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Ionic Release Notes and Highlights (#4)
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* Add raw list of merged PRs

Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

* Add notes for gz-utils

Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

* Add bullet-featherstone and mesh optimization features in highlights and release notes (#5)

* Added bullet-featherstone and mesh optimization highlights

Signed-off-by: Ian Chen <[email protected]>

* update release notes

Signed-off-by: Ian Chen <[email protected]>

* Add backticks.

Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

---------

Signed-off-by: Ian Chen <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

* Add documentation website improvements

Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

* Add highlight for specifying plugins in SDF without overriding default
plugins

Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

* Add ros_gz improvements

Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

* gz-transport improvements

Signed-off-by: Carlos Agüero <[email protected]>

* Conflict

Signed-off-by: Carlos Agüero <[email protected]>

* Add cone, track cam, topic freq, dynamic material color.

Signed-off-by: Benjamin Perseghetti <[email protected]>

* Add the gz-cmake release notes (#7)

Signed-off-by: Jose Luis Rivero <[email protected]>

* Include a note about setup-gazebo github action (#6)

Signed-off-by: Jose Luis Rivero <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

* Small formatting changes

Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>

* Highlights: FT sensor determinist, system execution order (#8)

* Prefer SDFormat over SDF

Signed-off-by: Steve Peters <[email protected]>

* FT determinism, system execution order

Signed-off-by: Steve Peters <[email protected]>

---------

Signed-off-by: Steve Peters <[email protected]>

* Add some note about hydrodynamics deprecations and few other important community contributed features (#9)

* Add some note about hydrodynamics deprecations and few other important community-contributed features

Signed-off-by: Arjo Chakravarty <[email protected]>

* Typos

Signed-off-by: Arjo Chakravarty <[email protected]>

---------

Signed-off-by: Arjo Chakravarty <[email protected]>

* Address reviewer feedback about gz:policies

* Add highlight about package.xml

* Add docs

* Update gz-common

* Add gz-fuel-tools

* Update gz-gui

* Add gz-launch

* Add gz-math

* Add gz-msgs

* Update gz-physics

* Add gz-plugin

* Add gz-rendering

* Add gz-sensors

* Update gz-sim

* Add gz-tools

* Add gz-transport

* Add gz-usd

* Add ros_gz

* Add ros_gz_project_template

* Update sdformat

* Alphabetize

---------

Signed-off-by: Addisu Z. Taddese <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Ian Chen <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Carlos Agüero <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Benjamin Perseghetti <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Jose Luis Rivero <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Steve Peters <[email protected]>
Signed-off-by: Arjo Chakravarty <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Ian Chen <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Carlos Agüero <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Benjamin Perseghetti <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Jose Luis Rivero <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Steve Peters <[email protected]>
Co-authored-by: Arjo Chakravarty <[email protected]>
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## New Features

- [Add new console logging functionality based on `spdlog`](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-common/pull/615).
Also see [gz-utils#134](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-utils/pull/134)

- Console logging has been reimplemented using `spdlog`. While the existing
macros such as `gzerr`, `gzwarn`, and `gzmsg` continue to work as before,
you can now get access to the raw `spdlog` logger, which provides greater
control and flexibility. A new macro, `gztrace` is also provided, which can
be useful in debugging or data collection scenarios. With `spdlog`, you also
get the ability to use format strings. Here's a quick example:

```c++
auto logger = gz::common::Console::Root().RawLoggerPtr();
logger->trace("π to 5th decimal = {:.5f}\n", M_PI);
```

- Improvements to the bullet-featherstone physics plugin

- Many new features and bugfixes were made to the bullet-featherstone plugin
in gz-physics, which include support for nested models,
off-diagonal inertia, enforcing joint velocity and effort limits,
configuring solver iterations, and more. There are also features for
performance improvements and physics stability such as auto-deactivation,
static object collision optimization, and use of convex hull shapes for
convex decomposed meshes.

- [Support for mesh optimization](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2417),
[gzsim#2352](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2352),
[gz-common#585](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-common/pull/585),
[sdformat#1382](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-common/pull/585), and
[gz-physics#606](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-physics/pull/606)

- Added support for mesh optimization on the collision mesh. Users can now
specify whether or not to perform mesh optimization on a
collision mesh in SDFormat (requires SDFormat spec version >= 1.11). Two optimization
methods are currently supported: `convex_decomposition` and `convex_hull`.
Gazebo uses the open source
[V-HACD](https://github.com/kmammou/v-hacd) library to perform
convex decomposition to split the mesh into multiple submeshes.
Example SDFormat usage:

```xml
<collision>
<mesh optimization="convex_decomposition">
<convex_decomposition>
<max_convex_hulls>16</max_convex_hulls>
<voxel_resolution>400000</voxel_resolution>
</convex_decomposition>
<uri>/path/to/mesh.dae</uri>
</mesh>
</collision>
```

- [Support specifying plugins in SDFormat files without overriding default
plugins](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2497) and [gz-gui#631](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-gui/pull/631)

- In prior Gazebo versions, if a user specified a server plugin at the
world level, it would override all default plugins. This required
users to have in-depth knowledge and specify every plugin necessary
for a simulation to run correctly. Omitting critical plugins would
lead to unexpected simulation behavior, causing confusion,
particularly for new Gazebo users.

