# Control your generic component with the generic API

Give commands for running custom model-specific commands using DoCommand on your generic components.
> Source: https://docs.viam.com/reference/apis/components/generic/


The generic API allows you to give commands to your [generic components](/reference/components/generic/) for running model-specific commands using [`DoCommand`](/reference/apis/components/generic/#docommand).

> **Example usage:**
> 
> See [Deploy control logic](/build-modules/write-a-logic-module/) for an example of how to use the generic component API, including how to call `DoCommand()` from the SDKs or the web UI.

The generic component supports the following method:

<!-- prettier-ignore -->
| Method Name | Description | `viam-micro-server` Support |
| ----------- | ----------- | --------------------------- |
| [`GetGeometries`](/reference/apis/components/generic/#getgeometries) | Get all the geometries associated with the generic component in its current configuration, in the frame of the generic component. |  |
| [`DoCommand`](/reference/apis/components/generic/#docommand) | Execute model-specific commands. | <p class="center-text"><i class="fas fa-check" title="yes"></i></p> |
| [`GetStatus`](/reference/apis/components/generic/#getstatus) | Get the current status of the generic component as a map of key-value pairs describing its state. |  |
| [`GetResourceName`](/reference/apis/components/generic/#getresourcename) | Get the `ResourceName` for this generic component. |  |
| [`Close`](/reference/apis/components/generic/#close) | Safely shut down the resource and prevent further use. |  |


## API

### GetGeometries

Get all the geometries associated with the generic component in its current configuration, in the [frame](/reference/services/frame-system/) of the generic component.
The [motion](/reference/services/motion/) and [navigation](/reference/services/navigation/) services use the relative position of inherent geometries to configured geometries representing obstacles for collision detection and obstacle avoidance while motion planning.

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**Parameters:**

- `extra` (Mapping[[str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#text-sequence-type-str), Any]) (optional): Extra options to pass to the underlying RPC call.
- `timeout` ([float](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#numeric-types-int-float-complex)) (optional): An option to set how long to wait (in seconds) before calling a time-out and closing the underlying RPC call.

**Returns:**

- ([List[viam.proto.common.Geometry]](https://python.viam.dev/autoapi/viam/proto/common/index.html#viam.proto.common.Geometry)): :   The geometries associated with the Component.

**Example:**

```python {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
my_generic_component = Generic.from_robot(robot=machine, name="my_generic_component")
geometries = await my_generic_component.get_geometries()

if geometries:
    # Get the center of the first geometry
    print(f"Pose of the first geometry's centerpoint: {geometries[0].center}")
```

For more information, see the [Python SDK Docs](https://python.viam.dev/autoapi/viam/components/generic/client/index.html#viam.components.generic.client.GenericClient.get_geometries).

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**Parameters:**

- `extra` (None) (optional)
- `callOptions` (CallOptions) (optional)

**Returns:**

- (Promise<[commonApi](https://ts.viam.dev/modules/commonApi.html).[Geometry](https://ts.viam.dev/classes/commonApi.Geometry.html)[]>)

**Example:**

```ts {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
const generic = new VIAM.GenericComponentClient(machine, 'my_generic_component');

// Get the geometries of this component
const geometries = await generic.getGeometries();
console.log('Geometries:', geometries);
```

For more information, see the [TypeScript SDK Docs](https://ts.viam.dev/classes/GenericComponentClient.html#getgeometries).

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### DoCommand

Execute model-specific commands.
If you are implementing your own generic component and want to add features that have no corresponding built-in API method, you can implement them with [`DoCommand`](/reference/sdks/docommand/).
Supported by `viam-micro-server`.

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**Parameters:**

- `command` (Mapping[[str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#text-sequence-type-str), ValueTypes]) (required): The command to execute.
- `timeout` ([float](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#numeric-types-int-float-complex)) (optional): An option to set how long to wait (in seconds) before calling a time-out and closing the underlying RPC call.

**Returns:**

- (Mapping[[str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#text-sequence-type-str), Any]): :   Result of the executed command.

**Raises:**

- (NotImplementedError): Raised if the Resource does not support arbitrary commands.

**Example:**

```python {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
my_generic_component = Generic.from_robot(robot=machine, name="my_generic_component")
command = {"cmd": "test", "data1": 500}
result = await my_generic_component.do_command(command)
```

For more information, see the [Python SDK Docs](https://python.viam.dev/autoapi/viam/components/generic/client/index.html#viam.components.generic.client.GenericClient.do_command).

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**Parameters:**

- `ctx` [(Context)](https://pkg.go.dev/context#Context): A Context carries a deadline, a cancellation signal, and other values across API boundaries.
- `cmd` [(map[string]interface{})](https://go.dev/blog/maps): The command to execute.

**Returns:**

- [(map[string]interface{})](https://pkg.go.dev/builtin#string): The command response.
- [(error)](https://pkg.go.dev/builtin#error): An error, if one occurred.

**Example:**

```go {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
myGenericComponent, err := generic.FromProvider(machine, "my_generic_component")

command := map[string]interface{}{"cmd": "test", "data1": 500}
result, err := myGenericComponent.DoCommand(context.Background(), command)
```

For more information, see the [Go SDK Docs](https://pkg.go.dev/go.viam.com/rdk/resource#Resource).

