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Before you do, you have to launch a YARP server and a YARP run server.
 
Before you do, you have to launch a YARP server and a YARP run server.
  
From the Windows 7 toolbar, launch a ''Command Prompt'' terminal and do the following.
+
From the Windows 10 toolbar, launch a ''Command Prompt'' terminal and do the following.
  
 
  yarp server
 
  yarp server
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This allows YARP to overwrite the  YARP configuration file with the IP address of the computer.  In some instances, e.g. when setting up your own network of YARP servers, you may want to define your own static IP addresses for every computer on the network which you want to use as a YARP run server.  Instructions on how to do this will be provided in due course.
 
This allows YARP to overwrite the  YARP configuration file with the IP address of the computer.  In some instances, e.g. when setting up your own network of YARP servers, you may want to define your own static IP addresses for every computer on the network which you want to use as a YARP run server.  Instructions on how to do this will be provided in due course.
  
== Using ''gyarpmanger'' to manage CINDY applications ==
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== Using ''yarpmanger'' to manage CINDY applications ==
  
 
CINDY software is just as set of interconnected components and CINDY software applications are defined by identifying the components to be used, the computers (nodes) on which they are to be run, and the connections between the various components.  All this is done with a <code>.xml</code> application file, normally stored in the <code>app</code> directory.
 
CINDY software is just as set of interconnected components and CINDY software applications are defined by identifying the components to be used, the computers (nodes) on which they are to be run, and the connections between the various components.  All this is done with a <code>.xml</code> application file, normally stored in the <code>app</code> directory.
  
  
YARP provides a GUI tool to help you run these application.  This is called ''gyarpmanager''.   It is a powerful tool and you can read more about it [http://wiki.icub.org/yarpdoc/yarpmanager.html here].  For the present, just note that ''gyarpmanager'' can read a <code>.ini</code> configuration file to find out where the applications are (among other things).
+
YARP provides GUI and a console/terminal tools to help you run these application.  This is called ''yarpmanager'' and ''yarpmanager-console''. These are powerful tools and you can read more about them [https://www.yarp.it/latest/group__yarpmanager.html here].  For the present, just note that ''yarpmanager'' can read a <code>.ini</code> configuration file to find out where the applications are (among other things).
  
  
There is a default <code>ymanager.ini</code> file in the root of the CINDY directory and it simply tells ''gyarpmanager'' to look for all application <code>.xml</code> files under the <code>release</code> directory.
+
There is a default <code>ymanager.ini</code> file in the root of the CINDY directory and it simply tells ''yarpmanager'' to look for all application <code>.xml</code> files under the <code>release</code> directory.
  
 
So, to finally get started, launch another (i.e. a third)  ''Command Prompt'' terminal, change directory to the CINDY root directory and enter ''gyarpmanager''
 
So, to finally get started, launch another (i.e. a third)  ''Command Prompt'' terminal, change directory to the CINDY root directory and enter ''gyarpmanager''
  
  C:/CINDY>gyarpmanager
+
  C:/CINDY>yarpmanager
  
Once this tool has been launched, you need to open the applications you want to run.  Do this by opening on the Applications folder on the left-hand side and double-clicking on the application you are interested in.  Find the one labelled <code>protoComponent_test'</code> (included with the original release of the CINDY repository) and double-click on it.
+
On my implementation of YARP, this launches the console tool, rather than the GUI tool, so the following instructions assume you are using the console version of ''yarpmanager''.
  
 +
Once this tool has been launched, you need to open the applications you want to run. First, list the applications that are available by entering the following command.
  
