This example shows how to create a ROS action client and execute the action. Action types must be set up beforehand with an action server running.

You must have set up the '/fibonacci' action type. To run this action server, use the following command on the ROS system:

rosrun actionlib_tutorials fibonacci_server

Connect to a ROS network. You must be connected to a ROS network to gather information about what actions are available. Replace ipaddress with your network address.

ipaddress = '192.168.17.129';
rosinit(ipaddress,11311)

Initializing global node /matlab_global_node_01856 with NodeURI http://192.168.17.1:57693/

List actions available on the network. The only action set up on this network is the '/fibonacci' action.

rosaction list

/fibonacci

Create an action client. Specify the action name.

[actClient,goalMsg] = rosactionclient('/fibonacci');

Wait for the action client to connect to the server.

waitForServer(actClient);

The fibonacci action will calculate the fibonacci sequence for a given order specified in the goal message. The goal message was returned when creating the action client and can be modified to send goals to the ROS action server.

goalMsg.Order = 8

goalMsg = 
  ROS FibonacciGoal message with properties:

    MessageType: 'actionlib_tutorials/FibonacciGoal'
          Order: 8

  Use showdetails to show the contents of the message

Send the goal and wait for its completion. Specify a timeout of 10 seconds to complete the action.

[resultMsg,resultState] = sendGoalAndWait(actClient,goalMsg,10)

resultMsg = 
  ROS FibonacciResult message with properties:

    MessageType: 'actionlib_tutorials/FibonacciResult'
       Sequence: [10×1 int32]

  Use showdetails to show the contents of the message

resultState = 
'succeeded'

showdetails(resultMsg)

  Sequence :  [0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34]

Disconnect from the ROS network.

rosshutdown

Shutting down global node /matlab_global_node_01856 with NodeURI http://192.168.17.1:57693/

This example shows how to send and cancel goals for ROS actions. Action types must be setup beforehand with an action server running.

You must have set up the '/fibonacci' action type. To run this action server, use the following command on the ROS system:

rosrun actionlib_tutorials fibonacci_server

First, set up a ROS action client. Then, send a goal message with modified parameters. Finally, cancel your goal and all goals on the action server.

Connect to a ROS network with a specified IP address. Create a ROS action client connected to the ROS network using rosactionclient. Specify the action name. Wait for the client to be connected to the server.

rosinit('192.168.17.129',11311)

Initializing global node /matlab_global_node_59254 with NodeURI http://192.168.17.1:59729/

[actClient,goalMsg] = rosactionclient('/fibonacci');
waitForServer(actClient);

Send a goal message with modified parameters. Wait for the goal to finish executing.

goalMsg.Order = 4;
[resultMsg,resultState] = sendGoalAndWait(actClient,goalMsg)

resultMsg = 
  ROS FibonacciResult message with properties:

    MessageType: 'actionlib_tutorials/FibonacciResult'
       Sequence: [6×1 int32]

  Use showdetails to show the contents of the message

resultState = 
'succeeded'

showdetails(resultMsg)

  Sequence :  [0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5]

Send a new goal message without waiting.

goalMsg.Order = 5;
sendGoal(actClient,goalMsg)

Cancel the goal on the ROS action client, actClient.

cancelGoal(actClient)

Cancel all the goals on the action server that actClient is connected to.

cancelAllGoals(actClient)

Delete the action client.

delete(actClient)

Disconnect from the ROS network.

rosshutdown

Shutting down global node /matlab_global_node_59254 with NodeURI http://192.168.17.1:59729/