User Guide

Service Calls

Include the dynamics_manager node in your launch file (before spawning the doors and elevators):

<node pkg="dynamic_gazebo_models" type="dynamics_manager" name="dynamics_manager" output="screen"/>

List of available services:

$ rosservice list
...
/model_dynamics_manager/add_control_group
/model_dynamics_manager/delete_control_group
/model_dynamics_manager/doors/open_close
/model_dynamics_manager/doors/set_vel
/model_dynamics_manager/elevators/open_close_elev
/model_dynamics_manager/elevators/set_props
/model_dynamics_manager/elevators/target_floor
/model_dynamics_manager/list_groups
...

Before you can send commands such as 'open doors', you need to create a group (of a single type; elevators or doors) specifying the desired units you want to control. This can be done during launch or runtime.

Add Group (command-line):

$ rosservice call /model_dynamics_manager/add_control_group "group: 
  group_name: 'New_group_of_doors'
  type: 'door'
  active_units: [1, 3, 4]"

This will add a new control group with doors 1, 3 & 4. Hint: Type rosservice call /model_dynamics_manager/add_control_group and press TAB to auto-complete the service-request.

Add Group (launch file):

<node pkg="rosservice" type="rosservice" name="all_doors" args="call 
$(arg add_group_srv)
'{ 
group: 
  {
    group_name: 'New_group_of_doors',
    type: 'door',
    active_units: [1, 3, 4]
  }
}'
"/>

Add Group (cpp):

#include <dynamic_gazebo_models/AddGroup.h>
...
	ros::ServiceClient add_group_client = rosNode.serviceClient<dynamic_gazebo_models::AddGroup>("model_dynamics_manager/add_control_group");

    dynamic_gazebo_models::AddGroup addSrv;
    addSrv.request.group.group_name = "New_group_of_doors";
    addSrv.request.group.type = "door";
    addSrv.request.group.active_units = {1, 3, 4};
    
    add_group_client.call(addSrv);
...

Once you have setup your groups, you can use other services such as /model_dynamics_manager/doors/open_close in a similar manner to control the dynamics of the group.

Flip-door - Open Doors:

rosservice call /model_dynamics_manager/doors/open_close "group_name: 'New_group_of_doors'
state: true"

To open doors 1, 3 & 4 simultaneously.

See example launch file & keyboard op for more sample implementations of the available service calls.

Models

You may wish to modify the existing models or implement your own mesh-model but still use the existing plugins. Before embedding the custom models in your application, ensure that you have configured the SDF files properly.

Doors

<plugin name="door_plugin" filename="libdoor_plugin.so">
    <door_type>flip</door_type>
    <model_domain_space>door_</model_domain_space>
    <door_direction>clockwise</door_direction>
</plugin>

door_type can either be "flip" or "slide". model_domain_space is the prefix of the spawn model-name in Gazebo, eg: "door_1" --> prefix: "door_". door_direction can either be "counter_clockwise" or "clockwise" for flip-open doors, "left" or "right" for slide-open doors

Elevators

<plugin name="elevator_plugin" filename="libelevator.so">
    <model_domain_space>elevator_</model_domain_space>
    <floor_heights>0.84108, 3.65461, 6.85066, 10.0470, 13.24549, 16.45915, 19.65369</floor_heights>
    <speed>1.5</speed>
    <force>100</force>
</plugin>

floor_heights are absolute heights (in meters) of the desired floor levels. The values will be indexed in ascending order (starting with 0 for the ground-floor). So 'target floor 2' in this case maps to a target height of 6.85066m. speed specifies the travel velocity of the elevator (in both directions; in m/s). force specifies the force exerted on the objects inside the elevator (in Newtons).

Auto-Doors

<plugin name="auto_elev_door_plugin" filename="libauto_door.so">
    <model_domain_space>auto_door_</model_domain_space>
    <elevator_name>elevator_1</elevator_name>
    <door_direction>left</door_direction>
    <max_trans_dist>0.711305</max_trans_dist>
    <speed>1.0</speed>
</plugin>

elevator_name is the spawn model-name of the elevator that controls the auto-door. max_trans_dist is maximum distance a sliding-door slides from it's spawned position before stopping.