How to convert *.urdf.xacro files to *.sdf for gazebo?

Dear all, as with the latest gazebo version (1.7.12-s1367893033~precise) in groovy, it seems that our *.urdf.xacro files are finally not supported anymore. I found out about the latest .sdf format (1.3) and already tried to update some of our files. I.e. I replaced 54154110.0 0.0 0.0false${min_angle*180.0/M_PI}${max_angle*180.0/M_PI}0.0530.00.03${update_rate}0.005true${update_rate}${ros_topic}/${name}_link with 5411.0${min_angle*180.0/M_PI}${max_angle*180.0/M_PI}0.0530.00.03 for the urdf.xacro files for one of our sensors. However, if I then spawn our robot, I get the following message from gazebo: fxm@sony-fxm:/opt/ros/groovy/stacks/simulator_gazebo/gazebo_worlds/worlds$ roslaunch gazebo_worlds empty_world.launch ... logging to /home/fxm/.ros/log/320cbf70-bca0-11e2-9ff7-00271039ca78/roslaunch-sony-fxm-20823.log Checking log directory for disk usage. This may take awhile. Press Ctrl-C to interrupt Done checking log file disk usage. Usage is <1GB. started roslaunch server http://sony-fxm:55478/ SUMMARY ======== PARAMETERS * /rosdistro * /rosversion * /use_sim_time NODES / gazebo (gazebo/gazebo) gazebo_gui (gazebo/gui) auto-starting new master process[master]: started with pid [20837] ROS_MASTER_URI=http://localhost:11311 setting /run_id to 320cbf70-bca0-11e2-9ff7-00271039ca78 process[rosout-1]: started with pid [20850] started core service [/rosout] process[gazebo-2]: started with pid [20864] process[gazebo_gui-3]: started with pid [20876] Gazebo multi-robot simulator, version 1.5.0 Copyright (C) 2013 Open Source Robotics Foundation. Released under the Apache 2 License. http://gazebosim.org Gazebo multi-robot simulator, version 1.5.0 Copyright (C) 2013 Open Source Robotics Foundation. Released under the Apache 2 License. http://gazebosim.org Warning [parser.cc:361] Converting a deprecated SDF source[/opt/ros/groovy/stacks/simulator_gazebo/gazebo_worlds/worlds/empty.world]. Set SDF value Version[1.2] to Version[1.3] Please use the gzsdf tool to update your SDF files. $ gzsdf convert [sdf_file] Msg Waiting for master[ INFO] [1368540701.989137839]: waitForService: Service [/gazebo/set_physics_properties] has not been advertised, waiting... Msg Connected to gazebo master @ http://127.0.0.1:11345 Msg Publicized address: 10.17.55.151 Msg Waiting for master Msg Connected to gazebo master @ http://127.0.0.1:11345 Msg Publicized address: 10.17.55.151 Error [Events.hh:141] Events::ConnectWorldUpdateStart is deprecated in v 1.5.0. Please use Events::ConnectWorldUpdateBegin Error [Events.hh:141] Events::ConnectWorldUpdateStart is deprecated in v 1.5.0. Please use Events::ConnectWorldUpdateBegin Error [Events.hh:141] Events::ConnectWorldUpdateStart is deprecated in v 1.5.0. Please use Events::ConnectWorldUpdateBegin [ INFO] [1368540703.812490419]: joint trajectory plugin missing , defaults to 0.0 (as fast as possible) Error [Events.hh:141] Events::ConnectWorldUpdateStart is deprecated in v 1.5.0. Please use Events::ConnectWorldUpdateBegin [ INFO] [1368540703.842767312, 0.023000000]: waitForService: Service [/gazebo/set_physics_properties] is now available. [ INFO] [1368540703.883032363, 0.057000000]: Starting to spin physics dynamic reconfigure node... Warning [parser.cc:377] SDF has no element in file[data-string] Dbg extension [5411.0-135.000315689135.0003156890.0530.00.03] not converted. Dbg extension [5411.0-135.000315689135.0003156890.0530.00.03] not converted. Dbg [base_footprint] has no parent joint Warning [parser.cc:314] parse from urdf. The robot spawns within gazebo but there no sensor message is published. It is similar for our controllers. They don't work anymore as well. My questions now are: - Why are the gazebo extensions not converted? Is there something wrong? - What is best practise to convert .urdf.xacro files into the new .sdf format? - Where can I find examples? Has the PR2 been updated yet? With best regards, Felix