🚀 YARP 3.6.0 Released

[drdanz]

YARP 3.6.0 was released today and is now available for download at: https://github.com/robotology/yarp/releases/v3.6.0.

A (partial) list of bug fixed and issues resolved in this release can be found
here.

Important Changes

Dependencies

• SWIG 4 or later is now required to build YARP bindings
• CMake 3.16 or later is now required
• A compiler that supports C++17 is now required

Deprecation and Behaviour Changes

Devices

• Deprecation of the devices replaced by NWS/NWC was postponed to the next
  release.
• The following devices will be replaced by NWS/NWC in the next release, and
  print a warning when opened:
  • localization2DClient (replaced by localization2D_nwc_yarp)
  • map2DClient (replaced by map2D_nwc_yarp)
  • navigation2DServer (replaced by navigation2D_nws_yarp)

New Features

Libraries

conf

• The YARP_VERSION_COMPARE macro has been added to version.h to simplify how
  YARP versions are compared e.g. in #if guards. For instance, the condition
  #if YARP_VERSION_COMPARE(>=, 3, 6, 0) will yield true if the current YARP
  version is equal to or greater than 3.6.0.

os

• Added CommandBottle class.
  This is a class that contains both the command and the reply.
  The only advantage of this class compared to using two bottles is that
  portmonitors are able to know, in the updateReply method, what was the
  request for the reply received.

Log

• In addition to the previously supported std::vector, it is now also possible
  to call yInfo() << collection where the collection is a std::array,
  std::list, std::set, std::map, C-array, std::tuple...
• Added the new family of logging macros with "Id" (yIDebug).
  See [documentation](
  ef yarp_logging).
• The YARP_LOG_PROCESS_LABEL environment variable is now checked when output
  is forwarded. If found, the label is appended to the executable name in the
  log port name e.g. (/log/hostname/yarpdev[mylabel]/123123)

ConnectionWriter

• Replaced getBuffer with const/non-const versions

ConnectionReader

• flushWriter is now an interface method.

idl/WireReader

• Added getReader() method.

idl/WireWriter

• Flush the connection when the object is destroyed.

sig

• Added new method yarp::sig::soundfilters::resample() contained in the new
  header file yarp/sig/SoundFilters.h.

dev

• Added new interfaces:
  • yarp::dev::IJointFault.
  • yarp::dev::Nav2D::IOdometry2D.

DeviceDriver

• Added id() and setId() methods

PolyDriver

• The device id can be set passing the id option to the open method (or
  passing --id to yarpdev).

Nav2D::INavigation2DVelocityActions

• applyVelocityCommand() method was moved from
  yarp::dev::Nav2D::INavigation2DTargetActions to a new interface
  yarp::dev::Nav2D::INavigation2DVelocityActions.

Nav2D::MapGrid2D

• Added internal lossless compression for datatype
  yarp::dev::Nav2D::MapGrid2D using Zlib: the methods
  yarp::os::Portable::write() and yarp::os::Portable::read() handle the
  compression before sending data to the network.
  The method MapGrid2D::enable_map_compression_over_network() enables/disables
  the data compression over the network (default true).
  If the Zlib library is not available, compression will be disabled.

Nav2D::Map2DArea

• Added new method Map2DArea::getCentroid().
• Added new description field which can now be filled by the user for generic
  purposes.

Nav2D::Map2DLocation

• Added new description field which can now be filled by the user for generic
  purposes.

Nav2D::Map2DPath

• Added new description field which can now be filled by the user for generic
  purposes.

Nav2D::IMap2D

• Added the following methods:
  • getAllLocations(std::vector<yarp::dev::Nav2D::Map2DLocation>& locations)
  • getAllAreas(std::vector<yarp::dev::Nav2D::Map2DArea>& areas)
  • getAllPaths(std::vector<yarp::dev::Nav2D::Map2DPath>& paths)

Nav2D::INavigation2D

• INavigation2D interface now derives from IMap2D interface

Devices

• Most of the clients/nwcs now implement the option carrier to set the carrier
  for the connection with the server.

• Added the following new EXPERIMENTAL devices:

  • rpLidar3 that supports the 3rd revision of the rpLidar hardware.
  • fakeOdometry that generates a fake odometry and makes it available from
    IOdometry2D interface.
  • fakePositionSensor that simulate a position sensor and makes it available
    through the IPositionSensors and IOrientationSensors interfaces.

• Added more EXPERIMENTAL devices in order to implement the Network Wrapper
  Server/Client Architecture described in
  ef nws_and_nwc_architecture.
  These devices do not implement internal logic, therefore they might need to be
  used together with a different device.
  This architecture and all these devices are to be considered experimental,
  and may be modified/renamed/removed at any time without any notice.

  • localization2D_nwc_yarp: YARP NWS which connects to
    localization2D_nws_yarp: and can be used to replace localization2DClient
  • map2D_nwc_yarp YARP NWS which connects to map2D_nws_yarp and can be used
    to replace map2DClient
  • mobileBaseVelocityControl_nws_yarp: YARP NWS to control the velocity of a
    mobile base.
  • mobileBaseVelocityControl_nwc_yarp: YARP NWC to control the velocity of a
    mobile base.
  • mobileBaseVelocityControl_nws_ros: ROS NWS to control the velocity of a
    mobile base.
  • navigation2D_nws_yarp: YARP NWS that can be used to replace
    navigation2DServer.
  • navigation2D_nwc_yarp: YARP NWC that connects to map2D_nws_yarp,
    localization2D_nws_yarp and navigation2D_nws_yarp.
  • odometry2D_nws_yarp: YARP NWS which can be attached to a IOdometry2D
    interface and publish the data on a YARP port.
  • odometry2D_nws_ros: ROS NWS which can be attached to a IOdometry2D
    interface and publish the data on a ROS topic.

