<<Solved>>Getting started with Arbotix python. Keeping it simple

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<< SOLVED>>>

I'm new to this, so this is only for reference, I am by no means a professional. After some long hours, I have made the arm move!! I thought I would show the files I used to make it work since it is not so simple for some. If you have already downloaded the arbotix package, and used the 'arbotix_terminal' to find all of your dynamixel ax-12 servos (I will assume you have already done this after installing the arbotix package). Also, I will assume that you have loaded ROS onto your arbotix controller with the Arduino IDE as described here. I will now describe the files I needed to accomplish this. Good luck!!

Create a new package

$ cd ~/catkin_ws/src
$ catkin_create_package arbotix_ros std_msgs rospy roscpp
$ cd arbotix_ros

In the src folder, update your package.xml to look like this...

<?xml version="1.0"?>
<package>
  <name>ros_arbx</name>
  <version>0.0.0</version>
  <description>The ros_arbx package</description>

  <maintainer email="ubuntu@todo.todo">ubuntu</maintainer>

  <license>TODO</license>

  <buildtool_depend>catkin</buildtool_depend>
  <build_depend>roscpp</build_depend>
  <build_depend>rospy</build_depend>
  <build_depend>std_msgs</build_depend>
  <run_depend>roscpp</run_depend>
  <run_depend>rospy</run_depend>
  <run_depend>std_msgs</run_depend>


  <export>

  </export>
</package>

Then make your CMakeLists.txt look like this...

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8.3)
project(ros_arbx)

## Find catkin macros and libraries
## if COMPONENTS list like find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS xyz)
## is used, also find other catkin packages
find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS
  roscpp
  rospy
  std_msgs
)

## System dependencies are found with CMake's conventions
# find_package(Boost REQUIRED COMPONENTS system)


## Uncomment this if the package has a setup.py. This macro ensures
## modules and global scripts declared therein get installed
## See http://ros.org/doc/api/catkin/html/user_guide/setup_dot_py.html
# catkin_python_setup()

################################################
## Declare ROS messages, services and actions ##
################################################

## To declare and build messages, services or actions from within this
## package, follow these steps:
## * Let MSG_DEP_SET be the set of packages whose message types you use in
##   your messages/services/actions (e.g. std_msgs, actionlib_msgs, ...).
## * In the file package.xml:
##   * add a build_depend tag for "message_generation"
##   * add a build_depend and a run_depend tag for each package in MSG_DEP_SET
##   * If MSG_DEP_SET isn't empty the following dependency has been pulled in
##     but can be declared for certainty nonetheless:
##     * add a run_depend tag for "message_runtime"
## * In this file (CMakeLists.txt):
##   * add "message_generation" and every package in MSG_DEP_SET to
##     find_package(catkin REQUIRED COMPONENTS ...)
##   * add "message_runtime" and every package in MSG_DEP_SET to
##     catkin_package(CATKIN_DEPENDS ...)
##   * uncomment the add_*_files sections below as needed
##     and list every .msg/.srv/.action file to be processed
##   * uncomment the generate_messages entry below
##   * add every package in MSG_DEP_SET to generate_messages(DEPENDENCIES ...)

## Generate messages in the 'msg' folder
# add_message_files(
#   FILES
#   Message1.msg
#   Message2.msg
# )

## Generate services in the 'srv' folder
# add_service_files(
#   FILES
#   Service1.srv
#   Service2.srv
# )

## Generate actions in the 'action' folder
# add_action_files(
#   FILES
#   Action1.action
#   Action2.action
# )

## Generate added messages and services with any dependencies listed here
# generate_messages(
#   DEPENDENCIES
#   std_msgs
# )

################################################
## Declare ROS dynamic reconfigure parameters ##
################################################

## To declare and build dynamic reconfigure parameters within this
## package, follow these steps:
## * In the file ...