README.md

[![logo](logo_blaar.png)](http://blaar.org)

Basic Libraries And Applications for Robotics
=============================================

The goal of this light framework is to provide helpers and shortcuts with few abstractions letting you know what you are doing.
You are free to mix it with any low level code. The drawback is that you have to know what you are doing which is good in robotics.
The modules are minimalist in purpose. If you want more you are advised to use specialized libraries or tools but **blaar** should be helpful to make the integration. 

BLAAR is **open source** CeCILL v2.1 (compatible GPL v2).
**BLAAR** should work on **POSIX** systems. GNU/Linux (**Ubuntu/Raspbian**), Darwin (**Mac OSX**) and Bionic (**Android** not usable yet).
**BLAAR** is still under development, it is **not stable yet** but feel free to [ask improvement or notify issues](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/blaar/issues).

Install
=======

* [Mac OSX](INSTALL_OSX.md)
* [Ubuntu/Raspbian](INSTALL_UBUNTU.md)

Modules 
=======

Most of these modulea are installed by default

- [bapps](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/bapps.git): Basic Applications for C/C++ with no dependency to manipulate blc_channels (find max, generate oscillators, ...)

All the other modules are optional have dependencies

- [gnuplot](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/gnuplot.git) Allows to make graphs from data of blc_channels (require gnuplot)
- [gtk](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/gtk.git) Provides a graphical user interface. For now, it displays images.
- [png](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/png.git) Saves and loads png images.
- [sndfile](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/sndfile.git) Reads and writes sound files in with many sound formats. 

Specific Linux
--------------

- [asound](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/asound.git) Acquire or produce sound using Advanced Linux Sound Architecture library (require libasounddev).
- [i_v4l2_camera](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/i_v4l2_camera.git) Acquire images from a camera using Video 4 Linux library (require libv4l2dev).
 
Specific Mac OSX
----------------

- [coreaudio](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/asound.git) Acquire or produce sound using Apple Core Audio Frameworks
- [i_AV_camera](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/i_AV_camera.git)  Acquire images from cameras using Audio Video Foundation 

Specific raspberry pi
---------------------

The Linux of raspberry (raspbian) can be used like ubuntu but it has more functionalities to manage input outputs that why there is a specific package.

- [raspi](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/raspi.git) 
 
Usage 
=====

Adding submodules
-----------------

You will only have basic framework. You may add submodules as needed. To add modules use : `git submodule add <module repository>`. Once you have added a module, install it with **`./install.sh <module>|all`** 
**all** install all your cloned modules at once.

Example, install 'fftw' package:

    git submodule add https://promthe.u-cergy.fr/blaar/fftw.git
    ./install fftw

Update the installation
-----------------------

**`./update_and_install_all.sh`**

This will download the new code and install it for blaar and each submodule

Execution of programs 
---------------------

**`<binary> [--help] [args ...]`**
The availble blaar binaries are in `bin/` directory. All the binaries accept the **`--help`** option which shows a description of the project and details of possible others options. You can also use scripts which run a combinaison of binaries and other scripts. They are in `scripts/` directory and accept the **`-h`** option which shows a description of the project and details of possible others options.

Scriptting

In `scripts/` you have bash scripts which combine applications to produce higher level functionalities. They may require you add optional modules.

Development
===========

blibs - Basic Libraries
-----------------------

These libraries are a set of basic tools simplifying programmation. The programmer keeps full control on the program. You have shortcuts for classical functionalities and very little abstractions. You can freely mix blibs and low level C/C++ functions.

- [blc_core](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blibs/blc_core) : Generic helpers in C or C++ used by all other blaar projects
- [blc_channel](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blibs/blc_channel) : Tools to use shared memory in synchrone ( in test) and asynchrone mode 
- [blc_image](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blibs/blc_image) : Manipulate blc_array as images. Can load and save them as png files  
- [blc_program](https://promethe.u-cergy.fr/blibs/blc_program) : Parse arguments and interacts with user in commandline.

To get details about compilation and documentation of the functions, see [developement](DEVELOPMENT.md).

**SEE ALSO**  [examples](EXAMPLES.md) | [git](GIT.md) | [Frequently Asked Questions](FAQ.md)

Projects
========

- [![logo pinobo](http://www.etis.ensea.fr/neurocyber/blaar/images/pinobo_logo.png)PINOBO](http://blaar.org/pinobo.html) A robotic head

Other documentation
===================

How to cite
-----------

    @Misc{blaar,
       author =   {Arnaud Blanchard},
       title =    {{BLAAR} : {Basic Libraries And Applications for Robotics}},
       organization = {ETIS Laboratory, Cergy-Pontoise, 95000 FRANCE},
       howpublished = {url{http://blaar.org}},
       year = {2014--2018}
    }