When there is a single TF message for a particular frame, it "sticks" to parent frame instead of staying in position

[bernard-bear]

Description

When there is a single TF message for a particular frame, it "sticks to" the parent frame. This behaviour deviates from Rviz, where the frame stays in position.

• Version: 1.74.1+2c854ff.9701fac
• Platform: Web app. Bug is also reproduced in desktop app (Ubuntu)
• Data source (e.g. bag file, mcap file, rosbridge, ROS 1/2 native): bag file (I can provide the rosbag via direct message if needed)

Steps To Reproduce

See video:

TF Bug Foxglove Studio.webm

1. Open rosbag containing a single TF message for a particular frame, with the parent frame as base_link.
2. Play the rosbag.
3. Observe that once tag appears, it "sticks to" the parent frame (base_link) and follows it.

Expected Behavior

I expect similar behaviour as Rviz, where tag does not follow the parent frame and stays in position (fading away eventually). See video:

TF Bug Rviz.webm

[foxhubber[bot]]

Internal tracking ticket: FG-5412

[achim-k]

Foxglove Studio currently does not distinguish between static and non-static transforms. All transforms are treated as static transforms, so there is no maximum lifetime for a transformation after which it expires.

In ROS, transforms are considered static / non-static depending on which topic transforms are published on /tf_static and /tf, respectively. Studio would have to take that into account when adding transforms to it's internal tf buffer.

Since this is a missing feature, I'm going ahead and remove the bug label and move it to a feature request.