[ROS python script] Forest grow after python scripts changes

[lucovizzi]

System Info

• OS: Ubuntu Focal [20.04.4 LTS x86_64]
• Kernel: 5.13.0-51-generic
• ros distro: noetic

---

Report

In the CMakeList.txt I added the following statement in order to ensure that the python script gets installed properly:

catkin_install_python(PROGRAMS scripts/<my_script.py>
  DESTINATION ${CATKIN_PACKAGE_BIN_DESTINATION}
)

Instead of running forest grow <my_pkg> only once, I've to repeat that command after every changes in the python script. This has to be done before launching the node with rosrun <my_pkg> <my_script.py>

[MarcoRuzzon]

From https://nu-msr.github.io/me495_site/lecture02_catkin.html

The devel space is configured to access python scripts directly from the src. This means you don't need to rebuild every time your python code changes. With the install space, you would need to run catkin_make after every change.

As of now, Forest does not have a devel space and its install space behaves in the same way as catkin's: you would need to run forest grow after every change.

For sure, it would be useful to support an editable install for python scripts.