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**Parameters:**

- `command` ([Struct](https://ts.viam.dev/classes/Struct.html)) (required): The command to execute. Accepts either a [Struct](https://ts.viam.dev/classes/Struct.html) or a plain object,
  which will be converted automatically.
- `callOptions` (CallOptions) (optional)

**Returns:**

- (Promise<[JsonValue](https://ts.viam.dev/types/JsonValue.html)>)

**Example:**

```ts {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
// Plain object (recommended)
const result = await resource.doCommand({
  myCommand: { key: 'value' },
});

// Struct (still supported)
import { Struct } from '@viamrobotics/sdk';

const result = await resource.doCommand(Struct.fromJson({ myCommand: { key: 'value' } }));
```

For more information, see the [TypeScript SDK Docs](https://ts.viam.dev/classes/GenericComponentClient.html#docommand).

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**Parameters:**

- `command` [Map](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-core/Map-class.html)<[String](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-core/String-class.html), dynamic> (required)

**Returns:**

- [Future](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-async/Future-class.html)<[Map](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-core/Map-class.html)<[String](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-core/String-class.html), dynamic>\>

**Example:**

```dart {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
// Example using doCommand with an arm component
const command = {'cmd': 'test', 'data1': 500};
var result = myArm.doCommand(command);
```

For more information, see the [Flutter SDK Docs](https://flutter.viam.dev/viam_sdk/Resource/doCommand.html).

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### GetStatus

Get the current status of the generic component as a map of key-value pairs describing its state.

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**Parameters:**

- `timeout` ([float](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#numeric-types-int-float-complex)) (optional): An option to set how long to wait (in seconds) before calling a time-out and closing the underlying RPC call.

**Returns:**

- (Mapping[[str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#text-sequence-type-str), viam.utils.ValueTypes]): :   The status of the component.

**Example:**

```python {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
status = await component.get_status()
```

For more information, see the [Python SDK Docs](https://python.viam.dev/autoapi/viam/components/generic/client/index.html#viam.components.generic.client.GenericClient.get_status).

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**Parameters:**

- `ctx` [(Context)](https://pkg.go.dev/context#Context): A Context carries a deadline, a cancellation signal, and other values across API boundaries.

**Returns:**

- [(map[string]interface{})](https://pkg.go.dev/builtin#string)
- [(error)](https://pkg.go.dev/builtin#error): An error, if one occurred.

**Example:**

```go {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
myGenericComponent, err := generic.FromProvider(machine, "my_generic_component")

status, err := myGenericComponent.Status(context.Background())
```

For more information, see the [Go SDK Docs](https://pkg.go.dev/go.viam.com/rdk/resource#Resource).

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**Parameters:**

- `callOptions` (CallOptions) (optional)

**Returns:**

- (Promise<[JsonValue](https://ts.viam.dev/types/JsonValue.html)>)

For more information, see the [TypeScript SDK Docs](https://ts.viam.dev/classes/GenericComponentClient.html#getstatus).

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**Parameters:**

- None.

**Returns:**

- [Future](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-async/Future-class.html)<[Map](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-core/Map-class.html)<[String](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-core/String-class.html), dynamic>\>

For more information, see the [Flutter SDK Docs](https://flutter.viam.dev/viam_sdk/Resource/getStatus.html).

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### GetResourceName

Get the `ResourceName` for this generic component.

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**Parameters:**

- `name` ([str](https://docs.python.org/3/library/stdtypes.html#text-sequence-type-str)) (required): The name of the Resource.

**Returns:**

- ([viam.proto.common.ResourceName](https://python.viam.dev/autoapi/viam/proto/common/index.html#viam.proto.common.ResourceName)): :   The ResourceName of this Resource.

**Example:**

```python {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
my_generic_component_name = Generic.get_resource_name("my_generic_component")
```

For more information, see the [Python SDK Docs](https://python.viam.dev/autoapi/viam/components/generic/client/index.html#viam.components.generic.client.GenericClient.get_resource_name).

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**Parameters:**

- None.

**Returns:**

- [(Name)](https://pkg.go.dev/go.viam.com/rdk@v0.89.0/resource#Name)

**Example:**

```go {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
myGenericComponent, err := generic.FromProvider(machine, "my_generic_component")

err = myGenericComponent.Name()
```

For more information, see the [Go SDK Docs](https://pkg.go.dev/go.viam.com/rdk/resource#Resource).

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**Parameters:**

- None.

**Returns:**

- (string): The name of the resource.

**Example:**

```ts {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
generic_component.name
```

For more information, see the [TypeScript SDK Docs](https://ts.viam.dev/classes/GenericComponentClient.html#name).

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**Parameters:**

- `name` [String](https://api.flutter.dev/flutter/dart-core/String-class.html) (required)

**Returns:**

- [ResourceName](https://flutter.viam.dev/viam_sdk/ResourceName-class.html)

**Example:**

```dart {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
final myGenericResourceName = myGeneric.getResourceName("my_generic");
```

For more information, see the [Flutter SDK Docs](https://flutter.viam.dev/viam_sdk/Generic/getResourceName.html).

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### Close

Safely shut down the resource and prevent further use.

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**Parameters:**

- None.

**Returns:**

- None.

**Example:**

```python {class="line-numbers linkable-line-numbers"}
my_generic_component = Generic.from_robot(robot=machine, name="my_generic_component")
await my_generic_component.close()
```

For more information, see the [Python SDK Docs](https://python.viam.dev/autoapi/viam/components/generic/client/index.html#viam.components.generic.client.GenericClient.close).

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