Plugin for exposing Gazebo features via YARP RPC

[traversaro]

We are currently exposing some gazebo features via yarp RPC, for example in the ApplyExternalWrench plugin. It could make sense to implement all this functionalities in a single plugin used for exposing gazebo features on a single rpc port, similarly to what they do in ROS with the gazebo_ros_api plugin.

This can then be used to implement some of the functionality of the /world port of iCub_SIM, and would make simplify the process of adding new RPC functions.

It could make sense to use Thrift for defining this RPC interface.

[iron76]

👍 This is an important feature especially if we want the Gazebo iCub simulator to be compatible with the previous iCub_SIM. @lornat75, can we find someone to contribute to this activity?

[traversaro]

@iron76 Not a high priority for us anyway. I just opened the issue to summarize some morning discussions with @francesco-romano .

[francesco-romano]

We also need to find out how to properly expose the interfaces of the plugins. In particular we need to expose the .h of the stub and the compiled stub itself.

[traversaro]

Just to keep track of users requests: @randaz81 was interested in having the feature related to object manipulation in gazebo. This can be implemented in way similar to the old /world port, as documented in http://eris.liralab.it/wiki/Simulator_README#OBJECT_MANIPULATION: , with some modifications to exploit gazebo features (for example by using the usual gazebo facilities to add objects with custom meshes).

[randaz81]

Currently working on it

[traversaro]

Basic functionality has been implemented, further enhancement can be discussed in new issues.