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Publish

Send messages to ROS network

Since R2019b

  • Publish block

Libraries:
ROS Toolbox / ROS

Description

The Publish block takes in as its input a Simulink® nonvirtual bus that corresponds to the specified ROS message type and publishes it to the ROS network. It uses the node of the Simulink model to create a ROS publisher for a specific topic. This node is created when the model runs and is deleted when the model terminates. If the model does not have a node, the block creates one.

On each sample hit, the block converts the Msg input from a Simulink bus signal to a ROS message and publishes it. The block does not distinguish whether the input is a new message but merely publishes it on every sample hit. For simulation, this input is a MATLAB® ROS message. In code generation, it is a C++ ROS message.

Ports

Input

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ROS message, specified as a nonvirtual bus. To specify the type of ROS message, use the Message type parameter.

Data Types: bus

Parameters

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Source for specifying the topic name, specified as one of the following:

  • Select from ROS network — Use Select to select a topic name. The Topic and Message type parameters are set automatically. You must be connected to a ROS network.

  • Specify your own — Enter a topic name in Topic and specify its message type in Message type. You must match a topic name exactly.

Topic name to publish to, specified as a string. When Topic source is set to Select from ROS network, use Select to select a topic from the ROS network. You must be connected to a ROS network to get a list of topics. Otherwise, set Topic source to Specify your own and specify the topic you want.

ROS message type, specified as a string. Use Select to select from a full list of supported ROS messages. Service message types are not supported and are not included in the list.

Message queue length in code generation, specified as an integer. In simulation, the message queue is always 1 and cannot be adjusted. To ensure each message is processed, use a smaller model step or only execute the model when publishing a new message.

Tips

You can also set the addresses for the ROS master and node host by clicking the Configure network addresses link in the block.

Extended Capabilities

C/C++ Code Generation
Generate C and C++ code using Simulink® Coder™.

Version History

Introduced in R2019b