Error Reported When Using Command 'colcon Build --merge-install‘

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Introduction

When attempting to build the VRX package using the command colcon build --merge-install, users may encounter an error message indicating that CMake cannot find the package configuration file provided by "catkin". This issue is particularly puzzling, as the same command is successfully used in the VRX installation tutorial. In this article, we will delve into the root cause of this problem and provide a step-by-step guide to resolve it.

Describe the Bug

The error message is as follows:

CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:31 (find_package): By not providing "Findcatkin.cmake" in CMAKE_MODULE_PATH this project has asked CMake to find a package configuration file provided by "catkin", but CMake did not find one. Could not find a package configuration file provided by "catkin" with any of the following names: catkinConfig.cmake catkin-config.cmake Add the installation prefix of "catkin" to CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH or set "catkin_DIR" to a directory containing one of the above files. If "catkin" provides a separate development package or SDK, be sure it has been installed.

This error message suggests that CMake is unable to locate the package configuration file provided by "catkin". This is a critical file that is required for building the VRX package.

Expected Behavior

The expected behavior is that the VRX package should be successfully installed using the command colcon build --merge-install.

To Reproduce

To reproduce this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Run the command colcon build --merge-install in the VRX workspace directory.
  2. Observe the error message indicating that CMake cannot find the package configuration file provided by "catkin".

System Configuration

The system configuration is as follows:

  • OS: Ubuntu 22.04 LTS
  • ROS Version: ROS 2, Humble
  • Gazebo Version: Gazebo garden
  • Graphics Card: Nvidia GTX 3090
  • Are you using VRX or VRX Classic? (The default is VRX).

Screenshots

The following screenshot shows the error message:

~/vrx_ws$ colcon build --merge-install
Starting >>> wave_gazebo_plugins
Starting >>> usv_msgs
Starting >>> wamv_description
--- stderr: wave_gazebo_plugins
CMake Deprecation Warning at CMakeLists.txt:1 (cmake_minimum_required):
  Compatibility with CMake < 2.8.12 will be removed from a future version of
  CMake.

  Update the VERSION argument <min> value or use a ...<max> suffix to tell
  CMake that the project does not need compatibility with older versions.


CMake Deprecation Warning at CMakeLists.txt:25 (cmake_policy):
  The OLD behavior for policy CMP0054 will be removed from a future version
  of CMake.

  The cmake-policies(7) manual explains that the OLD behaviors of all
  policies are deprecated and that a policy should be set to OLD only under
  specific short-term circumstances.  Projects should be ported to the NEW
  behavior and not rely on setting a policy to OLD.


CMake Error at CMakeLists.txt:31 (find_package):
  By not providing "Findcatkin.cmake" in CMAKE_MODULE_PATH this project has
  asked CMake to find a package configuration file provided by "catkin", but
  CMake did not find one.

  Could not find a package configuration file provided by "catkin" with any
  of the following names:

    catkinConfig.cmake
    catkin-config.cmake

  Add the installation prefix of "catkin" to CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH or set
  "catkin_DIR" to a directory containing one of the above files.  If "catkin"
  provides a separate development package or SDK, be sure it has been
  installed.


---
Failed <<< wave_gazebo_plugins [0.06s, exited with code 1]
Aborted <<< usv_msgs [0.06s]
Aborted <<< wamv_description [0.06s]

Summary: 0 packages finished [0.21s]
  1 package failed: wave_gazebo_plugins
  2 packages aborted: usv_msgs wamv_description
  3 packages had stderr output: usv_msgs wamv_description wave_gazebo_plugins
  7 packages not processed

Additional Notes

It is worth noting that the VRX installation tutorial uses the same command colcon build --merge-install without any issues. This suggests that the problem may be specific to the system configuration or the package dependencies.

Solution

To resolve this issue, follow these steps:

  1. Install the ros-humble-catkin package using the command sudo apt-get install ros-humble-catkin.
  2. Set the CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable to the installation prefix of the catkin package using the command export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/opt/ros/humble/share/catkin/cmake.
  3. Run the command colcon build --merge-install again to build the VRX package.

By following these steps, you should be able to resolve the error and successfully build the VRX package using the command colcon build --merge-install.

Conclusion

In this article, we have discussed the error reported when using the command colcon build --merge-install to build the VRX package. We have identified the root cause of the problem as the inability of CMake to locate the package configuration file provided by "catkin". We have provided a step-by-step guide to resolve this issue by installing the ros-humble-catkin package and setting the CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable. By following these steps, you should be able to successfully build the VRX package using the command colcon build --merge-install.

Introduction

In our previous article, we discussed the error reported when using the command colcon build --merge-install to build the VRX package. We identified the root cause of the problem as the inability of CMake to locate the package configuration file provided by "catkin". In this article, we will provide a Q&A section to address some of the common questions and concerns related to this issue.

Q: What is the cause of the error?

A: The error is caused by the inability of CMake to locate the package configuration file provided by "catkin". This file is required for building the VRX package.

Q: Why is CMake unable to locate the package configuration file?

A: CMake is unable to locate the package configuration file because it is not installed on the system. The ros-humble-catkin package needs to be installed to provide the package configuration file.

Q: How do I install the ros-humble-catkin package?

A: You can install the ros-humble-catkin package using the command sudo apt-get install ros-humble-catkin.

Q: What is the CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable?

A: The CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable is used to specify the installation prefix of the catkin package. This variable needs to be set to the installation prefix of the catkin package to allow CMake to locate the package configuration file.

Q: How do I set the CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable?

A: You can set the CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable using the command export CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH=/opt/ros/humble/share/catkin/cmake.

Q: What are the common issues that can cause this error?

A: Some common issues that can cause this error include:

  • The ros-humble-catkin package is not installed.
  • The CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable is not set correctly.
  • The package configuration file is not available in the specified location.

Q: How can I troubleshoot this issue?

A: To troubleshoot this issue, you can try the following steps:

  • Check if the ros-humble-catkin package is installed using the command dpkg -l ros-humble-catkin.
  • Check if the CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable is set correctly using the command echo $CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH.
  • Check if the package configuration file is available in the specified location using the command find /opt/ros/humble/share/catkin/cmake -name catkinConfig.cmake.

Q: What are the best practices for avoiding this error?

A: Some best practices for avoiding this error include:

  • Always install the required packages before building the VRX package.
  • Always set the CMAKE_PREFIX_PATH variable correctly before building the VRX package.
  • Always check if the package configuration file is available in the specified location before building the VRX package.

Conclusion

In this article, we have provided a Q&A section to address some of the common questions and concerns related to the error reported when using the command colcon build --merge-install to build the VRX package. We have discussed the cause of the error, the common issues that can cause this error, and the best practices for avoiding this error. By following these best practices and troubleshooting steps, you should be able to successfully build the VRX package using the command colcon build --merge-install.

Additional Resources

For more information on the VRX package and the colcon build command, please refer to the following resources:

Related Articles

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