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FlexBE WebUI

FlexBE WebUI provides a user interface to FlexBE - The Flexible Behavior Engine.

The tool provides a graphical editor for design Hierarchical Finite State Machines (HFSM) for execution by the onboard Flexible Behavior Engine. During runtime, the UI enables the operator to supervise the execution of the onboard behavior, provide input where necessary, and take control if needed in what we term "collaborative autonomy".

This UI uses native Python and FastAPI along with a JavaScript-based web browser interface to interface with the Flexible Behavior Engine.

For detailed information on FlexBE see the documentation.

This version supersedes the 4.0.0 version of the flexbe_app interface. The flexbe_webui has the look of the classic flexbe_app with some notable improvements:

  • Ability to select and adjust the endpoints and labels of transitions.
  • Improved handling of concurrent states and embedded states requiring operator feedback.
  • Improved handling of exiting and losing unsaved changes, or exiting with running behavior.
  • Option to save behaviors to your development src folder in your workspace (in addition to install folder)
  • Native Python publishing and subscribing for easier development debugging of the UI
  • Exported json based configuration text file
  • Improved tab handling

Note: This version 4.0.0 of flexbe_webui is designed to work with version 4.0+ of the flexbe_behavior_engine. If using an earlier 3.x.x version of flexbe_behavior_engine, use either the flexbe_app or the "beta-enhanced" branch of flexbe_webui (preferred).

Installation

Clone the following repos into your ROS workspace (e.g. $WORKSPACE_ROOT/src or ros2_ws/src):

  • git clone https://github.com/FlexBE/flexbe_behavior_engine.git # if not already present via binary install
  • git clone https://github.com/FlexBE/flexbe_webui.git

Make sure that the branches are appropriate for your version (e.g. git checkout ros2-devel, iron, or jazzy as appropriate)

Note: This UI is designed for improved handling of concurrent state execution and is compatible with the ROS 2 version 4.+ of the flexbe_app; it will not work with older versions such as galactic or humble of the flexbe_behavior_engine . It is likely that the iron or ros2-devel versions of flexbe_behavior_engine should work on those older ROS 2 systems if you build from source.

Install any required dependencies.

  • rosdep update
  • rosdep install --from-paths src --ignore-src

The flexbe_webui requires consistent versions of several Python dependencies; these are specified in the install_requires field of the setup.py and the requires.txt file.

The system has currently been tested on Ubuntu 22.04 with the following Python packages pip installed locally via the requires.txt:

  • pip install websockets==10.3
  • pip install pydantic==1.10.13
  • pip install fastAPI==0.89.1
  • pip install PySide6==6.7.1

On Ubuntu 24.04 (i.e., for ROS 2 Jazzy), the system installs for sudo apt install python3-websockets python3-pydantic python3-fastapi are sufficient and can be installed via rosdep from the package.xml dependencies.

Unfortunately, PySide6 is not in the current Ubuntu 24.04 binaries. In 24.04 you are required to set up a virtual environment and cannot do a local install.

The following has been tested under 24.04. First go to your WORKSPACE_ROOT (e.g. ros2_ws) and run the following commands.

virtualenv -p python3 --system-site-packages ./venv
source ./venv/bin/activate
touch ./venv/COLCON_IGNORE
cd src/

This creates a venv folder that we will COLCON_IGNORE during builds.

NOTE: In this set up, we are choosing to use all the standard system dependencies (e.g. numpy as required by ROS message handling.) This approach is NOT strictly segregating your Python environment - "Caveat Emptor" for this new development.

Now colcon build from this environment.

If the Python files are not installed automatically, you can directly go to the $WORKSPACE_ROOT/src/flexbe_webui folder and :

  • pip install -r requires.txt to install all of the required files in the virtual environment.

This should install the required PySide6 in this activated virtual environment under $WORKSPACE_ROOT/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages.

To run, just add this site-packages path to your PYTHONPATH using:

  • export PYTHONPATH=$PYTHONPATH:$WORKSPACE_ROOT/venv/lib/python3.12/site-packages You do NOT need to activate the virtual environment to run this in the future, just be sure this venv path is added to your PYTHONPATH in terminals that need it.