Gazebo Ionic addresses this issue by loading default plugins even when users
specify additional plugins. Gazebo Ionic also introduces the `<gz:policies>`
tag which can be used to revert this behavior to how it functioned in
previous Gazebo versions, if desired (see the
[GUI Configuration](https://gazebosim.org/api/sim/9/gui_config.html) and
[Server Configuration](https://gazebosim.org/api/sim/9/server_config.html)
tutorials to learn more about `<gz:policies>`). For example, the
`contact_sensor.sdf` example can now include just the additional Contact
system:

```xml
<world name="contact_sensor">
<plugin filename="gz-sim-contact-system" name="gz::sim::systems::Contact"/>
...
</world>

```

whereas previously, the SDFormat file has all the default plugins:

```xml
<world name="contact_sensor">
<plugin
filename="gz-sim-physics-system"
name="gz::sim::systems::Physics">
</plugin>
<plugin
filename="gz-sim-contact-system"
name="gz::sim::systems::Contact">
</plugin>
<plugin
filename="gz-sim-user-commands-system"
name="gz::sim::systems::UserCommands">
</plugin>
<plugin
filename="gz-sim-scene-broadcaster-system"
name="gz::sim::systems::SceneBroadcaster">
</plugin>

...
</world>

```

- Specify execution order for System `PreUpdate` and `Update` callbacks
([gz-sim#2487](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2487),
[gz-sim#2500](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2500)).

- While the `PreUpdate`, `Update`, and `PostUpdate` phases of gz-sim systems
allow some control over the order in which code is executed, there are
cases in which more control is desired. For example, the `UserCommands`
system can create new models during its `PreUpdate` callback in response
to `EntityFactory` messages (see the
[entity creation tutorial](https://gazebosim.org/api/sim/9/entity_creation.html)),
and that callback should happen before any other system callbacks that
expect to operate on all entities in the scene. Now, the order of execution
for `PreUpdate` and `Update` callbacks for a System can be specified using
an integer priority value, with smaller values executing first.
The default system priority can be specified at compilation time by
implementing a new `SystemConfigurePriority` interface in that system,
and the priority can be overridden by specifying an XML parameter in the
system's SDFormat `<plugin/>` tag.
- Constant priority values have been defined in
[gz/sim/System.hh](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/blob/gz-sim9_9.0.0-pre1/include/gz/sim/System.hh#L106-L129)
for the `Physics` and `UserCommands` systems to ensure that
`UserCommands::PreUpdate` and `Physics::Update` execute before other
system callbacks with default priority.

- Improve determinism of ForceTorque sensor
([gz-sensors#449](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sensors/pull/449),
[gz-sim#2487](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2487),
[gz-sim#2494](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2494),
[gz-sim#2500](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2500)).

- The wrenches measured by ForceTorque sensors are now written to the ECM
in addition to publishing to a gz-transport topic, offering a more
deterministic data path for sensor data.
- Writing sensor data to the ECM required moving the sensor update from the
`PostUpdate` callback, which allows read-only access to the ECM with
parallel execution, to the `Update` callback, which allows write-access to
the ECM with sequential execution. It also uses the system execution order
priority to ensure that the ForceTorque `Update` callback occurs after
the `Physics` system `Update`.

- Gazebo Transport improvements.
See [gz-transport#477](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-transport/pull/477), [gz-transport#486](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-transport/pull/486), [gz-transport#487](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-transport/pull/487), [gz-transport#503](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-transport/pull/503), and [gz-transport#506](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-transport/pull/506).

- An extra option has been added to the `SubscriberOptions` class allowing the ability to ignore messages when publisher
and subscriber share the same node. This feature was particularly interesting to avoid loops in the `ros_gz` bridge.
See more context [here](https://github.com/gazebosim/ros_gz/issues/555).

- Most of the gz-transport functionality can be exercised via command line with the `gz topic` or `gz service` subcommands.
We've reduced the amount of typing needed to request certain services from CLI. Here's a summary:
- Gazebo Ionic allows to request one-way service requests directly from the command line. In prior Gazebo versions, users
had to specify `--reptype gz.msgs.Empty ` to simulate one-way service requests.
- The synchronous service requests have now a default timeout, reducing the amount of typing from the CLI.
- Gazebo Ionic allows to request no-input service requests directly from the command line. In prior Gazebo versions, users had to specify `--reqtype gz.msgs.Empty ` to simulate no-input service requests.
- Closer `gz topic` behaviour to ROS CLI by adding topic frequency `gz topic -f <topic_name>`.

- Gazebo camera tracking.

- Control tracking, following and see current tracking status from the gui as well as through gz topics. See [gz-gui#619](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-gui/pull/619), [gz-msgs#440](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-msgs/pull/440), and [gz-sim#2402](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2402).


