ros2_medkit Diagnostics - Foxglove Extension

The ros2_medkit diagnosis layer, inside Foxglove.

Foxglove panels for the ros2_medkit diagnosis layer - the SOVD-aligned REST + SSE gateway that turns a ROS 2 failure into a structured fault. Foxglove already shows you the data; these panels put the diagnostics right next to it, so you don't have to curl the API or run a separate web UI. Without leaving Foxglove you can:

• Browse the SOVD entity tree (areas -> components -> apps) and inspect each entity's data, operations, configurations, logs and faults.
• Read and publish topics, run service and action operations, and edit ROS 2 parameters.
• Watch structured faults stream in live (code, severity, source, lifecycle) and control entity lifecycle (start / restart / shutdown).
• Inspect the gateway itself - version, capabilities and API entry points.

The panels talk to the gateway over REST and SSE. Set the gateway URL (default http://localhost:8080) once in any panel's settings; it is shared across all panels.

Panels

ros2_medkit Entity Browser

A tree of areas -> components -> apps. Selecting an entity opens its resource tabs, shown only for the capabilities the gateway reports (each with a count badge):

• Data - read a topic's latest value, or publish a message to it (a schema-driven form when the gateway exposes the topic schema, otherwise a raw JSON editor).
• Operations - build a request/goal form from the operation schema, run service or action operations, and for actions poll execution status with progress, cancel and per-operation history.
• Configurations - type-aware editors per ROS 2 parameter (bool toggle, int/double inputs, string field, JSON for arrays), with per-parameter Reset and a Reset-all; parameters the gateway marks read-only are locked.
• Logs - query entity logs with a severity filter and context search; expandable rows show the source location (file:line) and full timestamp; optional auto-refresh pauses while the panel is hidden.

Apps and components also get a lifecycle control: a readiness badge plus a lamp on the tree node, and start / restart / shutdown transitions gated by the reported readiness. Disabled buttons are greyed and explained, every transition except Start confirms first, and each result is reported with a toast.

ros2_medkit Faults Dashboard

Real-time monitoring of all system faults: severity summary cards, SSE live streaming, severity filtering, and fault clearing.

ros2_medkit Updates

The SOVD /updates package catalog. Register packages (with client-side validation) and run Prepare, Execute, Prepare & execute or Delete with live status polling and per-update progress. Destructive actions confirm first, and a clear banner is shown when the gateway has no UpdateProvider (HTTP 501).

ros2_medkit Server Info

Gateway overview: server version, supported capabilities, and API entry points.

Prerequisites

• A running ros2_medkit gateway (default at http://localhost:8080/api/v1)
• Foxglove Studio (desktop app or web)

Quick Start

# Install dependencies
npm install

# Build the extension
npm run build

# Install into Foxglove Studio (local development)
npm run local-install

# Package for distribution (.foxe file)
npm run package

After local-install, restart Foxglove Studio and add panels from the panel menu:

• ros2_medkit Entity Browser
• ros2_medkit Faults Dashboard
• ros2_medkit Updates
• ros2_medkit Server Info

Configuration

Each panel has a settings editor (gear icon) where you configure:

• Server URL - Gateway address (e.g., http://localhost:8080)
• Base path - API path prefix (default: api/v1)

The Server URL and Base path are shared across all four panels (backed by localStorage), so setting them on one panel updates the others. The Faults Dashboard has additional, panel-local settings for refresh rate and SSE streaming.

Architecture

src/
├── index.ts                   # Extension entry - registers all four panels
├── types.ts                   # ros2_medkit gateway type definitions
├── gateway-client.ts          # Typed client factory (@selfpatch/ros2-medkit-client-ts)
├── api-dispatch.ts            # Per-entity-type typed path dispatch helpers
├── medkit-api.ts              # HTTP API client for ros2_medkit gateway
├── updates-api.ts             # SOVD /updates resource client
├── shared-connection.ts       # Cross-panel gateway connection (localStorage)
├── panel-hooks.ts             # Shared hooks (connection, settings editor, theme, dialog a11y)
├── schema-utils.ts            # JSON-schema to form model conversion + defaults
├── styles.ts                  # Inline style helpers (dark/light theme)
├── EntityBrowserPanel.tsx     # Entity tree + capability-driven detail tabs
├── EntityStatusControl.tsx    # Lifecycle status + transitions (apps/components)
├── DataPanel.tsx              # Data tab: topic list + per-topic publish form
├── ConfigurationsPanel.tsx    # Configurations tab: type-aware editors + reset
├── FaultsDashboardPanel.tsx   # Faults monitoring + SSE
├── LogsPanel.tsx              # Logs tab (severity/context filter, expandable rows, auto-refresh)
├── OperationRequestForm.tsx   # Schema-driven request/goal form (controlled)
├── OperationsPanel.tsx        # Operation request forms + execution lifecycle
├── ServerInfoPanel.tsx        # Server Info panel (gateway version, capabilities, API entry points)
├── UpdatesPanel.tsx           # SOVD updates catalog + actions
├── UpdateRow.tsx              # One update row (status badge, progress, actions)
├── RegisterDialog.tsx         # Register-update JSON dialog
├── DetailsDialog.tsx          # Update details (GET /updates/{id}) dialog
└── Modal.tsx                  # Shared modal shell for the Updates dialogs

The HTTP layer (medkit-api.ts, updates-api.ts) uses the generated typed client from @selfpatch/ros2-medkit-client-ts (runtime dependency). gateway-client.ts builds an openapi-fetch client bound to the current gateway connection; api-dispatch.ts routes each call to the correct typed per-entity-type path.

Compatibility

• Foxglove Studio ≥ 2.x
• ros2_medkit gateway 0.6.0+ for the lifecycle control and topic publishing (they use the gateway's 0.6.0 /status and PUT /data endpoints). The other panels and tabs follow the gateway's reported capabilities, so older gateways still work for browsing, data, operations, configurations, logs and faults.
• Supports both dark and light Foxglove themes

Development

# Build in watch mode (if using foxglove-extension CLI v2+)
npm run build -- --mode development

# Production build
npm run build:prod

The extension uses inline styles (no external CSS) because Foxglove sandboxes extensions without access to global stylesheets. Theme colors adapt automatically based on Foxglove's colorScheme render state.

Releasing

Releases are automated via GitHub Actions. To publish a new version:

1. Bump version: npm version X.Y.Z (updates both package.json and package-lock.json, creates a commit and tag)
2. Push: git push origin main && git push origin vX.Y.Z

CI will validate that the tag matches package.json, build the .foxe, and create a GitHub Release with:

• The .foxe file as a downloadable asset
• sha256sum and download URL ready for the Foxglove extension registry PR

Documentation & community

• 📖 ros2_medkit docs · 🧰 ros2_medkit gateway
• 💬 Discord · 🐛 Issues

License

Apache-2.0 — see LICENSE.