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How to structure a node to publish a topic using classes? [closed]

asked 2014-08-05 00:30:33 -0600

Luis Ruiz gravatar image

updated 2016-03-18 07:30:36 -0600

I am writing a node but I have some doubts of how to structure it if I am using classes. Right now I have written two methods. The first one is:

#include "ros/ros.h"
#include "std_msgs/String.h"
#include <sstream>
class node_class
{
public:
    node_class();
private:
    ros::NodeHandle nh_;
    ros::Publisher pub_;
    std_msgs::String msg;
    ros::Rate loop_rate;
};
node_class::node_class():
    pub_(nh_.advertise<std_msgs::String>("chatter", 10)),
    loop_rate(1)
{
    msg.data = "hello world";
    while(ros::ok())
    {
        pub_.publish(msg);
        loop_rate.sleep();
    }
}
int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
    ros::init(argc, argv, "node_class");
    node_class this_node;
    while(ros::ok())
        ros::spinOnce();
    return 0;
}

In this one the loop is done inside the constructor, but I have my doubts about it. Also the ros::ok() is checked twice. And the second method is:

#include "ros/ros.h"
#include "std_msgs/String.h"
#include <sstream>
class node_class
{
public:
    node_class();
    void loop_function();
private:
    ros::NodeHandle nh_;
    ros::Publisher pub_;
    std_msgs::String msg;
    ros::Rate loop_rate;
};
node_class::node_class():
    pub_(nh_.advertise<std_msgs::String>("chatter", 10)),
    loop_rate(1)
{
    msg.data = "hello world";
}
void node_class::loop_function()
{
    pub_.publish(msg);
    loop_rate.sleep();
}
int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
    ros::init(argc, argv, "node_class");
    node_class this_node;
    while(ros::ok())
    {
        this_node.loop_function();
        ros::spinOnce();
    }
    return 0;
}

Here I am using a loop_function from the class to be executed in the main while loop. Both methods work but, are there other methods or best practices to do this?

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Closed for the following reason the question is answered, right answer was accepted by Luis Ruiz
close date 2014-08-06 01:49:11.604201

1 Answer

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answered 2014-08-05 02:49:52 -0600

BennyRe gravatar image

Definitely the second one!

In the first one your doing an infinite loop inside a constructor, which is in my eyes really bad.

Also the ros::ok() is checked twice.

No it isn't. The ros::ok() call in the main method is being called exactly one time, namely when you hit Ctrl + C and your infinite loop in the constructor exits.

For the future have a look at the ros::spin() method also.

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Asked: 2014-08-05 00:30:33 -0600

Seen: 2,326 times

Last updated: Mar 18 '16