Here we‘ll create the service ("add_two_ints_server") node which will receive two ints and return the sum.

Change directories to your beginner_tutorials package you created in your catkin workspace previous tutorials:

roscd beginner_tutorials

Writing a Service Node

Please make sure you have followed the directions in the previous tutorial for creating the service needed in this tutorial, creating the AddTwoInts.srv (be sure to choose the right version of build tool you‘re using at the top of wiki page in the link).

#include "ros/ros.h"
#include "beginner_tutorials/AddTwoInts.h"

bool add(beginner_tutorials::AddTwoInts::Request  &req,
         beginner_tutorials::AddTwoInts::Response &res)
{
  res.sum = req.a + req.b;
  ROS_INFO("request: x=%ld, y=%ld", (long int)req.a, (long int)req.b);
  ROS_INFO("sending back response: [%ld]", (long int)res.sum);
  return true;
}

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
  ros::init(argc, argv, "add_two_ints_server");
  ros::NodeHandle n;

  ros::ServiceServer service = n.advertiseService("add_two_ints", add);
  ROS_INFO("Ready to add two ints.");
  ros::spin();

  return 0;
}

Code Explained

#include "ros/ros.h"
#include "beginner_tutorials/AddTwoInts.h"

beginner_tutorials/AddTwoInts.h is the header file generated from the srv file that we created earlier.

bool add(beginner_tutorials::AddTwoInts::Request  &req,
         beginner_tutorials::AddTwoInts::Response &res)

This function provides the service for adding two ints, it takes in the request and response type defined in the srv file and returns a boolean.

{
  res.sum = req.a + req.b;
  ROS_INFO("request: x=%ld, y=%ld", (long int)req.a, (long int)req.b);
  ROS_INFO("sending back response: [%ld]", (long int)res.sum);
  return true;
}

Here the two ints are added and stored in the response. Then some information about the request and response are logged. Finally the service returns true when it is complete.

  ros::ServiceServer service = n.advertiseService("add_two_ints", add);

Here the service is created and advertised over ROS.

Writing the Client Node

#include "ros/ros.h"
#include "beginner_tutorials/AddTwoInts.h"
#include <cstdlib>

int main(int argc, char **argv)
{
  ros::init(argc, argv, "add_two_ints_client");
  if (argc != 3)
  {
    ROS_INFO("usage: add_two_ints_client X Y");
    return 1;
  }

  ros::NodeHandle n;
  ros::ServiceClient client = n.serviceClient<beginner_tutorials::AddTwoInts>("add_two_ints");
  beginner_tutorials::AddTwoInts srv;
  srv.request.a = atoll(argv[1]);
  srv.request.b = atoll(argv[2]);
  if (client.call(srv))
  {
    ROS_INFO("Sum: %ld", (long int)srv.response.sum);
  }
  else
  {
    ROS_ERROR("Failed to call service add_two_ints");
    return 1;
  }

  return 0;
}

Code Explained

ros::ServiceClient client = n.serviceClient<beginner_tutorials::AddTwoInts>("add_two_ints");

This creates a client for the add_two_ints service. The ros::ServiceClient object is used to call the service later on.

  beginner_tutorials::AddTwoInts srv;
  srv.request.a = atoll(argv[1]);
  srv.request.b = atoll(argv[2]);

Here we instantiate an autogenerated service class, and assign values into its request member. A service class contains two members, request and response. It also contains two class definitions, Request and Response.

if (client.call(srv))

This actually calls the service. Since service calls are blocking, it will return once the call is done. If the service call succeeded, call() will return true and the value in srv.response will be valid. If the call did not succeed, call() will return false and the value in srv.response will be invalid.

Building your nodes

(CMakeLists.txt) add the following at the end:

add_executable(add_two_ints_server src/add_two_ints_server.cpp)
target_link_libraries(add_two_ints_server ${catkin_LIBRARIES})
add_dependencies(add_two_ints_server beginner_tutorials_gencpp)

add_executable(add_two_ints_client src/add_two_ints_client.cpp)
target_link_libraries(add_two_ints_client ${catkin_LIBRARIES})
add_dependencies(add_two_ints_client beginner_tutorials_gencpp)

This will create two executables, add_two_ints_server and add_two_ints_client, which by default will go into package directory of your devel space, located by default at ~/catkin_ws/devel/lib/<package name>. You can invoke executables directly or you can use rosrun to invoke them. They are not placed in ‘<prefix>/bin‘ because that would pollute the PATH when installing your package to the system. If you wish for your executable to be on the PATH at installation time, you can setup an install target, see: catkin/CMakeLists.txt

catkin_make

Examining

rosrun beginner_tutorials add_two_ints_server
#Ready to add two ints.
rosrun beginner_tutorials add_two_ints_client 1 3
#Requesting 1+3
#1 + 3 = 4