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BATTERY_PANEL_SETUP.md

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Argo Battery Status Panel for XFCE4

This document describes how to add battery status from the Argo sailboat system to the XFCE4 desktop panel.

Overview

The battery status panel displays real-time battery information from the argo_battery_water.py ROS2 node, including:

  • Battery voltage and percentage
  • Charging status
  • AC power presence
  • Critical alerts (low battery, saltwater intrusion, high humidity)

Files Created

  • scripts/battery_status_panel.py - Main battery status panel with continuous updates
  • scripts/battery_status_simple.py - Simple one-shot battery status display
  • scripts/battery_status_wrapper.sh - Wrapper script with ROS2 environment
  • scripts/argo_battery_panel.sh - Alternative launcher script
  • scripts/setup_battery_panel.sh - Setup and configuration script
  • .local/share/applications/argo-battery-panel.desktop - Desktop entry

Quick Setup

  1. Run the setup script:

    cd ~/argo
./scripts/setup_battery_panel.sh

  2. Follow the on-screen instructions to add the Generic Monitor plugin to your XFCE4 panel

Manual Setup

Option 1: Generic Monitor Plugin (Recommended)

  1. Right-click on the XFCE4 panel
  2. Select "Panel" → "Add New Items..."
  3. Choose "Generic Monitor" and click "Add"
  4. Right-click the new Generic Monitor and select "Properties"
  5. Configure the plugin:
    • Command: ~/argo/scripts/battery_status_genmon_wrapper.sh
    • Update interval: 10 seconds (or your preference)
    • Label: Leave empty or set to "Battery"
  6. Click "Close" to save

Option 2: Terminal Command

You can always check battery status manually:

~/argo/scripts/battery_status_wrapper.sh

Generic Monitor Plugin Features

The Generic Monitor plugin provides rich display capabilities:

  • Dynamic Icons: Changes based on battery status (charging, low, normal)
  • Color-coded Text: Green for normal, red for alerts
  • Detailed Tooltips: Hover to see comprehensive battery information
  • Click Actions: Click to open detailed status dialog (if zenity is available)
  • Real-time Updates: Configurable update interval (default: 10 seconds)

Display Format

The battery status displays with icons and text:

  • 🔋 7.2V (45%) 🔌⚡ - Normal battery with charging and AC power
  • 🔴 6.8V (15%) 🔋 - Low battery warning
  • 💧 7.1V (42%) 🔌 - Saltwater intrusion detected
  • 💦 7.3V (48%) ⚡ - High humidity detected
  • 🔋 Service unavailable - Battery service not available
  • 🔋 Error - Service error or timeout

Icons Legend

  • 🔋 - Normal battery
  • 🔴 - Low battery alert
  • 💧 - Saltwater intrusion
  • 💦 - High humidity
  • 🔌 - Charging active
  • ⚡ - AC power present

Troubleshooting

Battery Status Not Appearing

  1. Check if argo_battery_water node is running:

    ros2 service list | grep battery_status

  2. Test the display manually:

    ~/argo/scripts/battery_status_wrapper.sh

  3. Check ROS2 environment:

    source /opt/ros/humble/setup.bash
ros2 service call /battery_status std_srvs/srv/Trigger

Service Not Available

If the battery service is not available:

  1. Start the argo_battery_water node:

    python3 ~/argo/nodes/argo_battery_water.py

  2. Or start the full Argo system:

    al  # Using Argo CLI alias

Error Handling

The battery panel includes robust error handling:

  • Throttled logging: Errors are logged max once every 30 seconds
  • Graceful degradation: Shows "Service unavailable" when service is down
  • Automatic recovery: Resumes normal operation when service returns
  • Timeout handling: 2-second timeout for service calls

Configuration

Update Intervals

  • Panel script: 5 seconds (configurable with --update-interval)
  • Simple script: One-shot display
  • XFCE4 Generic Monitor: 10 seconds (recommended)

Customization

You can modify the display format by editing the _format_battery_display() method in the Python scripts.

Integration with Argo System

The battery panel integrates seamlessly with the Argo sailboat system:

  • Uses the existing /battery_status service from argo_battery_water.py
  • Respects the same error handling and logging patterns
  • Works with the Argo lifecycle management system
  • Compatible with simulation mode (shows mock data)

Dependencies

  • ROS2 Humble
  • Python 3
  • XFCE4 desktop environment
  • argo_battery_water.py node running
  • std_srvs ROS2 package

Notes

  • The panel will show "Service unavailable" when the Argo system is not running
  • Battery status updates automatically when the Argo system starts
  • No manual intervention required after initial setup
  • Works in both real hardware and simulation modes