Docker ROS1 Noetic Setup Guide

Overview

This setup guide provides step-by-step instructions for running ROS1 Noetic in a Docker container, specifically designed for replaying ROS bags in a containerized ROS workspace.

Prerequisites

Ensure you have the following software installed on your machine:

• Docker
• Docker Compose

Setup Instructions

Step 1: Create the ROS1 Workspace Directory

Create the workspace directory structure on your machine:

mkdir -p ~/dv_ws_ros1/src

Step 2: Clone Your ROS Workspace Repository

Clone your ROS workspace into the src directory:

git clone <your-repo-url> ~/dv_ws_ros1/src

Step 3: Set Up the ROS Bag Directory

Create a directory for your ROS bag files and add your ROS bags:

mkdir ~/rosbag1
cp path/to/your/bag1.bag ~/rosbag1/

Step 4: Update the Start Script

Ensure the start.sh script references your ROS bag files correctly.

1. Open the start.sh file:

   nano ros1_docker/start.sh

2. Update the line referencing the ROS bag file to:

   rosbag play /home/rosbag1/bag1.bag -l &

If you would like to launch different nodes, modify the "Launch the ROS node" section in the start.sh file. The container will automatically execute the start.sh script to set up the ROS environment and replay the specified ROS bag. Adjust start.sh as needed to fit your requirements.

Step 5: Build and Run the Docker Container

To build and start the Docker container, use the following commands:

1. If you are building the image for the first time or after making changes:

   docker compose up --build

2. If the image is already built and you only need to start the container:

   docker compose up

Troubleshooting

• ROS Bag Playback Issues:

  • Verify that your start.sh script correctly points to the bag file location: /home/rosbag1/bag1.bag.
  • Confirm that the bag files are present in the ~/rosbag1 directory.

• Problems Running docker-compose up --build:

  • If you encounter build or run errors, clean up unused Docker containers with:

    docker container prune

  • Then, rebuild and run the container:

    docker compose up --build

• RViz Not Launching:

  • Try accessing the Docker shell and starting RViz manually:

    docker exec -it ros_container bash
    rviz

Additional Tips

• Accessing the Docker Shell:

  • To interact with the running container's shell, open a new terminal window and run:

    xhost +local:docker  # Grants Docker access to your X11 server for GUI applications
    docker exec -it ros_container bash  # Access the container's shell

  • Once inside the container, you can run commands like rviz. To exit the container shell, simply type:

    exit

• Cleaning Up Unused Docker Images:

  • To list existing images, run:

    docker images

  • To remove unused images:

    docker rmi <image-id>