carla/Docs/how_to_run.md

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CARLA Simulator

!!! note CARLA requires Ubuntu 16.04 or later.

Welcome to CARLA simulator.

This file contains the instructions to run the CARLA simulator binaries on Linux.

Get the latest release here.

For building CARLA from source, please check out the CARLA Documentation.

CARLA can be run directly by running the "CarlaUE4.sh" script provided in the release package.

There are currently two scenarios available, the desired scenario can be chosen from the command-line

$ ./CarlaUE4.sh /Game/Maps/Town01

or

$ ./CarlaUE4.sh /Game/Maps/Town02

To run CARLA as server, see "Running the server" below.

Running the Python client

The "carla" Python module provides a basic API for communicating with the CARLA server. In the "PythonClient" folder we provide a couple of examples on how to use this API. We recommend Python 3, but they are also compatible with Python 2.

The basic functionality requires only the protobuf module to be installed

$ sudo apt-get install python3 python3-pip
$ sudo pip3 install protobuf

However, other operations as handling images require some extra modules, and the "manual_control.py" example requires pygame

$ sudo pip3 install numpy Pillow pygame

The script "PythonClient/client_example.py" provides basic functionality for controlling the vehicle and saving images to disk. Run the help command to see options available

$ ./client_example.py --help

The script "PythonClient/manual_control.py" launches a PyGame window with several views and allows to control the vehicle using the WASD keys.

$ ./manual_control.py --help

Running the server

The server can be started by running the "CarlaUE4.sh" script with some extra arguments. When run in server mode (controlled by the CARLA client), it is highly recommended to run it at fixed time-step

$ ./CarlaUE4.sh /Game/Maps/Town01 -carla-server -benchmark -fps=15

The arguments -benchmark -fps=15 make the engine run at a fixed time-step of 1/15 seconds. In this mode, game-time decouples from real-time and the simulation runs as fast as possible.

To run the game on the second town, just change the command to select the "Town02" map

$ ./CarlaUE4.sh /Game/Maps/Town02 -carla-server -benchmark -fps=15

When run as server, it is sometimes useful to run the game in a smaller window, this can be chosen with

$ ./CarlaUE4.sh /Game/Maps/Town01 -carla-server -benchmark -fps=15 -windowed -ResX=800 -ResY=600

CARLA specific command-line options

  • -carla-server Launches CARLA as server, the execution hangs until a client connects.
  • -carla-settings="Path/To/CarlaSettings.ini" Load settings from the given INI file. See Example.CarlaSettings.ini.
  • -carla-world-port=N Listen for client connections at port N, agent ports are set to N+1 and N+2 respectively. Activates server.
  • -carla-no-hud Do not display the HUD by default.
  • -carla-no-networking Disable networking. Overrides -carla-server if present.

Running CARLA off-screen

CARLA can be run in a display-less computer without any further configuration. However, CARLA will render to the default GPU. This can be inconvenient on multi-GPU setups.

Selecting the GPU can be achieved with VirtualGL and TurboVNC.

  1. Install X-server.
  2. Create a xorg.conf with nvidia-xconfig -a --use-display-device=none (first back up existing one if necessary).
  3. Kill all running Xorg instances (sudo service lightdm stop && sudo killall -9 Xorg).
  4. Check that X works sudo Xorg :0 (it might be necessary to update nvidia drivers), then kill it.
  5. Install VirtualGL and TurboVNC from deb packages (sudo dpkg -i XXX.deb).
  6. Start CARLA.

In-game controls

The following key bindings are available during game play at the server window. Note that vehicle controls are only available when networking is disabled.

W            : throttle
S            : brake
AD           : steer
Q            : toggle reverse
Space        : hand-brake

P            : toggle autopilot

Arrow keys   : move camera
PgUp PgDn    : zoom in and out
mouse wheel  : zoom in and out
Tab          : toggle on-board camera

R            : restart level
G            : toggle HUD
C            : change weather/lighting

Enter        : jump
F            : use the force

F11          : toggle fullscreen
Alt+F4       : quit

Settings

CARLA reads its settings from a "CarlaSettings.ini" file. This file controls most aspects of the simulator, and it is loaded every time a new episode is started (every time the level is loaded).

Settings are loaded following the next hierarchy, with values later in the hierarchy overriding earlier values.

  1. {ProjectFolder}/Config/CarlaSettings.ini.
  2. File provided by command-line argument -carla-settings="Path/To/CarlaSettings.ini".
  3. Other command-line arguments as -carla-server or -world-port.
  4. Settings file sent by the client on every new episode.

Take a look at the Example.CarlaSettings.ini file for further details.

Weather presets

The weather and lighting conditions can be chosen from a set of predefined settings. To select one, set the WeatherId key in CarlaSettings.ini. The following presets are available

  • 0 - Default
  • 1 - ClearNoon
  • 2 - CloudyNoon
  • 3 - WetNoon
  • 4 - WetCloudyNoon
  • 5 - MidRainyNoon
  • 6 - HardRainNoon
  • 7 - SoftRainNoon
  • 8 - ClearSunset
  • 9 - CloudySunset
  • 10 - WetSunset
  • 11 - WetCloudySunset
  • 12 - MidRainSunset
  • 13 - HardRainSunset
  • 14 - SoftRainSunset

E.g., to choose the weather to be hard-rain at noon, add to CarlaSettings.ini

[CARLA/LevelSettings]
WeatherId=6