Creating a new application outside Choregraphe using the qi Framework

Step one: choose your langage

You can do this using either C++ or Python.

C++

If you choose to do this in C++, please follow the C++ SDK - Installation Guide first.

Python

If you choose to do this in Python, please follow the Python SDK - Installation Guide.

Step two: write the service

C++

Create a new service

Your layout will look like this

worktree
|__ myapp
    |__ qiproject.xml
    |__ CMakeLists.txt
    |__ main.cpp
    |__ myservice.cpp
    |__ myservice.hpp

For an example of service in C++, refer to C++ - How to write a qimessaging service. If you want to write just a client which does not expose an API, refer to C++ - How to write a qimessaging client.

<!-- in qiproject.xml -->
<project version="3">
  <qibuild name="myapp">
    <depends runtime="true" buildtime="true" names="libnaoqi" />
  </qibuild>
</project>

Warning

If you do not specify a runtime dependency on libnaoqi, your application may not work when the system is upgraded to a later version of NAOqi OS.

# In CMakeLists.txt

cmake_minimum_required(VERSION 2.8)
project(myapp)
find_package(qibuild)

include_directories(".")
qi_create_bin(myservice main.cpp myservice.hpp myservice.cpp)
qi_use_lib(myservice QI)

Python

Create a new service

Your layout will look like this:

worktree
  |__ myapp
    |__ qiproject.xml
    |__ myservice.py

For an example of service in Python, refer to Python - How to write a qimessaging service.

<!-- in qiproject.xml -->
<project version="3">
  <qipython name="myapp">
    <script src="myservice.py" />
  </qipython>
</project>

# in myservice.py

import qi

class MyService:

    def echo(self, message):
        return message

    def do_something(self):
        pass

def main():
    app = qi.Application()
    app.start()
    session = app.session
    myService = MyService()
    session.registerService("MyService", myService)
    app.run()

if __name__ == "__main__":
    main()

Step three: C++ only - configure and build the project

At this stage you should have installed the cross-toolchain and configure qibuild to use it. If not, please go back to the C++ SDK - Installation Guide section.

Basically it boils down to:

qitoolchain create atom /path/to/ctc/toolchain.xml

Then configure and build the project with:

cd myapp
qibuild configure -c atom
qibuild make -c atom

Step four: generate a package for the Aldebaran store

Create the following files in order to generate a package:

<!-- in manifest.xml -->

<package uuid="myapp" version="0.1.0">
  <services>

    <!-- if written in Python -->
    <service name="myservice" autorun="true" execStart="./python bin/myservice.py" />
    <executableFiles>
      <file path="python" />
    </executableFiles>

    <!-- if written in C++ -->
    <service name="myservice" autorun="true" execStart="bin/myservice" />
    <executableFiles>
      <file path="bin/myservice" />
    </executableFiles>

  </services>

</package>

Set the autorun attribute to true if you want your service to be started when the robot starts.

<!-- in myapp.pml -->

<Package name="myapp" format_version="4">
  <Manifest src="manifest.xml" />
  <!-- optional resources : -->
  <!--
  <Resources>
    <File src="path/to/some/data" />
  </Resources>
  -->

  <!-- if written in Python -->
  <qipython name="myservice" />

  <!-- if written in C++ -->
  <qibuild name="myservice" />

</Package>

At this point, you should add the project to your worktree with:

qisrc add .

Then you can generate the package using:

Python:

qipkg make-package myapp.pml -c atom

C++:

qipkg make-package myapp.pml -c atom

This will generate a file named myapp-0.1.0.pkg in the current working directory.

Step five: deploy the package to the robot

Make sure you have installed the Python SDK, and run:

qipkg deploy-package myapp-0.1.0.pkg --url nao@nao.local

If everything works fine, you can then submit your package to the Aldebaran store.

Step six: start and stop your service

You can execute operations on the services registered with a manifest by using ServiceManager API.

To start a service:

qicli call ALServiceManager.startService myservice

To stop a running service:

qicli call ALServiceManager.stopService myservice

You can also call these methods from a behavior or another service.

Troubleshooting

If you get this warning when your service is supposed to start:

[W] 16967 core.processmanager.qt: myservice: service failed to start (Permission denied)

You may have not set your file as an executable file. So it does not have the rights to be launched. Make sure to use the executableFiles tag.