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Install and configure ROS

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emcauliffe edited this page Jan 29, 2023 · 1 revision

Quick Start (ROS already installed)

1. Clone this repo to your desired location

git clone https://github.com/MacRover/Rover.git

2. Build the ROS environment

cd ROS_WS
catkin_make

Windows Install (Windows 10 v2004+)

1. Set up WSL 2 on Windows

Here's the official how-to guide: https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-win10
Recommended distro is Ubuntu 18.04 LTS or 20.04 LTS
Set up a new user
You may also want to install Windows Terminal for an improved terminal prompt UI https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/p/windows-terminal/9n0dx20hk701
Make sure you're setting up WSL 2 and not just WSL 1. WSL 2 requires a few extra steps to configure.

2. Install an X server for Windows

Recommended to install VcXsrv https://sourceforge.net/projects/vcxsrv/ as it is actively developed and open-source
This runs on your base Windows OS

3. Configure VcXsrv to work with your Ubuntu WSL install

In your Ubuntu terminal prompt (Should be able to search for "Ubuntu" in the start menu to find this), type:
```
nano ~/.bashrc
```
Don't delete anything, but paste the following lines at the end of the file (use arrow keys to scroll down):
```
# Connect to Windows X11 server
export DISPLAY=`grep -oP "(?<=nameserver ).+" /etc/resolv.conf`:0.0
export LIBGL_ALWAYS_INDIRECT=1
```
Press Ctl+X and then Y to save and exit.

Finally, run
```
source ~/.bashrc
```
Open XLaunch on Windows (search for XLaunch in the start menu)

Select Multiple Windows and set display number to -1. Click next.

Select Start no client. Click next.

Uncheck Native OpenGL and check Disable access control. Click next.

Save the configuration file somewhere you can remember. Next time you can just open this and skip the config options. Click finish.

If you get a prompt from Windows firewall, make sure to allow permissions on both private and public networks.

4. Clone this Rover repo to your Ubuntu WSL distro

In the terminal on Ubuntu, type:

git clone https://github.com/MacRover/Rover.git

You can clone it to wherever you want in your Linux install, just make sure you know where it is.
After cloning, cd into the repo
```
cd Rover
```

5. Install ROS

Check out the ROS installation instructions on the ROS wiki.

6. Build the ROS environment

Inside the git repo (where you should already be), type:
```
cd ROS_WS
catkin_make
```

7. VSCode Integration (optional but useful)

Download and install VSCode
Download and install the Remote Development Extension Pack
Open the Remote Explorer pane. Select WSL Targets in the dropdown and open this repo.
If you open the latter (/Rover/ROS_WS), you are in the catkin workspace. This means the VSCode ROS extension will automatically detect your version.

Native Linux install

Check out the ROS installation instructions on the ROS wiki.