[SOLVED] Is it possible to "stuff" one ROS package into another ROS package?

Issue

I am working on a ROS package to be deployed on our lab robots. There is a feature in my package requires a third party ROS package. I don't think this package is released yet, at least I couldn't find it at ROS wiki document site. The dependent package is called ros_msg_parser for subscribing topics without knowing their msg type beforehand. Here is the link to the repo. (https://github.com/facontidavide/ros_msg_parser)

I need to mention that we use ubuntu 16.04 in all our devices. And we program with ROS, and C++.

My intention is to deploy my own ROS package to the robot without worrying about if the ros_msg_parser package is installed on the device or not.

I know a couple of ways to do it:

1. Use a .so library file. (We don't think this approach is the ideal way to proceed for us, since the .so library is going to be a black box for other colleagues in lab in future, and no way to know its version and so no.)
2. Release ros_msg_parser ROS repo and use it as a ros eco-environment program, such as std_msgs.
3. And at last, (not we want) we could build/install this ros_msg_parser package on all our devices.

I have also researched on externalpackage_add, to build/install ros_msg_parser as a third party library. Then I realized that I am using a ros package as my dependency, not really the standard way of build && cmake && install. Correct me if I am wrong.

I have desired package working alright now, by catkin_make the ros_msg_parser package in my working space together.

I am just wondering if any one can help me with things like if there is any approach I can do or any where I can research on my own to fulfill my goal.

Thanks in advance.

Solution

Furtunately, I have got some help from team to solve this problem. It is rather simpler than I imagined.

Here are the steps that we took to implementation:

1. git clone the ros pacakge source and only copy the source files to a folder called your_third_party_folder/ parallel to your_main_work_space/src folder. Remember to remove your git clone histories etc, you will only need the source files, otherwise your main work space won't work well with your own repo. Due to a dirty repo prompt, you will not be able to push our third_party project to your repo. Maybe there are another ways to solve this, but it is just simpler to copy the source files to a folder where want.

2. work on your two CMakeLists.txt files, make sure to inlcude, link and target some libraries to pass catkin_make

3. and don't forget to add_subdirectory(YOUR_THIRD_PARTY_PACKAGE) in your main workspace CMakeLists.txt file.

Note it took me quiet some time to fix the compiling process, but finally the third_party project is installed with no .so file and no local library installation.

Answered By - Elder Yang