How can I use custom ROS messages with Robotics System Toolbox?

I want to create a ROS message of type atlas_msgs/AtlasCommand, but rosmessage doesn't work with it. I get the following error:

>> rosmessage('atlas_msgs/AtlasCommand')
Cannot find a MATLAB message class for type atlas_msgs/AtlasCommand.

How do I use custom ROS messages that aren't included with Robotics System Toolbox?

Answer 1

[MathWorks Robotics and Autonomous Systems Team]

Hi Gautam,

You can add the support for custom ROS messages by installing the Robotics System Toolbox Interface for ROS Custom Messages . You can define your own custom ROS message and service types, and use them in MATLAB and Simulink to communicate with other nodes in the ROS network.

There are two ways to install this interface:

• In MATLAB, call roboticsSupportPackages, select the "ROS Custom Messages" entry, and follow the installation instructions.
• Go to the FileExchange entry for the custom message interface and follow the installation instructions listed there.

After the installation finishes, you can take a look at the documentation and see examples on how to use custom messages in MATLAB and Simulink.

You should be able to communicate with the ATLAS robot in no time!

[Rajan]

This approach works for Windows systems. What about on Linux machines?

[MathWorks Robotics and Autonomous Systems Team]

We recently published an update to the Interface for ROS Custom Messages that enables the functionality on additional platforms: 64-bit Linux, 64-bit Mac OS X, 64-bit Windows, and 32-bit Windows.

See the FileExchange entry for more information.

[lily liu]

I had created a rosmsg and the custom msg can be found in the rosmsg list,but can't be selected in simulink,.How come like this?How am I supposed to do?thank you!

[Jakob Klein]

I have the same issue as lily liu.

Is there any way to deal with this?

[Yashwanth AVS]

Even I have the same problem as https://in.mathworks.com/matlabcentral/answers/182701-how-can-i-use-custom-ros-messages-with-robotics-system-toolbox#comment_580815

Answer 2

[Massimo Satler]

Today it is officially supported. See here for more details:

https://www.mathworks.com/help/supportpkg/robotmanipulator/ug/customize-ros-messages.html?searchHighlight=Matlab%20custom%20message&s_tid=srchtitle