I think the version parameter was previously used for setting the package version in the apt install. Leaving it empty was to signify to the template function to poll the apt repo for the latest version number. Did you refactor this logic in docker_templates to match your repurpose of it here? Given osrf apt repos don't archive past version for long, this repurpose of version you've made seems more useful.

Oh I was actually wondering why some files had it

I didn't change any corresponding logic in the templates scripts. Surprising the generated files didnt change, maybe it's used only for gazebo? Do you remember where this is used exactly?

I think it was this:

https://github.com/osrf/docker_templates/blob/366392402917ff19b14fc0c5ed088bed8bd2e329/docker_templates/packages.py#L80

Discussed this offline with @ruffsl, we will not use version but ros_version instead, that allows to not change the semantic and be consistent with the name of the environment variable ROS_VERSION

Could we update the ardent Dockerfiles with this? I know its EOL, but its helpful to keep the auto generate dockerfile in sync so that we only need the single manifest file to regenerate all folders in the library.

Sure thing. Do you want me to update the ROS1 EOL Dockerfiles as well?

If it's not to much trouble. Having updated .config/ros1/platform.yaml.em you should only need to delete the ros1 folders and run the ./create_dockerfolders.py in the ros directory. You may need to toggle the comments of the EOL listings to ensure they get regenerated.

Yeah that's no trouble at all. I'll update them all once we resolve the other pending question