ros2_docker_vscode_coding_environment

ROS2 + Docker + VSCode Coding Environment

Requirements

• Install VSCode: https://code.visualstudio.com/
  • with Remote Development Extension
• Install Docker Engine (or Desktop): https://docs.docker.com/engine/
• (MacOS) Install XQuartz
• (Windows) Install VcXsrv Windows X Server

Installation Steps

Extra for MacOS

Follow all the steps in the tutorial video, especially the part of allowing connections from network clients in the preferences.

Extra for Windows

Run Xlaunch from the start menu and perform the initial configuration. Make sure to save to configuration file before you click finish. Save it to one of the following locations: %appdata%\Xming %userprofile%\Desktop %userprofile%

example of usage

Docker Setup

Create a .devcontainer folder in the root of this repository and add a devcontainer.json and Dockerfile to this .devcontainer folder. Additionally, you need to create a cache folder in which you can cache the build and install folders for different ROS 2 distros. Make sure to create the distro, build, log, and install folders.

ws_[project]
├── cache
|   ├── [humble-ros-base-jammy]
|   |   ├── build
|   |   ├── install
|   |   └── log
|   └── ...
|
├── src
    ├── .devcontainer
    │   ├── devcontainer.json
    │   └── Dockerfile
    ├── package1
    └── package2

For the Dev Container to function properly, we have to build it with the correct user. Therefore add the following to .devcontainer/devcontainer.json

{
    {
    "name": "ROS 2 Development Container",
    "privileged": true,
    "remoteUser": "user",
    "build": {
        "dockerfile": "Dockerfile",
        "args": {
            "USERNAME": "user"
        }
    },
    "features": {
        "ghcr.io/itsmechlark/features/act:1": {},
        "ghcr.io/devcontainers/features/docker-in-docker:2": {}
    },
    "workspaceFolder": "/home/ws",
    "workspaceMount": "source=${localWorkspaceFolder},target=/home/ws,type=bind",
    "customizations": {
        "vscode": {
            "extensions":[
                "ms-vscode.cpptools",
                "ms-azuretools.vscode-docker",
                "ms-vscode.cpptools-themes",
                "twxs.cmake",
                "donjayamanne.python-extension-pack",
                "eamodio.gitlens",
                "ms-iot.vscode-ros",
                "GitHub.vscode-github-actions"
            ]
        }
    },
    "containerEnv": {
        "DISPLAY": "unix:0",
        "ROS_AUTOMATIC_DISCOVERY_RANGE": "LOCALHOST",
        "ROS_DOMAIN_ID": "42"
    },
    "runArgs": [
        "--net=host",
        "-e", "DISPLAY=${env:DISPLAY}"
    ],
    "mounts": [
       "source=/tmp/.X11-unix,target=/tmp/.X11-unix,type=bind,consistency=cached",
        "source=/dev/dri,target=/dev/dri,type=bind,consistency=cached",
        "source=${localWorkspaceFolder}/cache/humble-ros-base-jammy/build,target=/home/ws/build,type=bind",
        "source=${localWorkspaceFolder}/cache/humble-ros-base-jammy/install,target=/home/ws/install,type=bind",
        "source=${localWorkspaceFolder}/cache/humble-ros-base-jammy/log,target=/home/ws/log,type=bind"
    ],
    "postCreateCommand": "sudo rosdep update && sudo rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src -y && sudo chown -R user /home/ws/",
	"initializeCommand": "echo Initialize...."
}

With CTRL+F find "user" and replace it by your pc user (for sudo access). Run echo $USERNAME in the terminal if you don't know this. Next, add the following to the Dockerfile

FROM ros:humble-ros-base-jammy
ARG USERNAME=user
ARG USER_UID=1000
ARG USER_GID=$USER_UID

# Create the user
RUN groupadd --gid $USER_GID $USERNAME \
    && useradd --uid $USER_UID --gid $USER_GID -m $USERNAME \
    #
    # [Optional] Add sudo support. Omit if you don't need to install software after connecting.
    && apt-get update \
    && apt-get install -y sudo \
    && echo $USERNAME ALL=\(root\) NOPASSWD:ALL > /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME \
    && chmod 0440 /etc/sudoers.d/$USERNAME
RUN apt-get update && apt-get upgrade -y
RUN apt-get install -y python3-pip
RUN apt install ros-$ROS_DISTRO-rviz2 -y
RUN apt install openssh-client -y
RUN apt install openssh-server -y
RUN apt update
RUN apt install python-is-python3 -y
RUN pip3 install cpplint
RUN apt install clang-format -y
RUN curl -O https://www.doxygen.nl/files/doxygen-1.10.0.linux.bin.tar.gz && tar -xvzf doxygen-1.10.0.linux.bin.tar.gz && cd doxygen-1.10.0 && make install && cd .. && rm -rf doxygen-1.10.0 && rm doxygen-1.10.0.linux.bin.tar.gz
ENV SHELL /bin/bash

# ********************************************************
# * Anything else you want to do like clean up goes here *
# ********************************************************

# [Optional] Set the default user. Omit if you want to keep the default as root.
USER $USERNAME
CMD ["/bin/bash"]

Again replace "user" by your user.

Attaching VSCode to Dev Container

Do CTRL+SHIFT+P and select Dev Containers: (Re-)build and Reopen in Container and execute.

Note: Everytime graphical features are to be ran on the container, open terminal on host machine (your Ubuntu computer) and run xhost +local:docker. You should also run xhost -local:docker after using.

Testing Environment

Run:

source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash
rviz2

If all correct, should open a window with no errors.