fakeLaser

• Can now be connected to localization2D_nwc_yarp instead of
  localization2DClient

frameTransformServer

• Added the option to use an extern xml file (by providing its absolute path).

frameTransformClient

• Added the option to use an extern xml file (by providing its absolute path).
• Added optional parameter FrameTransform_verbose_debug

frameTransformStorage

• Extra debug information is now printed when parameter
  FrameTransform_verbose_debug is set to 1.
• All xml files now expose the parameter FrameTransform_verbose_debug
  (default = 0)

frameTransformContainer

• Extra debug information is now printed when parameter
  FrameTransform_verbose_debug is set to 1.
• All xml files now expose the parameter FrameTransform_verbose_debug
  (default = 0)

map2DStorage

• The new v3 file format, which includes the description for Map2DLocation,
  Map2DArea and Map2DPath is now supported.

map2DServer

• Added rpc command enable_maps_compression <0/1>

remote_controlboard

• The IJointFault device is now implemented by the device.

controlBoard_nws_yarp

• The IJointFault device is now implemented by the device.

controlboardremapper

• The IJointFault device is now implemented by the device.

fakeMotionControl

• A hardware fault is now simulated when a TorqueCommand > 1Nm is received.

portaudio

• 'id' parameter was renamed to 'dev_id'.

portaudioPlayer

• 'id' parameter was renamed to 'dev_id'.

portaudioRecorder

• 'id' parameter was renamed to 'dev_id'.

Port Monitors

• Added bottle_compression_zlib portmonitor to compress bottles (or other
  data types which can be converted to bottle).
• Added soundfilter_resample portmonitor to resample audio streams.
• Added sensorMeasurements_to_vector portmonitor which converts a 6D Pose from
  a SensorStreamingData data type to a yarp::sig::Vector data type.

Tools

yarp

• Added option testdata_filename to latency-test companion.
  It allows to load a file which will be transmitted over the network as
  benchmark.
  Different files can be used to test latency when using a compression
  portmonitor (the compression factor will depend on the entropy of the file).

yarprun

• If the environment variable YARP_LOG_PROCESS_LABEL is found, the label is
  now appended to the executable name in the log port name
  (e.g. /log/yaprunname/yarpdev[mylabel]/123123)

robotinterface

• Added --dryrun option to test the xml file without actually opening devices.
• Added reverse-shutdown-action-order attribute for the robot tag.
  This reverses the order of actions in shutdown and interrupt phase, making it
  easier to write the actions when multiple attach and detach are involved.
• All device tag parameters are now passed to all devices defined inside that
  tag.
• Added the YARP_PORTNUMBER<XXX> environment variable.
  This allows to change the port number on which the corresponding port is
  opened by setting the YARP_PORTNUMBER<XXX> environment variable to the
  desired port number of the port.
  For example: YARP_PORTNUMBER_read=20050 yarp read /read will open a port
  named /read on the 20050 port.
  Port numbers (if present) are applied before prefixes specified with
  YARP_PORT_PREFIX and renames specified with YARP_RENAME (if present).
  WARNING, if the same port is opened with the same name but different port
  number by two processes, this might lead to port stealing by the latest
  process executed.

yarpidl_thrift

• The return variable is again a class member.
  The updateReply method of a portmonitor is not called on the same thread
  that reads from the connection, therefore the return variable, as a
  thread_local variable, causes it to be empty.
  The flush performed in the WireWriter dtor, ensures that any
  appendExternalBlock contained in helper serializationis actually written
  before the helper is destroyed.
• When rpc command is incomplete or contains extra args, the argument fails.
• It is no longer possible to have a service function that starts with the same
  name as a different function (e.g. get and get_all).
• Enum handling was heavily refactored.
  It is now possible to use yarp.name and yarp.includefile also for enums.
• The 'yarp.nested' annotation was fixed. It is also now possible to annotate a
  struct with the yarp.bottlesize annotation, when the struct is not
  serialized as a bottle but as a fixed size bottle-like structure (for example
  other yarpidl_thrift generated structs).
• The editor for structs is now disabled by default. The yarp.editor
  annotation should be passed to the struct in order to enable it.
• Added generation of portmonitor for services.
  See [documentation](
  ef thrift_monitor) for details.

GUIs

yarpmotorgui

• Added new page "Hardware Fault" which displays the internal hardware error.
• Improved slider graphics, with displayed reference value (optional, enabled
  from the menu, default off)

yarplogger

• Added option --unlimited_size which removes all limits on the log size.
  To be used with caution!

Bug Fixes

Build System

• Fixed build of lidar sdk with clang.

Libraries

sig

• Fixed VectorOf<T>::emplace_back returning void. Now it returns a
  reference to the new element as expected.

GUIs

yarplogger

• Fixed issue related to saving/loading files containing empty strings.
• Fixed how the limits are applied to new logs added to an on-going session.

Bindings

• Fixed compilation of Python3 bindings on certain configurations. (Python 2 headers are used to compile Python 3 bindings on systems with legacy PCL #2725)

Contributors

This is a list of people that contributed to this release (generated from the
git history using git shortlog -ens --no-merges v3.5.0..v3.6.0):

   151	Daniele E. Domenichelli <[email protected]>
   113	Marco Randazzo <[email protected]>
    24	Ettore Landini <[email protected]>
     7	Bartek Łukawski <[email protected]>
     6	Diego Ferigo <[email protected]>
     5	Stefano Bernagozzi <[email protected]>
     5	Stefano Dafarra <[email protected]>
     2	Silvio Traversaro <[email protected]>
     1	Marco Randazzo <[email protected]>
     1	Ugo Pattacini <[email protected]>