

repositories:
   ign-cmake:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-cmake
      version: ign-cmake2
   ign-common:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-common
      version: ign-common3
   ign-fuel-tools:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-fuel-tools
      version: ign-fuel-tools3
   ign-gazebo:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-gazebo
      version: default
   ign-gui:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-gui
      version: default
   ign-launch:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-launch
      version: fixing_version_info
   ign-math:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-math
      version: ign-math6
   ign-msgs:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-msgs
      version: default
   ign-physics:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-physics
      version: ign-physics1
   ign-plugin:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-plugin
      version: ign-plugin1
   ign-rendering:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-rendering
      version: default
   ign-sensors:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-sensors
      version: default
   ign-tools:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-tools
      version: default
   ign-transport:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/ignitionrobotics/ign-transport
      version: default
   sdformat:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/osrf/sdformat
      version: sdf8
   subt:
      type: hg
      url: https://bitbucket.org/osrf/subt
      version: ign_comms

And then run:

#!c++

vcs import < subt.yaml

The src subdirectory should contain all the sources ready to be built.

Building the Ignition Libraries

Once all the sources are in place it is time to compile them. Start the procedure by changing into the workspace and listing the packages recognized by colcon:

#!c++

cd /data/ignition_ws

Now you are ready to build the whole set of libraries:

#!c++

. /opt/ros/melodic/setup.bash
colcon build

Using the workspace

The workspace binaries are ready but every time that ign-gazebo needs to be executed or third party code is going to be developed using the Ignition libraries, one command is needed:

#!c++

. install/local_setup.bash

After running the command all paths for running apps or developing code will be set in the current shell.

Other tweaks required

#!c++

export IGN_GAZEBO_RESOURCE_PATH=/data/ignition_ws/install/subt_ign/share/subt_ign/worlds
export IGN_CONFIG_PATH=/data/ignition_ws/install/ignition-launch1/share/ignition
export IGN_LAUNCH_PLUGIN_PATH=/data/ignition_ws/install/subt_ign/lib
export LD_LIBRARY_PATH=/data/ignition_ws/install/subt_ign/lib:/data/ignition_ws/install/subt_communication_broker_ign/lib:$LD_LIBRARY_PATH

Launch SubT with Ignition Gazebo

#!c++

ign launch -f install/subt_ign/share/subt_ign/launch/competition.ign -v 4 &
ign launch -f install/subt_ign/share/subt_ign/launch/team.ign -v 4

Stop SubT

#!c++

fg
<CTRL-C>