Command Line Interface
The following commands support interacting with the controller_manager from the command line. They are available through the standard ROS2 CLI framework.
Currently supported commands are
ros2 control list_controllers
ros2 control list_controller_types
ros2 control list_hardware_components
ros2 control list_hardware_interfaces
ros2 control load_controller
ros2 control reload_controller_libraries
ros2 control set_controller_state
ros2 control set_hardware_component_state
ros2 control switch_controllers
ros2 control unload_controller
ros2 control view_controller_chains
list_controllers
$ ros2 control list_controllers -h
usage: ros2 control list_controllers [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [--claimed-interfaces] [--required-state-interfaces] [--required-command-interfaces] [--chained-interfaces] [--reference-interfaces] [--verbose]
[-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...]
Output the list of loaded controllers, their type and status
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
--claimed-interfaces List controller's claimed interfaces
--required-state-interfaces
List controller's required state interfaces
--required-command-interfaces
List controller's required command interfaces
--chained-interfaces List interfaces that the controllers are chained to
--reference-interfaces
List controller's exported references
--verbose, -v List controller's claimed interfaces, required state interfaces and required command interfaces
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
Example output:
$ ros2 control list_controllers
test_controller_name[test_controller] active
list_controller_types
$ ros2 control list_controller_types -h
usage: ros2 control list_controller_types [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...]
Output the available controller types and their base classes
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
Example output:
$ ros2 control list_controller_types
diff_drive_controller/DiffDriveController controller_interface::ControllerInterface
joint_state_broadcaster/JointStateBroadcaster controller_interface::ControllerInterface
joint_trajectory_controller/JointTrajectoryController controller_interface::ControllerInterface
list_hardware_components
$ ros2 control list_hardware_components -h
usage: ros2 control list_hardware_components [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [--verbose] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...]
Output the list of available hardware components
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
--verbose, -v List hardware components with command and state interfaces
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
Example output:
$ ros2 control list_hardware_components
Hardware Component 0
name: RRBot
type: system
plugin name: ros2_control_demo_hardware/RRBotSystemPositionOnlyHardware
state: id=3 label=active
list_hardware_interfaces
$ ros2 control list_hardware_interfaces -h
usage: ros2 control list_hardware_interfaces [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...]
Output the list of available command and state interfaces
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
$ ros2 control list_hardware_interfaces
command interfaces
joint1/position [unclaimed]
joint2/position [unclaimed]
state interfaces
joint1/position
joint2/position
load_controller
$ ros2 control load_controller -h
usage: ros2 control load_controller [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [--set-state {inactive,active}] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...] controller_name [param_file]
Load a controller in a controller manager
positional arguments:
controller_name Name of the controller
param_file The YAML file with the controller parameters
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
--set-state {inactive,active}
Set the state of the loaded controller
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
reload_controller_libraries
$ ros2 control reload_controller_libraries -h
usage: ros2 control reload_controller_libraries [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [--force-kill] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...]
Reload controller libraries
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
--force-kill Force stop of loaded controllers
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
set_controller_state
$ ros2 control set_controller_state -h
usage: ros2 control set_controller_state [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...] controller_name {inactive,active}
Adjust the state of the controller
positional arguments:
controller_name Name of the controller to be changed
{inactive,active} State in which the controller should be changed to
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
set_hardware_component_state
$ ros2 control set_hardware_component_state -h
usage: ros2 control set_hardware_component_state [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...] hardware_component_name {unconfigured,inactive,active}
Adjust the state of the hardware component
positional arguments:
hardware_component_name
Name of the hardware_component to be changed
{unconfigured,inactive,active}
State in which the hardware component should be changed to
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
switch_controllers
$ ros2 control switch_controllers -h
usage: ros2 control switch_controllers [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [--deactivate [DEACTIVATE ...]] [--activate [ACTIVATE ...]] [--strict] [--activate-asap] [--switch-timeout SWITCH_TIMEOUT]
[-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...]
Switch controllers in a controller manager
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
--deactivate [DEACTIVATE ...]
Name of the controllers to be deactivated
--activate [ACTIVATE ...]
Name of the controllers to be activated
--strict Strict switch
--activate-asap Start asap controllers
--switch-timeout SWITCH_TIMEOUT
Timeout for switching controllers
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
unload_controller
$ ros2 control unload_controller -h
usage: ros2 control unload_controller [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...] controller_name
Unload a controller in a controller manager
positional arguments:
controller_name Name of the controller
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
view_controller_chains
$ ros2 control view_controller_chains -h
usage: ros2 control view_controller_chains [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...]
Generates a diagram of the loaded chained controllers into /tmp/controller_diagram.gv.pdf
options:
-h, --help show this help message and exit
--spin-time SPIN_TIME
Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
-s, --use-sim-time Enable ROS simulation time
-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
--include-hidden-nodes
Consider hidden nodes as well
--ros-args ... Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable