Add nccurses based frontend (#3)

Adds a simple curses based frontend, less featureful, but more performant with large number of topics than r2s_gw

Author: sgillen

.github/workflows/debian-packages.yml

@@ -128,8 +128,54 @@ jobs:
 
         # Verify packages are installed
         dpkg -s ros-${{ matrix.ros_distro }}-r2s-gw ros-${{ matrix.ros_distro }}-greenwave-monitor ros-${{ matrix.ros_distro }}-greenwave-monitor-interfaces
+      shell: bash
+
+    - name: Test ncurses_dashboard execution (no extra dependencies)
+      run: |
+        source /opt/ros/${{ matrix.ros_distro }}/setup.bash
+
+        # Test ncurses frontend BEFORE installing any pip dependencies
+        # This verifies it works with only stdlib (curses) from the debian package
+        echo "Testing ncurses_dashboard (no extra dependencies required)..."
+
+        # Start monitor node in background for ncurses to connect to
+        ros2 run greenwave_monitor greenwave_monitor > /dev/null 2>&1 & echo $! > /tmp/gwm_ncurses.pid
+        sleep 3
+
+        # Run ncurses frontend with simulated terminal and quit command
+        # Exit code 0 means clean exit (not 11 for SIGSEGV or 134 for SIGABRT)
+        set +e
+        timeout 10s script -qfec 'python3 -m greenwave_monitor.ncurses_frontend' /dev/null <<< $'q'
+        EXIT_CODE=$?
+        set -e
+
+        if [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 0 ]; then
+          echo "✓ ncurses_dashboard exited cleanly"
+        elif [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 124 ]; then
+          echo "✗ ncurses_dashboard timed out"
+          kill -9 "$(cat /tmp/gwm_ncurses.pid)" 2>/dev/null || true
+          exit 1
+        elif [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 11 ] || [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 139 ]; then
+          echo "✗ ncurses_dashboard crashed with SIGSEGV (code: $EXIT_CODE)"
+          kill -9 "$(cat /tmp/gwm_ncurses.pid)" 2>/dev/null || true
+          exit 1
+        elif [ $EXIT_CODE -eq 134 ]; then
+          echo "✗ ncurses_dashboard crashed with SIGABRT/core dump (code: $EXIT_CODE)"
+          kill -9 "$(cat /tmp/gwm_ncurses.pid)" 2>/dev/null || true
+          exit 1
+        else
+          echo "✓ ncurses_dashboard exited with code: $EXIT_CODE (acceptable)"
+        fi
 
-        # Install Python dependencies
+        # Cleanup
+        kill -INT "$(cat /tmp/gwm_ncurses.pid)" 2>/dev/null || true
+        sleep 1
+        kill -9 "$(cat /tmp/gwm_ncurses.pid)" 2>/dev/null || true
+      shell: bash
+
+    - name: Install Python dependencies for r2s_gw
+      run: |
+        # Install Python dependencies (only needed for r2s_gw, not ncurses)
         apt-get install -y python3-pip || true
         if [[ "${{ matrix.ros_distro }}" == "jazzy" || \
               "${{ matrix.ros_distro }}" == "kilted" || \

README.md

@@ -6,18 +6,24 @@ The diagnostics messages follow conventions from [Isaac ROS NITROS](https://gith
 
 Finally, we provide monitoring code as a standalone C++ header, which can be integrated into your own nodes.
 
-## Dashboard Interface
+## Dashboard Interfaces
 
-The Greenwave Monitor ships with a fork of [r2s](https://github.com/mjcarroll/r2s) to provide an intuitive terminal interface that displays real-time statistics for all monitored topics. Click around with your mouse and tab key, and see the bottom bar with keyboard shortcuts.
+The Greenwave Monitor provides two terminal-based dashboard options:
+
+### r2s_gw Dashboard (Rich TUI)
+Ships with a fork of [r2s](https://github.com/mjcarroll/r2s) to provide an intuitive terminal interface that displays real-time statistics for all monitored topics. Click around with your mouse and tab key, and see the bottom bar with keyboard shortcuts.
 