- Change materials dynamically.

- Can now make opaque objects translucent, simulate LEDs or other lighting by setting emissivity when source turned on or off from a `gz-transport` message or over `ros-gz` bridge. See [gz-msgs#414](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-msgs/pull/414), [gz-msgs#415](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-msgs/pull/415), [gz-msgs#416](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-msgs/pull/416), [ros_gz#486](https://github.com/gazebosim/ros_gz/pull/486), and [gz-sim#2286](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2286).


- Add new primitive geometry for cones.

- Create a parametric cone primitive from the gui or in SDFormat. Useful for sensor visualization, nosecones, and much more. See [gz-gui#621](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-gui/pull/621), [gz-math#594](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-math/pull/594), [gz-msgs#442](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-msgs/pull/442), [gz-physics#639](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-physics/pull/639), [gz-rendering#1003](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-rendering/pull/1003), [gz-sim#2410](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2410), and [sdformat#1418](https://github.com/gazebosim/sdformat/pull/1418).


- Gazebo/ROS Vendor Packages

- Gazebo libraries and simulator are now available directly from
packages.ros.org via vendor packages. The packages are built in the
ROS buildfarm and as part of their build process, fetch the sources of
the underlying Gazebo library and build it. In addition, the vendor
packages provide CMake shims that make it possible to use CMake
targets without version numbers. See the documentation for full
details.

- Improved ros_gz Launch Files

- ROS launch files used to start Gazebo, spawn models in simulation, and
start the ros_gz bridge are now much simpler and more idiomatic. New
XML and YAML elements are available to simplify the creation of launch
files. As an example, here's how you can start gzserver and the bridge
from an XML file:

```xml
<launch>
<gz_server world_sdf_file="$(find-pkg-share my_package)/worlds/my_world.sdf" />
<ros_gz_bridge config_file="$(find-pkg-share my_package)/config/bridge_config.yaml" />
</launch>
```

- Improved ros_gz_bridge performance

- A new parameter use_composition is also available all the new launch
files to leverage the ability to launch composable nodes. This feature
allows us to run Gazebo, the ros_gz_bridge, and other potential ROS
composable nodes within the same process. This improves performance by
avoiding message serialization and network transport between Gazebo
and ROS.


- [New setup-gazebo GitHub Action](https://github.com/marketplace/actions/setup-gazebo-environment)

- A new GitHub Action to install the different versions of Gazebo is
available through the GitHub marketplace named `setup-gazebo`. It
supports Linux, Mac and Windows as target platforms and the use of
different repositories for Gazebo packages: stable, prerelease or
nightly. The Linux installation can also be combined with ROS 2 to
install the `ros_gz_bridge` packages.

```yaml
- name: 'Install Gazebo Ionic from nightlies'
uses: gazebo-tooling/[email protected]
with:
required-gazebo-distributions: 'ionic'
use-gazebo-prerelease: 'true'
use-gazebo-nightly: 'true'
```
- [Removing a parent entity stops execution of the child plugins](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2232)
- This solves a lot of issues where plugin developers may have had to
check if the parent entity was still around on every update. Now when
an entity is removed all its child plugins are stopped as well.
- [Spacecraft Thruster](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2431)
- New spacecraft thruster system for simulating satellites was added.
- [`package.xml` files have been added to all Gazebo packages](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2337)
- This adds structure package metadata so that automated tools can
easily extract information such as the package's version and its
dependencies. For example,
[`vcstool`](https://github.com/dirk-thomas/vcstool) can now be used to
fetch dependencies of Gazebo packages when building Gazebo from
source. In addition,
[`colcon`](https://colcon.readthedocs.io/en/released/) can now rely on
package dependencies in `package.xml` to determine the order of
packages to build.

## Bug Fixes

## Breaking Changes

- [Added mass coefficients for hydrodynamics are now deprecated](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2493)
Use the SDFormat level `fluid_added_mass` tag instead. Tutorial and migration guide is available here: https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-sim/pull/2608

- [Spherical Coordinate API Cleaned Up](https://github.com/gazebosim/gz-math/pull/616)
We are deprecating `LOCAL`. SphericalCoordinate LOCAL now behaves the same as `LOCAL2`. Also introduce new Coordinate3 APIs.

## Documentation

- [Improved Gazebo Documentation Website](https://github.com/gazebosim/docs/pull/441)
- The main documentation [website](https://gazebosim.org/docs) has been
migrated to a statically generated site built with
[Sphinx](https://sphinx-doc.org/). This adds a number of features and solves
a number of problems with the previous website, namely:
- Documentation authors can easily preview their changes by downloading the
generated website instead of having to set up a local development
environment
- The website is updated automatically instead of being manually triggered
after each PR.
- Search functionality is now available
- Improved layout and UX on mobile devices
- Dark and light modes
- Improved SEO as the content is now more easily accessible to search
engines.
- Use of Sphinx as a common documentation tool for both Gazebo and ROS.
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