OS-Specific Installation Instructions

Linux

1. Install Docker.

./install_docker.sh

2. Restart computer.

Mac

1. Install Docker Desktop for Mac (not Docker Toolbox): https://download.docker.com/mac/stable/Docker.dmg
2. Install XQuartz.
3. Enable the following setting in XQuartz:

XQuartz > Preferences > Security > Allow connections from network clients

4. Install TurboVNC.
5. Run Docker.

Windows

Partner up with a student with a Mac or Ubuntu laptop, or use the VM provided last year: VM Install Guide

ROS Setup

1. Create the Catkin workspace (catkin_ws) and Docker network (aa274_net). Other ROS packages can be put into catkin_ws as well.

./init_aa274.sh

2. Build the Docker image. This should be run any time docker/Dockerfile is changed.

./build_docker.sh

3. Build the Catkin workspace. This should be run any time a new ROS package is added to catkin_ws.

./rosdep_install.sh

4. Whenever you make changes to your own ROS package, compile it with the following command:

./run.sh catkin_make

Running ROS

Roscore needs to be running before any other nodes. In one terminal window, run:

./run.sh roscore

Nodes can now be run in separate terminal windows.

./run.sh <shell command>

To choose the ROS master URI, call run.sh with --rosmaster <hostname> and/or --rosport <port>. By default, master:11311 is used.

./run.sh --rosmaster master --rosport 11311 <shell command>

Note: The Catkin workspace and ROS logs are written to the host filesystem (under catkin_ws and .ros, respectively). Any changes made to these folders in the host OS will also be reflected in the Docker containers. However, changes in the Docker containers outside these folders are temporary and will not persist across sessions.

If you are using Docker on a Mac (or on a remote Linux host via SSH) and need to view the GUI, call the command with --display <display_id>. This will stream the rendered GUI through a TurboVNC server. The display ID must be unique and nonzero.

./run.sh --display 1 roslaunch turtlebot3_gazebo turtlebot3_world.launch

This command will ask you to create a password for the VNC session. You can then connect to this session by opening TurboVNC and connecting to the host's address with the display ID or VNC port. The following examples are equivalent:

localhost:1
localhost:5901
127.0.0.1:1

The optional vncport parameter can be manually specified to avoid port collisions. Otherwise, the port number will default to 5900 + <display_id>.