[Enhancement]: Provide a universal launch file

[EdSeymore]

Describe the solution you'd like

Provide a universal launch file at the Application layer which would support the navigation and perception stacks and allow exercising all components of the LoCoBot with python applications.

Platform

xslocobots

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

This would remove the current complexity of having several launch files.

Suggested code

No response

Anything Else

No response

[lukeschmitt-tr]

@EdSeymore, have you come across interbotix_xslocobot_control/xslocobot_python.launch? This launch file starts all necessary drivers and stacks depending on the arguments you append to the roslaunch command. For example, adding use_nav:=true starts move_base and rtabmap_ros for the navigation stack. This launch file is intended to be used with the Python API and usage information can be found in the python_demos readme.

Let me know if this is what you're looking for, or if you meant something else.

[EdSeymore]

Thanks, I had overlooked this launch file's additional capabilities after using for the bartender sample. I suggest using this file in place of xslocobot_control.launch on https://www.trossenrobotics.com/Shared/RTD/XSeries_Locobots/docs/ROS_Interface/Software_Setup.html#installation-checks Quickstart. Also, perhaps adding joystick functions as well for a first motion test.

[lukeschmitt-tr]

I like the idea of adding the joystick control check to the quickstart. Thanks for the suggestion!

If you have no further questions on this issue, you can feel free to close it.

[EdSeymore]

If a change is made to interbotix_xslocobot_control/xslocobot_python.launch, how will users be notified?

[lukeschmitt-tr]

We don't have a formal notification process yet, but you can periodically fetch changes to see if any updates were made to the remote branches:

cd ~/interbotix_ws/src/interbotix_ros_rovers && git fetch

If changes were made, you can update your local repo by merging the changes:

cd ~/interbotix_ws/src/interbotix_ros_rovers && git merge

Or you can do this in one shot by pulling:

cd ~/interbotix_ws/src/interbotix_ros_rovers && git pull

Note that you should always back up or stash your changes before pulling from the remote repo.

[EdSeymore]

I remember seeing a chart of all of the locobot launch files and how they are related at some time since I received mine. Search as I may, I have not been unable to locate it again. Could you provide a link to that chart? I did not realize at the time how important that chart was. Given that I am still trying to identify the simplest way to support all capabilities of locobot from a single launch file at the same time, I am still struggling with my configuration. (Problem seems to be the small area which I have for navigation functions.)

Suggestion: copy xslocobot_python.launch into locobot_master.launch and use that in the initial setup and run examples since it seems to be a good way to support all locobot functions. I got sidetracked by starting with control launch. Also, the initial quickstart step 7 should not use geometry_msgs/Twist. w/o a warning that the robot may run into objects. It would be safer to start with the PS4 controller so that all operations are under human control. At least change the yaw to 0 so it goes straight ahead.

Again thanks for the extensive help and a really great product.

[EdSeymore]

OK, I found it at https://www.trossenrobotics.com/docs/interbotix_xslocobots/ros_packages/python_demos.html.

BTW: Your team is doing a great job of making the web site easier to navigate for the new user.

[lukeschmitt-tr]

Thanks for the suggestions!

We've updated the ROS Interface > Software Setup > Quickstart section with a warning about the robot moving like we did with torquing the arm off causing it to fall. We also mention using the joystick control package at bit further down in step 11.