Fix ROS 2 node initialization by removing invalid context manager usage

[ayush-shirode]

Summary

This PR fixes an incorrect usage of rclpy.init() as a context manager in the static TF broadcaster node. The previous implementation used with rclpy.init():, which is not supported in ROS 2 Python and caused a runtime AttributeError: enter.

Problem

rclpy.init() does not implement Python’s context manager protocol (enter / exit)

Using it inside a with block causes the node to crash before spinning

This prevented the static transform from being published on /tf_static

Solution

Replaced with rclpy.init(): with the correct ROS 2 lifecycle pattern:

Explicit rclpy.init()

Explicit rclpy.shutdown() in a finally block

Preserved existing argument validation and exception handling

Why this change is necessary

ROS 2 Python initialization is a process-level operation, not a scoped resource. The explicit init/shutdown pattern is the officially supported and recommended approach and ensures predictable node lifecycle management.

Impact

Fixes runtime crash

Allows static TF broadcaster to start correctly

Aligns code with ROS 2 Python best practices

Description

Fixes # (issue)

Did you use Generative AI?

Additional Information

[fujitatomoya]

@ayush-shirode thanks for creating PR.

can you share the exact stack that generates the exception from this code in your local environment?
i am not sure if there is a problem that you are trying to explain here, because the same codes are used in else where, e.g https://github.com/ros2/examples/blob/rolling/rclpy/topics/minimal_publisher/examples_rclpy_minimal_publisher/publisher_local_function.py

[ayush-shirode]

Hello, I was learning URDF using your documentation and followed all the steps mentioned. I set up the ROS 2 environment, copied the state_publisher.py as a node, configured the launch files, and successfully built the package using colcon build. However, when I ran the launch file, I encountered a runtime error. I’ve attached a screenshot of the error message for your reference. While reviewing the code, I noticed that rclpy.init() is being used inside a with statement. Since the with construct in Python is intended for context managers (objects implementing __enter__() and __exit__()), and rclpy.init() is a plain initialization function that sets up global ROS 2 middleware state, this usage can lead to runtime issues such as AttributeError: __enter__. From my understanding, it may be safer to call rclpy.init() explicitly and manage the node lifecycle using rclpy.shutdown() when the application is ready to exit, as ROS 2 initialization is process-wide rather than scoped to a block. I wanted to check with you whether this change is required, or if there is a specific reason the code is structured this way. Thank you for your time and guidance. Best regards, Ayush Shirode [image: image.png]

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