SODA.Sim Remote Control

The SODA.Sim approach for remote control of the simulator involves the use of the standard UnrealEngine Remote Control plugin. Make sure that the Remote Control plugin is included to your UnrealEngine project, see Quick Start. This repository is just an HTTP Python client for Remote Control implementing Remote Control API HTTP and several convenient classes for quickly starting to work with SODA.Sim through this protocol.

Important

If you are using a packaged UnrealEngine project (i.e. without the Unreal Editor), then to use the Remote Control server you need to run the UnrealEngine project with the -RCWebControlEnable flag.

Tip

Set enviroment variable PYTHONPATH=<PATH_TO_SODA_SIM_REMOTE_CTRL_REPO> to use locally.

Tip

The web server's address is set to 127.0.0.1 by default, which is only accessible to the computer running the Unreal Engine session. To allow other devices to access your Unreal session through the Remote Control API, change the DefaultBindAddress in your project's DefaultEngine.ini.

Pythin API Overview

Base classes:

• UE4API
• UObject
• ArrivalVehicle
• Simulator

UE4API Class

The UE4API is a implementation of the Remote Control API HTTP protocol based on the aiohttp library. This is a simple and small class that simply implements all the endpoints according to the HTTP protocol:

• UE4API.req_object_call(...)
• UE4API.req_object_property(...)
• UE4API.req_search_assets(...)
• UE4API.req_object_describe(...)
• UE4API.req_remote_batch(...)

Tip

There is a ability to print HTTP requests JSON content for debugging. To do this, set the appropriateoptions of UE4API:

• UE4API.print_request
• UE4API.print_response

UObject Class

The python UObject is reflection of the UnrealEngine C++/Blueprint UObject. Allows to read and write properties and call methods of the origin UnrealEngine UObject:

• To call the UObject method use the UObject.call property;
  Example: await some_obj.call.TestMethod(session, param1=param1, param2=param2);
• To read the UObject property use the UObject.getter property;
  Example: test_property = await some_obj.setter.TestProperty(session);
• To write the UObject property use the UObject.setter property;
  Example: await some_obj.getter.TestProperty(session, some_value);

SodaVehicle Class

It based on the python UObject class and contains several helper and most commonly used methods:

• SodaVehicle.respawn(...)
• SodaVehicle.respawn_from_class(...)
• SodaVehicle.respawn_from_slot(...)
• SodaVehicle.set_position(...)
• SodaVehicle.get_component_by_class(...)
• SodaVehicle.get_component_by_name(...)
• SodaVehicle.get_components_by_class(...)
• ...

Simulator Class

It is a simply container for the most commonly used dynamic and static classes. It also includes a small set of method that are most commonly used: open_level(), reset_level(), etc...

Examples

Typical template:

import asyncio

from soda_sim_remote_ctrl.Simulator import Simulator
from soda_sim_remote_ctrl.UE4API import UE4API

if __name__ == "__main__":
    ue4api = UE4API(url="http://127.0.0.1:30010")
    sim = Simulator(ue4api)

    async def main():
        await sim.update_default_objects(ue4api.session)
        # Your code here begin
        # ...
        # Your code here end

        await ue4api.session.close()

    loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
    loop.run_until_complete(main())

Open level "Calib":

import asyncio

from soda_sim_remote_ctrl.Simulator import Simulator
from soda_sim_remote_ctrl.UE4API import UE4API

if __name__ == "__main__":
    ue4api = UE4API(url="http://127.0.0.1:30010")
    sim = Simulator(ue4api)

    async def main():
        await sim.update_default_objects(ue4api.session)
        await sim.open_level(ue4api.session, "Calib")
        await ue4api.session.close()

    loop = asyncio.get_event_loop()
    loop.run_until_complete(main())