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Version: 2024

ROS2 Terminal Commands

Creating ROS2 workspaces​

Workspaces in ROS2 are locations where user-written code is stored and compiled. Workspaces can be located at any path; however, it is recommended to create them in the home directory. The below command navigates to home, creates a directory called auvc_ws/, navigates to auvc_ws/src/, then initializes the workspace using colcon build.

cd && mkdir auvc_ws && cd auvc_ws && mkdir src && colcon build

Creating ROS2 packages​

To create a new ROS2 package, you must have a ROS2 workspace. Packages MUST be located within the workspace's src directory; e.g., ~/auvc_ws/src/my_package.

cd ~/auvc_ws/src && ros2 pkg create --build-type ament_cmake my_package_name

Compiling ROS2 packages​

ROS2 utilizes a compiling tool called colcon build. When you use this tool, you MUST be in the workspace directory; e.g., auvc_ws. Check your current using pwd (print working directory).

pwd

If your path does not look like /home/YOUR_USERNAME/auvc_ws, DO NOT use colcon build. Instead, navigate to the workspace AND THEN run colcon build`.

cd ~/auvc_ws && colcon build

Additional colcon build arguments​

You can specify additional arguments while using colcon build to increase compiling speed.

Adding --packages-select MY_PACKAGE allows you to recompile one specific package.

cd ~/auvc_ws && colcon build --packages-select YOUR_PACKAGE

Adding --symlink-install creates a symbolic link between currently existing files in ~/auvc_ws/src/YOUR_PACKAGE and ~/auvc_ws/install. If you use this argument, currently existing files AND ONLY those files will not need to be recompiled. If you do add or remove files, recompile.

cd ~/auvc_ws && colcon build --symlink-install --packages-select YOUR_PACKAGE

Sourcing the workspace​

After you compile a package, if you added new executables, you must re-source the workspace.

source ~/auvc_ws/install/setup.zsh

Node Commands​

List all active nodes​

ros2 node list

Topic Commands​

List all named topics​

ros2 topic list

Check the message type of a topic​

ros2 topic type /your/topic

View message data in the terminal​

ros2 topic echo /your/topic

Manually publish data to a topic​

ros2 topic echo -1 /your/topic std_msgs/String '{data: "hello world"}'

Package Commands​

Check what executables are in a node​

ros2 pkg interface show /your_package