## repository: https://code.ros.org/svn/ros-pkg
<<PackageHeader(kdl)>> <<TableOfContents(3)>>

'''For [[hydro]] onward, see [[orocos_kdl]].'''

{{attachment:chain.png||height="413px",width="224px"}}

== What can I use KDL for? ==
 * '''3D frame and vector transformations: '''KDL includes excellent support to work with vectors, points, frame transformations, etc. You can calculate a vector product, transform a point into a different reference frame, or even change the reference point of a 6d twist. For more information take a look at the [[http://www.orocos.org/kdl/geometry|geometry documentation]] on the KDL homepage.
 * '''Kinematics and Dynamics of kinematic chains:''' You can represent a kinematic chain by a KDL Chain object, and use KDL solvers to compute anything from forward position kinematics, to inverse dynamics. For more information take a look at the [[http://orocos.org/node/833|chain documentation]] on the KDL homepage.The [[kdl_parser]] includes support to construct a KDL chain from a XML Robot Description Format [[urdf/XML|(URDF)]] file.
 * '''Kinematics of kinematic trees: '''You can represent a kinematic chain by a KDL Chain object, and use KDL solvers to compute forward position kinematics. Currently no other solvers are provided.


== KDL examples ==

See the [[http://orocos.org/kdl/examples|examples page]]


== Building KDL ==
First install the external dependencies such as sip4, python, etc.



{{{
  $ rosdep install kdl
}}}
Now build KDL

{{{
  $ rosmake kdl
}}}
The "rosmake" command checks out code from the KDL svn repository (see [[kul-ros-pkg]]).

== External Documentation ==
KDL is a 3rd party library that is part of the Orocos project  [[http://www.orocos.org/kdl|KDL homepage]]. 

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