Sourcing the Modified File

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 84 views

Introduction

ROS 2 Humble is a popular open-source robotics framework that provides a wide range of tools and libraries for building robotic applications. However, one of the limitations of ROS 2 Humble is its support for shell scripting. While it provides excellent support for bash, it lacks support for other popular shells like zsh. In this article, we will explore how to add support for zsh in ROS 2 Humble.

System Details

To reproduce the steps outlined in this article, you will need to have ROS 2 Humble installed on your system. In this case, we are using ROS 2 Humble in a Docker container running on Ubuntu 22.04 with the OS' default Python 3.10.

Installing the Package

To add support for zsh in ROS 2 Humble, you will need to install the ros-command package. You can do this by running the following command:

sudo pip3 install ros-command

Modifying the `ros_command_setup.bash` File

After installing the package, you will need to modify the ros_command_setup.bash file to support zsh. You can do this by replacing the following line:

argcomplete=$(which register-python-argcomplete{,3})

with the following code:

if which register-python-argcomplete >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    argcomplete=$(which register-python-argcomplete)
elif which register-python-argcomplete3 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    argcomplete=$(which register-python-argcomplete3)
fi

This modification will allow you to use the roscd, roslaunch, rosmsg, etc. commands in your zsh shell.

Sourcing the Modified File

After modifying the ros_command_setup.bash file, you will need to source the modified file to apply the changes. You can do this by running the following command:

source $(get_ros_command_bash)

Full zsh Support

While the modification outlined above will allow you to use some of the ROS 2 Humble commands in your zsh shell, it is not enough to provide full zsh support. To achieve full zsh support, you will need to create a few more zsh-compatible scripts to mirror the bash-compatible ones. Some of the scripts you will need to create include:

get_current_setup_zsh.py
get_ros_command_zsh.py
ros_command_setup_zsh.py

These scripts will need to be written in Python and will need to be installed in the same location as the ros_command_setup.bash file.

Conclusion

Adding support for zsh in ROS 2 Humble is a relatively simple process that requires modifying the ros_command_setup.bash file and sourcing the modified file. However, to achieve full zsh support, you will need to create a few more zsh-compatible scripts to mirror the bash-compatible ones. With these modifications, you will be able to use the full range of ROS 2 Humble commands in your zsh shell.

Future Work

While the modification outlined above will provide full zsh support, there are still a few areas that need to be improved. Some of the areas that need to be improved include:

Documentation: The documentation for the ros_command_setup.bash file and the other scripts needs to be improved to make it easier for users to understand how to use the scripts.
Testing: The scripts need to be tested more thoroughly to ensure that they are working correctly.
Maintenance: The scripts need to be maintained regularly to ensure that they continue to work correctly.

By addressing these areas, we can make ROS 2 Humble more user-friendly and easier to use.

References

Acknowledgments

Q: What is ROS 2 Humble?

A: ROS 2 Humble is a popular open-source robotics framework that provides a wide range of tools and libraries for building robotic applications.

Q: What is zsh?

A: zsh (Z shell) is a Unix shell that is designed to be more powerful and flexible than the standard Bourne shell (sh). It is a popular choice among developers and system administrators due to its advanced features and customization options.

Q: Why is zsh support important for ROS 2 Humble?

A: zsh support is important for ROS 2 Humble because it allows users to use the full range of ROS 2 Humble commands in their zsh shell. This makes it easier for users to work with ROS 2 Humble and to build robotic applications.

Q: How do I add support for zsh in ROS 2 Humble?

A: To add support for zsh in ROS 2 Humble, you will need to modify the ros_command_setup.bash file and source the modified file. You will also need to create a few more zsh-compatible scripts to mirror the bash-compatible ones.

Q: What modifications do I need to make to the `ros_command_setup.bash` file?

A: You will need to replace the following line:

argcomplete=$(which register-python-argcomplete{,3})

with the following code:

if which register-python-argcomplete >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    argcomplete=$(which register-python-argcomplete)
elif which register-python-argcomplete3 >/dev/null 2>&1; then
    argcomplete=$(which register-python-argcomplete3)
fi

Q: What are the benefits of using zsh with ROS 2 Humble?

A: The benefits of using zsh with ROS 2 Humble include:

Improved performance: zsh is designed to be more efficient and faster than the standard Bourne shell (sh).
Advanced features: zsh has a wide range of advanced features that make it easier to work with ROS 2 Humble.
Customization options: zsh allows users to customize their shell to suit their needs.

Q: Are there any limitations to using zsh with ROS 2 Humble?

A: Yes, there are some limitations to using zsh with ROS 2 Humble. These include:

Compatibility issues: zsh may not be compatible with all ROS 2 Humble commands.
Limited documentation: the documentation for zsh and ROS 2 Humble may be limited.
Maintenance requirements: zsh and ROS 2 Humble may require regular maintenance to ensure that they continue to work correctly.

Q: How can I get help with using zsh with ROS 2 Humble?

A: You can get help with using zsh with ROS 2 Humble by:

Checking the documentation: the documentation for zsh and ROS 2 Humble may be able to provide the answers you need.
Searching online forums: online forums such as Stack Overflow and Reddit may have answers to your questions.
Reaching out to the community: the ROS 2 Humble community may be able to provide the help you need.

Q: What is the future of zsh support in ROS 2 Humble?

A: The future of zsh support in ROS 2 Humble is bright. The ROS 2 Humble community is working to improve zsh support and to make it easier for users to work with ROS 2 Humble.