Is there a way to list automatically the dependencies of my ROS package

asked 2018-09-18 07:24:26 -0500

Hug
66 ●8 ●9 ●16

updated 2018-09-18 07:24:57 -0500

Hello everyone,

I noticed that I'm able to run my Python nodes even if I didn't report the dependencies properly in CMakeLists.txt and package.xml. Many things work simply because all the required ROS packages are installed on my computer. Now assume I want to distribute my package, how to make sure that I didn't miss any dependency? Is there an automatic way to do that?

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I noticed that I'm able to run my Python nodes even if I didn't report the dependencies properly in CMakeLists.txt [..]

For Python nodes, which are not compiled, there are (normally) no build dependencies, so CMakeLists.txt is not involved in those cases.

Python pkgs only have run depends.

gvdhoorn ( 2018-09-18 16:13:50 -0500 )edit

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answered 2018-09-18 07:29:23 -0500

mgruhler

12390 ●32 ●193 ●173 https://github.com/mgruhler

updated 2018-09-18 07:30:41 -0500

There are two tools that can actually help you with this.

roscompile by @David Lu figures out many issue, also missing dependencies. To quote the ReadMe:

Checks for dependencies by looking in the source code, message, service, action and launch files.

Inserts build/run/test dependencies into your package.xml

Inserts dependencies into your CMakeLists.txt (in both the find_package and catkin_package commands)

Sorts lists of dependencies (in both package.xml/CMakeLists.txt)

Also catkin_lint helps in setting the CMakeLists.txt and package.xml up correctly. The combination of both tools is pretty powerful. But you should still but some thought into what is going on...