Creating auto-transition option for nav2_util::LifecycleNode nodes without the need of a lifecycle manager

nav2_util/include/nav2_util/lifecycle_node.hpp

@@ -168,6 +168,11 @@ class LifecycleNode : public rclcpp_lifecycle::LifecycleNode
     return nav2_util::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
   }
 
+  /**
+   * @brief Automatically configure and active the node
+   */
+  void autostart();
+
   /**
    * @brief Perform preshutdown activities before our Context is shutdown.
    * Note that this is related to our Context's shutdown sequence, not the
@@ -207,6 +212,7 @@ class LifecycleNode : public rclcpp_lifecycle::LifecycleNode
   // Connection to tell that server is still up
   std::unique_ptr<bond::Bond> bond_{nullptr};
   double bond_heartbeat_period;
+  rclcpp::TimerBase::SharedPtr autostart_timer_;
 };
 
 }  // namespace nav2_util

nav2_util/src/lifecycle_node.cpp

@@ -21,6 +21,8 @@
 #include "lifecycle_msgs/msg/state.hpp"
 #include "nav2_util/node_utils.hpp"
 
+using namespace std::chrono_literals;
+
 namespace nav2_util
 {
 
@@ -40,6 +42,14 @@ LifecycleNode::LifecycleNode(
     this, "bond_heartbeat_period", rclcpp::ParameterValue(0.1));
   this->get_parameter("bond_heartbeat_period", bond_heartbeat_period);
 
+  bool autostart_node = false;
+  nav2_util::declare_parameter_if_not_declared(
+    this, "autostart_node", rclcpp::ParameterValue(false));
+  this->get_parameter("autostart_node", autostart_node);
+  if (autostart_node) {
+    autostart();
+  }
+
   printLifecycleNodeNotification();
 
   register_rcl_preshutdown_callback();
@@ -74,6 +84,24 @@ void LifecycleNode::createBond()
   }
 }
 
+void LifecycleNode::autostart()
+{
+  using lifecycle_msgs::msg::State;
+  autostart_timer_ = this->create_wall_timer(
+    0s,
+    [this]() -> void {
+      autostart_timer_->cancel();
+      RCLCPP_INFO(get_logger(), "Auto-starting node: %s", this->get_name());
+      if (configure().id() != State::PRIMARY_STATE_INACTIVE) {
+        RCLCPP_ERROR(get_logger(), "Auto-starting node %s failed to configure!", this->get_name());
+        return;
+      }
+      if (activate().id() != State::PRIMARY_STATE_ACTIVE) {
+        RCLCPP_ERROR(get_logger(), "Auto-starting node %s failed to activate!", this->get_name());
+      }
+    });
+}
+
 void LifecycleNode::runCleanups()
 {
   /*

nav2_util/test/test_lifecycle_node.cpp

@@ -26,6 +26,27 @@ class RclCppFixture
 };
 RclCppFixture g_rclcppfixture;
 
+class LifecycleTransitionTestNode : public nav2_util::LifecycleNode
+{
+public:
+  explicit LifecycleTransitionTestNode(rclcpp::NodeOptions options)
+  : nav2_util::LifecycleNode("test_node", "", options) {}
+
+  nav2_util::CallbackReturn on_configure(const rclcpp_lifecycle::State &) override
+  {
+    configured = true;
+    return nav2_util::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
+  }
+  nav2_util::CallbackReturn on_activate(const rclcpp_lifecycle::State &) override
+  {
+    activated = true;
+    return nav2_util::CallbackReturn::SUCCESS;
+  }
+
+  bool configured{false};
+  bool activated{false};
+};
+
 // For the following two tests, if the LifecycleNode doesn't shut down properly,
 // the overall test will hang since the rclcpp thread will still be running,
 // preventing the executable from exiting (the test will hang)
@@ -48,6 +69,30 @@ TEST(LifecycleNode, MultipleRclcppNodesExitCleanly)
   SUCCEED();
 }
 
+TEST(LifecycleNode, AutostartTransitions)
+{
+  auto executor = std::make_shared<rclcpp::executors::SingleThreadedExecutor>();
+  rclcpp::NodeOptions options;
+  auto node = std::make_shared<LifecycleTransitionTestNode>(options);
+  executor->add_node(node->get_node_base_interface());
+  executor->spin_some();
+  EXPECT_FALSE(node->configured);
+  EXPECT_FALSE(node->activated);
+  executor.reset();
+  node.reset();
+
+
+  executor = std::make_shared<rclcpp::executors::SingleThreadedExecutor>();
+  options.parameter_overrides({{"autostart_node", true}});
+  node = std::make_shared<LifecycleTransitionTestNode>(options);
+  executor->add_node(node->get_node_base_interface());
+  executor->spin_some();
+  EXPECT_TRUE(node->configured);
+  EXPECT_TRUE(node->activated);
+  executor.reset();
+  node.reset();
+}
+
 TEST(LifecycleNode, OnPreshutdownCbFires)
 {
   // Ensure the on_rcl_preshutdown_cb fires