How to copy your MAVSDK Python Docker container and edit the files?

[Alfonso Ponce]

Hello! I'm new to Dockers, as well as everything about drones basically. I have done everything needed to run the takeoff_and_land2.py file using MAVSDK Python using your documentation. What I want to try now is do the exact same (using a Docker container) but instead of running the takeoff_and_land2.py file use another python code to experiment.

How am I able to copy your container and just replace the .py files for other .py files and begin experimenting with the drone (I use an m500 and a Linux host PC)? Is this the easiest way to do this (using Docker containers)?

Thank you!

[Chad Sweet]

Great to hear you got the tutorial up and running.

One thing you could do is use the '-v' option of docker run to share a directory between the docker and base image, documentation here: https://docs.docker.com/engine/reference/commandline/run/

You can edit your code on your PC and push to the target in the shared folder to access inside of the Docker

[ryan_meagher]

You can add a directory from your host machine which has whatever python files you wish to add via adding a src directory path and mapping it to a path in the containers file structure.

docker run -it --rm -v /host_src_dir_path:/container_dir_path --privileged --net=host <img>:<tag>

Upon running the docker container, the directory from /host_src_dir_path will be available at /container_dir_path

[Alfonso Ponce]

Thank you very much @ryan_meagher
I just have some basic questions about this you're telling me. Remember I'm new to this

According to the instructions in this README repository from ModalAI:

https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-docker-images/voxl-docker-mavsdk-python

I’ve been able to do everything for the example program to run in the drone, however I’m not sure which is the container’s directory path that I need to add in the command you’re telling me. The directory in my host machine is just the path where the .py files would be right? Also, I haven't build the image (as it says it's optional) because I'm not sure what benefits does that bring. I don't even know if I have to build the image inside the drone or inside my computer.

Anyway, here are the commands I use to make an SSH connection to the drone and start the terminal.

(base) ponchoponce95@ponchoponce95-Lenovo-Y50-70:~$ ssh root@10.96.67.121
root@10.96.67.121's password: 
~ # docker run -it --rm --privileged --net=host gcr.io/modalai-public/voxl-mavsdk-python:v1.1 /bin/bash
root@apq8096:/home# 

So in order to access my .py files in my computer, instead of typing:

docker run -it --rm --privileged --net=host gcr.io/modalai-public/voxl-mavsdk-python:v1.1 /bin/bash

I must type:

docker run -it --rm -v /Home/Rutinas:/home --privileged --net=host gcr.io/modalai-public/voxl-mavsdk-python:v1.1 /bin/bash

???

Because that last command is telling me that it can't find the .py files that I have inside my Rutinas folder.

[modaltb]

First off, thanks @ryan_meagher for the assitance!!!

@Alfonso-Ponce ,

Although you can build on a host computer, you need to understand how to build for ARM, so if you aren't comfortable with that it's easier to build on target (on the VOXL). Here's a good overview: https://www.stereolabs.com/docs/docker/building-arm-container-on-x86/

A docker container is typically a self contained "box", and you can build the files into the container at BUILD time of said container.

Like @ryan_meagher mentioned, you can also use mounting to 'copy' files into the container at startup, for example, here's the source to the voxl-docker script (used on host computer) to mount files into the container from the current working directory: https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/utilities/voxl-docker/-/blob/master/files/voxl-docker.sh#L102

What you have above needs to be updated to valid paths ON THE VOXL. /Home/Rutinas likely doesn't exist on VOXL.... unless you've made a 'Rutinas' diectory

Here's a defeault /home

/home # ls
adb   audio	 camera    input  root	   system
apps  bluetooth  graphics  radio  sensors 

You could instead make a new directory put the files you want to mount in /home/root/rutinas

/home # cd root/
~ # ls
my_ros_env.sh  voxl-suite-ipk
~ # mkdir rutinas
~ # cd rutinas/
~/rutinas # pwd
/home/root/rutinas

If you mount it like this /home/root/rutinas:/home you will 'overwrite' or hide the default /home in the docker container btw, so the original files will be gone (e.g. all the files copied here...)

https://gitlab.com/voxl-public/voxl-docker-images/voxl-docker-mavsdk-python/-/blob/master/Dockerfile#L27

So you want to mount to another place inside the container likely, perhaps:
/home/root/rutinas:/home/rutinas

[Alfonso Ponce]

@modaltb
Thank you very much again. Now I understand much more. The build-image.sh file that was in the repository is just a code that builds the image inside the VOXL even though I run it in my PC. In the beginning I thought that this file had to be run inside the VOXL.

Ok so I just built the image using that file and everything went well (I understand the image was built inside VOXL). I created a directory just like you mentioned inside the VOXL and I know how to copy my python files to the new directory I created inside the VOXL, until there everything fine. Now, how do I know the containers directory? How do I acces to it? How do I create a new folder in it if I don't know where it is?
And finally, does it matter where do I mount my files inside the container? If I run the

python3 my_own_exampe.py udp://:14551

Will it find it? Or where is that original takeoff_and_land2.py file inside the container?
In other words, how do I browse inside the container?

Thank you! And sorry for all these basic questions.

[Alfonso Ponce]

@modaltb Ok so I can see that by looking at the Dockerfile you linked, the directories of the container are listed there, but I still don't know how can I create a new directory inside /home for example.

[A Former User]

@Alfonso-Ponce
You surf in the terminal in docker or home like a standard linux terminal. So,
I think you should check first this for Linux commands and then this for Docker commands.

[Alfonso Ponce]

@Voxlady Thank you! In the end I was finally able to understand better how the VOXL shell and the Docker image/container were working together. I was able to mount the volume just like they recommended and I could send my .py files and execute them.