 ![r2s_gw + Greenwave Monitor Dashboard](docs/images/greenwave_r2s_dashboard.png)
 
+### ncurses Dashboard (Lightweight)
+A lightweight ncurses-based interface focused specifically on topic monitoring with keyboard navigation. Features color-coded status indicators, interactive frequency management, and filtering options.
+
 ## Key Features
 
 - **High Performance**: Up to 10x more CPU efficient than the built-in `ros2 topic hz` command
-- **Interactive Dashboard**: Real-time visualization of monitoring data with an easy-to-use terminal interface
-- **Dynamic Topic Management**: Add or remove topics from monitoring without restarting
-- **Topic Status Indicators**: Color-coded topic status to easily catch topics that are not working as expected
+- **Multiple Dashboard Options**: Choose between rich TUI (r2s_gw) or lightweight ncurses interface
+- **Real-time Monitoring**: Live visualization of topic rates, latency, and status with color-coded indicators
+- **Interactive Management**: Add/remove topics and set expected frequencies directly from the interface
 - **Universal Compatibility**: Displays diagnostics from any source that publishes a compatible `/diagnostics` topic, including NVIDIA Nova sensors and other hardware drivers
 
 ## Installation
@@ -34,27 +40,59 @@ source install/setup.sh
 
 ## Usage
 
-### Monitor Dashboard (Recommended)
+### Monitor Dashboards
+
+The easiest way to use Greenwave Monitor is with one of the all-in-one dashboard commands, which provide visibility into all diagnostics, including those from drivers that publish their own diagnostic data.
 
-The easiest way to use Greenwave Monitor is with the all-in-one dashboard, which provides visibility into all diagnostics, including those from drivers that publish their own diagnostic data:
+#### r2s_gw Dashboard (Rich TUI)
 
 ```bash
 ros2 run greenwave_monitor r2s_gw_dashboard
 ```
 
-This command:
-- Starts the greenwave monitor node in the background
-- Launches the r2s_gw TUI frontend in the foreground
-- Automatically handles cleanup when you exit
+Features:
+- Mouse and keyboard navigation
+- Tabbed interface (Topics, Nodes, Interfaces)
+- Rich text rendering and charts
+- Comprehensive ROS 2 system overview
+
+#### ncurses Dashboard (Lightweight)
+
+```bash
+ros2 run greenwave_monitor ncurses_dashboard
+```
+
+Features:
+- Keyboard-only navigation (↑/↓ arrows, Enter, etc.)
+- Real-time topic monitoring with color-coded status
+- Interactive frequency management (`f` to set, `c` to clear)
+- Topic filtering (`h` to hide unmonitored topics)
+- Minimal resource usage
+
+##### ncurses Dashboard Controls
+
+- **↑/↓ arrows**: Navigate topics
+- **Enter/Space**: Toggle monitoring for selected topic
+- **f**: Set expected frequency for selected topic
+- **c**: Clear expected frequency for selected topic
+- **h**: Toggle between showing all topics vs monitored only
+- **q**: Quit
+
+Both commands:
+- Start the greenwave monitor node in the background
+- Launch the respective frontend in the foreground
+- Automatically handle cleanup when you exit
 
 #### Dashboard Options
 
 ```bash
 # Launch with demo publisher nodes
 ros2 run greenwave_monitor r2s_gw_dashboard --demo
+ros2 run greenwave_monitor ncurses_dashboard --demo
 
 # Enable logging to a directory
 ros2 run greenwave_monitor r2s_gw_dashboard --log-dir /path/to/logs
+ros2 run greenwave_monitor ncurses_dashboard --log-dir /path/to/logs
 ```
 
 ### Manual Launch (ros2 topic hz mode)

greenwave_monitor/CMakeLists.txt

@@ -68,6 +68,7 @@ install(
 install(
   PROGRAMS
     scripts/r2s_gw_dashboard
+    scripts/ncurses_dashboard
   DESTINATION lib/${PROJECT_NAME}
 )