Configuration files

Behaviour is set in YAML, not in code. Each launch file loads its package’s YAML from the installed share folder, and the YAML’s values replace the defaults declared in the code, so editing a default in a .py file changes nothing on the car. Every file on this page is shared by both cars. Values that differ between the cars are in each car’s profile, below, which launches load on top of the shared file. After editing a YAML, restart the launch that reads it; if the workspace was not built with --symlink-install, rebuild that package first.

Hardware and arbitration

File	Read by	Sets
vesc.yamlGitHub	The VESC driver, ackermann_to_vesc_node, vesc_to_odom_node	The VESC port and current and speed limits, the wheelbase, the throttle and servo smoothing. The speed and steering conversions, servo range and odometry gain are per car.
sensors.yamlGitHub	urg_node	The scan’s angle range and frame. The LiDAR’s connection is per car.
mux.yamlGitHub	ackermann_mux	Input priorities and timeouts
joy_teleop.yamlGitHub	joy_node, joy_teleop	The gamepad’s axes, the LB deadman for manual driving, full-stick speed. Full-stick steering is per car.
f1tenth_online_async.yamlGitHub	slam_toolbox	Upstream SLAM settings. Keep it unmodified.
slam_tracking.yamlGitHub	slam_toolbox, loaded on top	The workspace’s SLAM overrides. See SLAM and localization.

Per car

Each car’s values are in its profile, cars/rb1/Car 1 or cars/rb2/Car 2. A launch loads the shared file first, then the car’s calibration/ file of the same name, then its tuning/ file if one exists. A key in a later file replaces the same key in an earlier one, inside the same node block.

File in src/racerbot_car/cars/<id>/	Loaded on top of	Sets
car.yaml	Nothing; read by racerbot_car	The LiDAR and camera, the dashboard site, the measured full-lock angles, the USB IDs that only this car has
calibration/vesc.yaml	vesc.yaml	Speed to ERPM gain, servo map and range, odometry gain
calibration/sensors.yaml	sensors.yaml	The LiDAR’s serial port (car 1) or IP address and port (car 2)
calibration/joy_teleop.yaml	joy_teleop.yaml	Full-stick steering angle
calibration/gap_follow.yaml, pure_pursuit.yaml, neural_racer.yaml	The controller’s file	max_steering_angle, and gap_follow’s arc-guard correction limit
calibration/odom_calibration.yaml	odom_calibration.yaml	The wizard’s vehicle label, planner limit and starting calibration
imu/car.yaml, imu/calib/	Nothing; read by imu_bridge_node	IMU mount rotations and calibration
tuning/<file>.yaml	The calibration overlay	Per-car algorithm overrides, each with a # why: comment. A tuning file cannot relax a safety setting. Neither car has one.

See Git, submodules and car profiles for which kind of change goes where.

Driving

File	Read by	Sets
gap_follow.yamlGitHub	gap_follow_node	Every gap-follow limit. See Follow the gap.
pure_pursuit.yamlGitHub	pure_pursuit_node	Lookahead, speed limits, steering law, safety net, overtaking. See Pure pursuit.
auto_map_race.yamlGitHub	auto_map_race_node, map_course	Mapping laps, lap quality checks, the race planner’s profile and optimizer settings
waypoint_recorder.yamlGitHub	waypoint_recorder_node	Pose topic and frame, point spacing
neural_racer.yamlGitHub	neural_racer_node	Shadow mode, model, input timeouts, safety wrapper limits
src/racerbot_wiimote/racerbot_wiimote_driver/config/wiimote_teleop.yaml	The Wiimote’s joy_teleop	Wiimote speed and steering

The geometry values (wheelbase, car_width, car_length, laser_offset_x) appear in several of these files. Change them together, as listed in the workspace’s hardware reference.

Support

File	Read by	Sets
racerbot_launch/config/web_dashboard_rb1.yaml (car 1), web_dashboard_rb2.yaml (car 2)	web_dashboard, usb_cam_stream	The dashboard’s site, the LiDAR offset, which nodes it may tune or stop, the camera
imu_bridge.yamlGitHub	imu_bridge_node	IMU topics and where the IMU tools live (tools/imu_calibration/ in the workspace)
vehicle_state.yamlGitHub	vehicle_state_node	The speed filter, slip gate, gyro checks, gyro odometry
odom_calibration.yamlGitHub	The calibration wizard	Shared dimensions and rear track. The vehicle label, planner limit and starting calibration are per car.
src/particle_filter/config/localize.yaml	particle_filter	Particle count, ray casting, motion and sensor model
racerbot_doctor/car.pyGitHub	The doctor	Every threshold it checks, each with its source. A Python file, not YAML.

Steering limits must agree

Four steering limits must stay in order: the servo range in the car’s calibration/vesc.yaml must reach full stick in its calibration/joy_teleop.yaml, which is above the autonomy limit in its calibration/gap_follow.yaml and calibration/pure_pursuit.yaml, which is above the shared planner limit in auto_map_race.yaml. test_steering_limits_fit_servo.pyGitHub fails for either car if they do not.