Extend unload controller to unload all inactive controllers

ros2controlcli/doc/userdoc.rst

@@ -328,7 +328,7 @@ unload_controller
 .. code-block:: console
 
     $ ros2 control unload_controller -h
-    usage: ros2 control unload_controller [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...] controller_name
+    usage: ros2 control unload_controller [-h] [--spin-time SPIN_TIME] [-s] [--all-inactive] [-c CONTROLLER_MANAGER] [--include-hidden-nodes] [--ros-args ...] [controller_name]
 
     Unload a controller in a controller manager
 
@@ -340,12 +340,27 @@ unload_controller
       --spin-time SPIN_TIME
                             Spin time in seconds to wait for discovery (only applies when not using an already running daemon)
       -s, --use-sim-time    Enable ROS simulation time
+      --all-inactive        Unload all controllers currently in the 'inactive' state
       -c CONTROLLER_MANAGER, --controller-manager CONTROLLER_MANAGER
                             Name of the controller manager ROS node (default: controller_manager)
       --include-hidden-nodes
                             Consider hidden nodes as well
       --ros-args ...        Pass arbitrary arguments to the executable
 
+Either ``controller_name`` or ``--all-inactive`` must be given, but not both.
+
+Example unloading a single controller:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+    $ ros2 control unload_controller test_controller_name
+
+Example unloading every currently inactive controller:
+
+.. code-block:: console
+
+    $ ros2 control unload_controller --all-inactive
+
 cleanup_controller
 ----------------------
 

ros2controlcli/ros2controlcli/verb/unload_controller.py

@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
 # See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
 # limitations under the License.
 
-from controller_manager import unload_controller, bcolors
+from controller_manager import list_controllers, unload_controller, bcolors
 
 from ros2cli.node.direct import add_arguments
 from ros2cli.node.strategy import NodeStrategy
@@ -21,17 +21,67 @@
 from ros2controlcli.api import add_controller_mgr_parsers, LoadedControllerNameCompleter
 
 
+def get_inactive_controller_names(controllers):
+    """
+    Return the names of controllers currently in the 'inactive' state.
+
+    :return: list of controller name strings whose state == "inactive"
+    """
+    return [c.name for c in controllers if c.state == "inactive"]
+
+
 class UnloadControllerVerb(VerbExtension):
     """Unload a controller in a controller manager."""
 
     def add_arguments(self, parser, cli_name):
         add_arguments(parser)
-        arg = parser.add_argument("controller_name", help="Name of the controller")
+        arg = parser.add_argument(
+            "controller_name", nargs="?", default=None, help="Name of the controller"
+        )
         arg.completer = LoadedControllerNameCompleter()
+        parser.add_argument(
+            "--all-inactive",
+            action="store_true",
+            help="Unload all controllers currently in the 'inactive' state",
+        )
         add_controller_mgr_parsers(parser)
 
     def main(self, *, args):
+        if args.all_inactive and args.controller_name is not None:
+            print(
+                f"{bcolors.FAIL}Cannot use --all-inactive together with a controller_name{bcolors.ENDC}"
+            )
+            return 1
+
+        if not args.all_inactive and args.controller_name is None:
+            print(
+                f"{bcolors.FAIL}Either controller_name or --all-inactive is required{bcolors.ENDC}"
+            )
+            return 1
+
         with NodeStrategy(args).direct_node as node:
+            if args.all_inactive:
+                controllers = list_controllers(node, args.controller_manager).controller
+                controller_names = get_inactive_controller_names(controllers)
+                if not controller_names:
+                    print(f"{bcolors.OKBLUE}No inactive controllers to unload{bcolors.ENDC}")
+                    return 0
+
+                any_failed = False
+                for controller_name in controller_names:
+                    response = unload_controller(node, args.controller_manager, controller_name)
+                    if not response.ok:
+                        any_failed = True
+                        print(
+                            f"{bcolors.FAIL}Error unloading controller {controller_name}, check controller_manager logs{bcolors.ENDC}"
+                        )
+                        continue
+
+                    print(
+                        f"{bcolors.OKBLUE}Successfully unloaded controller {controller_name}{bcolors.ENDC}"
+                    )
+                return 1 if any_failed else 0
+
             response = unload_controller(node, args.controller_manager, args.controller_name)
             if not response.ok:
                 print(

ros2controlcli/test/test_unload_controller.py

@@ -0,0 +1,46 @@
+# Copyright 2026 PAL Robotics S.L.
+#
+# Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
+# you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
+# You may obtain a copy of the License at
+#
+#     http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
+#
+# Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
+# distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
+# WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
+# See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
+# limitations under the License.
+
+import unittest
+
+from controller_manager_msgs.msg import ControllerState
+
+from ros2controlcli.verb.unload_controller import get_inactive_controller_names
+
+
+class TestUnloadController(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_filters_only_inactive(self):
+        controllers = [
+            ControllerState(name="ctrl_active", state="active"),
+            ControllerState(name="ctrl_inactive_1", state="inactive"),
+            ControllerState(name="ctrl_unconfigured", state="unconfigured"),
+            ControllerState(name="ctrl_inactive_2", state="inactive"),
+        ]
+        self.assertEqual(
+            get_inactive_controller_names(controllers), ["ctrl_inactive_1", "ctrl_inactive_2"]
+        )
+
+    def test_no_inactive_returns_empty(self):
+        controllers = [
+            ControllerState(name="ctrl_active", state="active"),
+            ControllerState(name="ctrl_unconfigured", state="unconfigured"),
+        ]
+        self.assertEqual(get_inactive_controller_names(controllers), [])
+
+    def test_all_inactive(self):
+        controllers = [
+            ControllerState(name="ctrl_1", state="inactive"),
+            ControllerState(name="ctrl_2", state="inactive"),
+        ]
+        self.assertEqual(get_inactive_controller_names(controllers), ["ctrl_1", "ctrl_2"])