Now, click the ''Run'' the on the ''protoComponent_test'' interface panel.  It will launch two components. The first one - <code>imageSource</code> - streams images from a file to a port (simulating a camera). The second one - <code>protoComponent</code> - takes these images and does some simple image processing (binary thresholding).
+
>> list app
 +
 
 +
One of the apps is attentionGUI. Load it as follows.
 +
 
 +
>> load app attentionGUI
 +
 
 +
Now run the components as follows.
 +
 
 +
>> run 0
 +
>> run 1
 +
>> run 3
 +
>> connect
 +
 
 +
You can stop the application as follows.
 +
 
 +
>> disconnect
 +
>> stop 0
 +
>> stop 1
 +
>> stop 2
 +
 
 +
You can get help.
 +
 
 +
>> help
 +
 
 +
Or just exit ''yarpmanager''.
 +
 
 +
>> exit
 +
 
 +
 
 +
<!-- Do this by opening on the Applications folder on the left-hand side and double-clicking on the application you are interested in.  Find the one labelled <code>protoComponent_test</code> (included with the original release of the CINDY repository) and double-click on it.
 +
 
 +
 
 +
Now, click the ''Run'' the on the ''protoComponent_test'' interface panel.  It will launch four components. The first one - <code>imageSource</code> - streams images from a file to a port (simulating a camera). The second one - <code>protoComponent</code> - takes these images and does some simple image processing (binary thresholding). The other two components are Yarpview components to display the image data.
  
  
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Click ''Stop'' to stop the application, i.e. the two components.
 
Click ''Stop'' to stop the application, i.e. the two components.
 +
 +
 +
Now try running the <code>protoComponentGUI_test</code> application.  It will launch three components, replacing the two Yarpview components  with a dedicated  <code>protoComponentGUI</code> component to display the images and set the threshold interactively. -->
  
  
 
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Return to [[The CINDY Cognitive Architecture]] main page.
 
Return to [[The CINDY Cognitive Architecture]] main page.

Latest revision as of 07:43, 10 July 2025

This guide explains how to use YARP and YARP tools to manage and run CINDY applications comprising a collection of components.

Setting up your machine: Running YARP

Once you have installed the CINDY software development environment you are (almost) ready to run the CINDY applications.

Before you do, you have to launch a YARP server and a YARP run server.

From the Windows 10 toolbar, launch a Command Prompt terminal and do the following.

yarp server

This launches the YARP name server.

Now, launch another Command Prompt terminal and do this.

yarp run --server /cindy1

This creates a run server named /cindy1 and is used by YARP to find out where to execute the components in the application.


If the YARP name server complains about an invalid IP address, then do

yarp server --write

and again in another terminal

yarp run --server /cindy1

This allows YARP to overwrite the YARP configuration file with the IP address of the computer. In some instances, e.g. when setting up your own network of YARP servers, you may want to define your own static IP addresses for every computer on the network which you want to use as a YARP run server. Instructions on how to do this will be provided in due course.

Using yarpmanger to manage CINDY applications

CINDY software is just as set of interconnected components and CINDY software applications are defined by identifying the components to be used, the computers (nodes) on which they are to be run, and the connections between the various components. All this is done with a .xml application file, normally stored in the app directory.


YARP provides GUI and a console/terminal tools to help you run these application. This is called yarpmanager and yarpmanager-console. These are powerful tools and you can read more about them here. For the present, just note that yarpmanager can read a .ini configuration file to find out where the applications are (among other things).


There is a default ymanager.ini file in the root of the CINDY directory and it simply tells yarpmanager to look for all application .xml files under the release directory.

So, to finally get started, launch another (i.e. a third) Command Prompt terminal, change directory to the CINDY root directory and enter gyarpmanager

C:/CINDY>yarpmanager

On my implementation of YARP, this launches the console tool, rather than the GUI tool, so the following instructions assume you are using the console version of yarpmanager.

Once this tool has been launched, you need to open the applications you want to run. First, list the applications that are available by entering the following command.

>> list app

One of the apps is attentionGUI. Load it as follows.

>> load app attentionGUI

Now run the components as follows.

>> run 0
>> run 1
>> run 3
>> connect

You can stop the application as follows.

>> disconnect
>> stop 0
>> stop 1
>> stop 2

You can get help.

>> help

Or just exit yarpmanager.

>> exit




Return to The CINDY Cognitive Architecture main page.