ROS Noetic Docker with GUI

This repository helps in running ROS Noetic on non-supported devices. It has been tested on Ubuntu 22 and 24. It has not been tested on Windows and Mac.

Prerequisites

• Docker installed. Follow the instructions here.
• On Linux, make sure to follow the Docker post-install steps here.

Cloning the Repository

First, clone the repository and navigate to the directory:

git clone https://github.com/harishkumarbalaji/ROS-noetic-docker.git
cd ROS-noetic-docker

Building the Docker Image

With NVIDIA GPU (Linux only)

If you have an NVIDIA GPU, ensure you have the correct drivers installed and test them:

nvidia-smi

If nvidia-smi is not found, install the NVIDIA drivers. Follow the instructions here.

Next, install NVIDIA Container Toolkit and configure the runtime. Follow the instructions here.

Building the Image

Use Docker Compose to build the image:

docker-compose build

Running the Container

Note: If you are using without NVIDIA GPU, check the comments in the Docker Compose file and make the corresponding changes before you start the container.

Start the container using Docker Compose:

docker-compose up -d

Accessing the Container

To execute into the container in another terminal:

docker exec -it ros-noetic-container bash

Running RViz

To check if the GUI is working from the container, run:

source /opt/ros/noetic/setup.bash
rviz

Note: Make sure to run roscore in another terminal before you run RViz or any nodes.

This should open the RViz GUI.

Usage Tips and Instructions

Using Host Volume

You can use the host volume under the container's home directory inside the username folder. This allows you to build and run files that are on the host machine. For example, if you have a file on the host machine at /home/username/project, you can access it inside the container at /home/username/host/project.

Using Dev Containers Extension in VSCode

To have a good developer environment inside the Docker container, you can use the Dev Containers extension in VSCode. Follow these steps:

1. Install the Dev Containers extension in VSCode.
2. Open the cloned repository in VSCode.
3. Press ctrl+shift+p(or select the remote explorer icon from the left bar) and select Dev-Containers: Attach to Running Container....
4. Select the container name ros-noetic-container.
5. Once attached, Select File->Open Folder....
6. Select the folder/workspace you want to open in the container.

This will set up the development environment inside the Docker container, allowing you to use VSCode features seamlessly.