Running the FlexBE Web-based User Interface.

To execute the runtime Operator Control Station (OCS) on one machine, you may choose one of either:

  • ros2 launch flexbe_webui flexbe_ocs.launch.py This runs all of the OCS including the PySide6-based UI client.

To assist in debugging development, or to run the UI on separate machine, we can start the webui_client separately

  • ros2 launch flexbe_webui flexbe_ocs.launch.py headless:=true

    headless:=true starts the main server node without the UI

Then one (and only one) of

  • ros2 run flexbe_webui webui_client

This starts the PySide6 UI in a single window and is the recommended mode.

  • python3 -m webbrowser -n http://127.0.0.1:8000

    Note:

    • The -n option opens web browser in a new window
    • Use -t instead to open in new tab in existing browser window.

  • Use http://127.0.0.1:8000 in your browser window

The port number 8000 can be changed and specified in the node invocation; see webui_node.py If running one separate machines, then the IP address must be changed accordingly. Use the --help to see command line options for changing the IP and port.

Note: This version of the flexbe_webui is inherently insecure! * Secure your robot control network from outside influence as the ports are known by default and no special security is in place.

We recommend running ros2 launch flexbe_webui flexbe_ocs.launch.py headless:=true with ros2 run flexbe_webui webui_client in a separate terminal for initial testing.

To run the full OCS nodes individually use

  • ros2 run flexbe_mirror behavior_mirror_sm --ros-args --remap __node:="behavior_mirror" -p use_sim_time:=False

    • This runs on OCS computer, listens to 'flexbe/mirror/outcome' topic to follow the state-to-state transitions. This allows the OCS to "mirror" what is happening onboard the robot

  • ros2 run flexbe_widget be_launcher --ros-args --remap name:="behavior_launcher" -p use_sim_time:=False

    • This node listens to the UI and sends behavior structures and start requests to onboard
    • This can also be used separately from UI to launch behavior either on start up or by sending requests

  • ros2 run flexbe_webui webui_node

    • Operates the web server that coordinates communication with UI

  • Run the UI, you may choose one of either:

    • ros2 run flexbe_webui webui_client (Recommended)
    • python3 -m webbrowser -n http://127.0.0.1:8000
      • Browser-based user interface
    • Use http://127.0.0.1:8000 in your browser window

To run the full FlexBE system, including the onboard behavior engine and the OCS, on one desktop in one terminal

  • ros2 launch flexbe_webui flexbe_full.launch.py

FlexBE State and Behavior Discovery

The system explores the ROS workspace searching for specific tags in the package.xml files.

State packages

A package is a state package for FlexBE if its package.xml declares the export of flexbe_states:

<package>
...
  <export>
    <flexbe_states />
  </export>
...
</package>

It is then expected to provide Python class definitions as described in Developing Basic States.

Example: flexbe_states

Behavior packages

A behavior package contains the code and manifest files generated by the FlexBE user interface.

Usually, you do not need to modify it manually. Again, a behavior package is identified by an export statement in its package.xml:

<package>
...
  <export>
    <flexbe_behaviors />
  </export>
...
</package>

A behavior package is expected to provide a manifest folder which contains the manifests for all provided behaviors. The behaviors are located in a Python module named like the package and contained in the src folder.

Publications

Please use the following publications for reference when using FlexBE and the FlexBE WebUI

Known issues

  • Restarting the UI does NOT load in current state

    • Stop behaviors before closing the UI
    • Load a new behavior when restarting UI

  • The flexbe_app will not save any custom transition adjustments made under flexbe_webui.

    • Placement will be lost if you resave under flexbe_app.

  • Starting the flexbe_webui client will display warning about Path override failed.

    • This is related to a browser spell checking dictionary issue and can be ignored.
    • Set environment variable export QTWEBENGINE_DICTIONARIES_PATH=~/.dict if dictionary is in that folder.

  • This version of the flexbe_webui is inherently insecure.

    • Secure your network from outside influence as the ports are known by default and no special security is in place.