Initialize ROS

In this exercise, we’ll initialize the ros components that our application needs in order to communicate to MoveIt! and other parts of the system.

Locate Exercise Source File

  • Go to the main application source file located in plan_and_run/src/plan_and_run_node.cpp.
  • In the main program, locate the function call to application.initRos().
  • Go to the source file for that function located in the plan_and_run/src/tasks/init_ros.cpp.
    • Alternatively, in QTCreator, click on any part of the function and press “F2” to bring up that file.
  • Comment out the first line containing the ROS_ERROR_STREAM ... entry so that the function doesn’t quit immediately.

Complete Code

  • Observe how the ros Publisher marker_publisher_ variable is initialized. The node uses it to publish a visualization_msgs::!MarkerArray message for visualizing the trajectory in RViz.
  • Initialize the moveit_run_path_client_ptr_ action client with the ExecuteTrajectoryAction type.
  • Find comment block that starts with /* Fill Code: and complete as described.
  • Replace every instance of [ COMPLETE HERE ] accordingly.

Build Code and Run

  • cd into your catkin workspace and run catkin build
  • Then run the application launch file:
roslaunch plan_and_run demo_run.launch