Optimize PointCloudVisualization by reducing usage of GetComponent

Assets/RGLUnityPlugin/README.md

@@ -11,11 +11,19 @@ The native RGL library needs a once-per-scene preparation to access models on th
 
 1. Create an empty object
 2. Attach script `LidarSensor.cs`.
-3. `PointCloudVisualization.cs` will be added automatically, however, you can disable it.
-4. Now you can add a callback from another script to receive a notification when data is ready:
+3. (Optional) Attach script `PointCloudVisualization.cs` for visualization purposes.
+4. To obtain point cloud data from another script you have to create a new `RGLNodeSequence` and connect it to `LidarSensor`:
    ```cs
+   rglOutSubgraph = new RGLNodeSequence().AddNodePointsYield("OUT_XYZ", RGLField.XYZ_F32);
    lidarSensor = GetComponent<LidarSensor>();
-   lidarSensor.OnOutputData += HandleLidarDataMethod;
+   lidarSensor.ConnectToWorldFrame(rglOutSubgraph); // you can also connect to Lidar frame using ConnectToLidarFrame
+   // You can add a callback to receive a notification when new data is ready
+   lidarSensor.onNewData += HandleLidarDataMethod;
+   ```
+5. To get data from `RGLNodeSequence` call `GetResultData`:
+   ```cs
+   Vector3[] xyz = new Vector3[0];
+   rglOutSubgraph.GetResultData<Vector3>(ref xyz);
    ```
 
 ## Adding new lidar models

Assets/RGLUnityPlugin/Scripts/LidarSensor.cs

@@ -25,7 +25,6 @@ namespace RGLUnityPlugin
     /// <summary>
     /// Encapsulates all non-ROS components of a RGL-based Lidar.
     /// </summary>
-    [RequireComponent(typeof(PointCloudVisualization))]
     public class LidarSensor : MonoBehaviour
     {
         /// <summary>
@@ -37,7 +36,6 @@ public class LidarSensor : MonoBehaviour
         /// <summary>
         /// Delegate used in callbacks.
         /// </summary>
-        /// <param name="outputData">Data output for each hz</param>
         public delegate void OnNewDataDelegate();
 
         /// <summary>
@@ -74,7 +72,6 @@ public class LidarSensor : MonoBehaviour
         private RGLNodeSequence rglGraphLidar;
         private RGLNodeSequence rglSubgraphCompact;
         private RGLNodeSequence rglSubgraphToLidarFrame;
-        private RGLNodeSequence rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput;
         private SceneManager sceneManager;
 
         private readonly string lidarRaysNodeId = "LIDAR_RAYS";
@@ -86,7 +83,6 @@ public class LidarSensor : MonoBehaviour
         private readonly string noiseDistanceNodeId = "NOISE_DISTANCE";
         private readonly string pointsCompactNodeId = "POINTS_COMPACT";
         private readonly string toLidarFrameNodeId = "TO_LIDAR_FRAME";
-        private readonly string visualizationOutputNodeId = "OUT_VISUALIZATION";
 
         private LidarModel? validatedPreset;
         private float timer;
@@ -108,12 +104,8 @@ public void Awake()
             rglSubgraphToLidarFrame = new RGLNodeSequence()
                 .AddNodePointsTransform(toLidarFrameNodeId, Matrix4x4.identity);
 
-            rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput = new RGLNodeSequence()
-                .AddNodePointsYield(visualizationOutputNodeId, RGLField.XYZ_F32);
-
             RGLNodeSequence.Connect(rglGraphLidar, rglSubgraphCompact);
             RGLNodeSequence.Connect(rglSubgraphCompact, rglSubgraphToLidarFrame);
-            RGLNodeSequence.Connect(rglSubgraphCompact, rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput);
         }
 
         public void Start()
@@ -226,14 +218,6 @@ public void Capture()
             rglSubgraphToLidarFrame.UpdateNodePointsTransform(toLidarFrameNodeId, lidarPose.inverse);
 
             rglGraphLidar.Run();
-
-            // Could be moved to PointCloudVisualization
-            if (GetComponent<PointCloudVisualization>().isActiveAndEnabled)
-            {
-                Vector3[] onlyHits = new Vector3[0];
-                rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput.GetResultData<Vector3>(ref onlyHits);
-                GetComponent<PointCloudVisualization>().SetPoints(onlyHits);
-            }
         }
     }
 }

Assets/RGLUnityPlugin/Scripts/PointCloudVisualization.cs

@@ -20,6 +20,7 @@
 namespace RGLUnityPlugin
 {
     [System.Serializable]
+    [RequireComponent(typeof(LidarSensor))]
     public class PointCloudVisualization : MonoBehaviour
     {
         public enum PointShape
@@ -63,8 +64,22 @@ public enum PointShape
 
         private Mesh mesh;
 
+        private LidarSensor lidarSensor;
+        private RGLNodeSequence rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput;
+        private readonly string visualizationOutputNodeId = "OUT_VISUALIZATION";
+
+        public void Awake()
+        {
+            rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput = new RGLNodeSequence()
+                .AddNodePointsYield(visualizationOutputNodeId, RGLField.XYZ_F32);
+
+            lidarSensor = GetComponent<LidarSensor>();
+        }
+
         public void Start()
         {
+            lidarSensor.ConnectToWorldFrame(rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput);
+
             mesh = new Mesh();
             if (!material)
             {
@@ -79,6 +94,18 @@ public void Start()
             mesh.indexFormat = UnityEngine.Rendering.IndexFormat.UInt32;
         }
 
+        public void OnEnable()
+        {
+            rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput.SetActive(visualizationOutputNodeId, true);
+            lidarSensor.onNewData += OnNewLidarData;
+        }
+
+        public void OnDisable()
+        {
+            rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput.SetActive(visualizationOutputNodeId, false);
+            lidarSensor.onNewData -= OnNewLidarData;
+        }
+
         public void OnValidate()
         {
             if (!material)
@@ -126,5 +153,12 @@ public void Update()
         {
             Graphics.DrawMesh(mesh, Vector3.zero, Quaternion.identity, material, visualizationLayerID);
         }
+
+        private void OnNewLidarData()
+        {
+            Vector3[] onlyHits = new Vector3[0];
+            rglSubgraphVisualizationOutput.GetResultData<Vector3>(ref onlyHits);
+            SetPoints(onlyHits);
+        }
     }
 }

docs/Components/Sensors/LiDARSensor/AddNewLiDAR/index.md

@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ To add a new *LiDAR* model, perform the following steps:
 1. Create an empty object and name it appropriately according to the *LiDAR* model.
 1. Attach script `LidarSensor.cs` to created object.
 1. Set the new added *LiDAR* model in `Model Preset` field, check if the configuration loads correctly. You can now customize it however you like.
-1. `PointCloudVisualization.cs` will be added automatically, however, you can disable it.
+1. (Optional) Attach script `PointCloudVisualization.cs` for visualization purposes.
 1. For publishing point cloud via *ROS2* attach script `RglLidarPublisher.cs` script to created object.
 1. Set the topics on which you want the data to be published and their frame.
 2. Save the prefab in the project.