car_description

Car description including the URDF, xacro and mesh files for the UoE AV

Usage

This repository is designed to be used alongside a Docker container. Quickly build and run the Docker container using run.sh for runtime or debugging, and dev.sh for a convenient development setup.

Runtime or Debugging

Execute the ROS 2 nodes in runtime mode or start an interactive bash session for detailed debugging:

./run.sh [bash]

• Without arguments: Activates the container in runtime mode.
• With bash: Opens an interactive bash session for debugging.

Development

Prepare a development setting that reflects local code modifications and simplifies the build process:

./dev.sh

• Live Code Synchronization: Mounts local av_car_description and car_meshes directories with the container.
• Convenience Alias: The development container features a colcon_build alias, which simplifies the ROS2 build process. Executing colcon_build runs colcon build --symlink-install --cmake-args -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release and then sources the setup.bash to ensure the environment is updated with the latest build artifacts. This alias enhances productivity by combining build commands and environment setup into a single, easy command.