[Feature] Blueprint-based spawn_actor function for CarlaDataProvider (#…

…1071)

* blueprint-based spawn_actor function for CDP

* Auto-Option to decide tracking

* Updated changelog

* spawned actors are tracked if they are Vehicle | Walker

* Updated spawn_actor description

---------

Co-authored-by: glopezdiest <[email protected]>

Docs/CHANGELOG.md

@@ -12,6 +12,10 @@
 * [CARLA ScenarioRunner 0.9.5](#carla-scenariorunner-095)
 * [CARLA ScenarioRunner 0.9.2](#carla-scenariorunner-092)
 
+## Upcoming
+* Improvements to the CarlaDataProvider:
+ - Added `spawn_actor` for a blueprint based actor creation similar to `World.spawn_actor`
+
 ## CARLA ScenarioRunner 0.9.15
 ### :rocket: New Features
 * Add waypoint reached threshold so that the precision of the actor reaching to waypoints can be adjusted based on object types.

srunner/scenariomanager/carla_data_provider.py

@@ -681,6 +681,59 @@ def handle_actor_batch(batch, tick=True):
         actors = list(CarlaDataProvider._world.get_actors(actor_ids))
         return actors
 
+    @staticmethod
+    def spawn_actor(bp, spawn_point, must_spawn=False, track_physics=None, attach_to=None, attachment_type=carla.AttachmentType.Rigid):
+        # type: (carla.ActorBlueprint, carla.Waypoint | carla.Transform, bool, bool | None, carla.Actor | None, carla.AttachmentType) -> carla.Actor | None
+        """
+        The method will spawn and return an actor.
+        The actor will need an available blueprint to be created.
+        It can also be attached to a parent with a certain attachment type. 
+
+        Args:
+            bp (carla.ActorBlueprint): The blueprint of the actor to spawn.
+            spawn_point (carla.Transform): The spawn point of the actor.
+            must_spawn (bool, optional): 
+                If True, the actor will be spawned or an exception will be raised.
+                If False, the function returns None if the actor could not be spawned.
+                Defaults to False.
+            track_physics (bool | None, optional): 
+                If True, `get_location`, `get_transform` and `get_velocity` 
+                can be used for this actor.
+                If None, the actor will be tracked if it is a Vehicle or Walker.
+                Defaults to None.
+            attach_to (carla.Actor | None, optional): 
+                The parent object that the spawned actor will follow around. 
+                Defaults to None.
+            attachment_type (carla.AttachmentType, optional): 
+                Determines how fixed and rigorous should be the changes in position 
+                according to its parent object.
+                Defaults to carla.AttachmentType.Rigid.
+
+        Returns:
+            carla.Actor | None: The spawned actor if successful, None otherwise.
+            
+        Raises:
+            RuntimeError: if `must_spawn` is True and the actor could not be spawned.
+        """
+        if isinstance(spawn_point, carla.Waypoint):
+            spawn_point = spawn_point.transform
+        world = CarlaDataProvider.get_world()
+        if must_spawn:
+            actor = world.spawn_actor(bp, spawn_point, attach_to, attachment_type)
+        else:
+            actor = world.try_spawn_actor(bp, spawn_point, attach_to, attachment_type)
+            if actor is None:
+                return None
+        # Register for cleanup
+        CarlaDataProvider._carla_actor_pool[actor.id] = actor
+        if track_physics is None:
+            # Decide
+            track_physics = isinstance(actor, (carla.Vehicle, carla.Walker))
+        if track_physics:
+            # Register for physics
+            CarlaDataProvider.register_actor(actor, spawn_point)
+        return actor
+
     @staticmethod
     def request_new_actor(model, spawn_point, rolename='scenario', autopilot=False,
                           random_location=False, color=None, actor_category="car",