Customize autoware universe repository but it is not flexible

[shmpwk]

We want to rewrite the files of tier4_localization_launch in the autoware universe repository with our own parameters.
This is a pain for us because once we change the file in the universe, it might affect the other universe files.
In other words, there is no flexibility, and to rewrite one parameter, another huge universe repository must be created.
Is that a correct way since the universe repo is for personal customization?
Or, in the future is it possible to use universe as a library without editing and change the parameters in the another repository?

[kenji-miyake]

Good question. We have a launch repository for that use case.
https://github.com/autowarefoundation/autoware_launch

You can fork this repository and customize only parameters.

But unfortunately, it's still under construction and all necessary parameters aren't configurable from autoware_launch.

Therefore, currently in TIER IV, we have copies of all launch files in the launch repository. (But it's not ideal.)
https://github.com/tier4/autoware_launch

[shmpwk]

currently in TIER IV, we have copies of all launch files in the launch repository. (But it's not ideal.)

You mean while https://github.com/tier4/autoware_launch is more ideal than https://github.com/autowarefoundation/autoware_launch in that the former has a launch file to which parameters can be specified.
But still, detailed parameters such as the parameters of this localization cannot be changed in https://github.com/tier4/autoware_launch.

I agree with you.
Maybe It is better to write detailed parameter settings in yaml and load them in the launch file?

[maxime-clem]

You can write custom launch files and parameter files outside of the universe repository for your own private project.

A simple thing you can test is to copy the pose_estimator.launch.xml and ndt_scan_matcher.param.yaml and modify the argument param_file of the launch file to use your copy of the parameter file.
As long as the package ndt_scan_matcher is built and its install path is in the AMENT_PREFIX_PATH (done when sourcing install/setup.bash), you can run the NDT node using your launch file with ros2 launch custom_pose_estimator.launch.xml.

[shmpwk]

Thank you, I will temporarily do as you say.