How do I access user specified attributes, via python?

Question

I have added a 'userModel' attribute to my basic instance placement.cga file

I have selected and generated buildings on my lots 
They all contain placed 'instances'

I have selected a random lot and want to check what it is via python?

print ce.getAttribute(ce.selection()[0], '/ce/rule/userModel')

I get None returned, yet I can clearly see I have model instance placed in the Inspector.. and I can see the project path to it?

Are user Attributes not accessible in this manner?

RobertHexter · Answer

This is something that you would do via the reporting mechanism.
Then use python to process the reported data.

PaulMacArthur · Answer

Is this still the case in CityEngine 2012.1?

I'm trying to something similar, I have this CGA rule applied to a shape:
version "2012.1"

attr MyAttribute    = true

Lot -->
    BuildingMass

LotInner -->
    BuildingMass

BuildingMass -->
    extrude(20)
    Building

Building -->
    set(MyAttribute, true)
    color(1,1,0)

Then I have generated the shape.  I then have this python script to interrogate it:
from scripting import *

ce = CE()

def main():
    print
    shapes = ce.getObjectsFrom(ce.selection)
    for shape in shapes:
        print
        print shape
        print ce.getAttributeList(shape)
        print ce.getAttributeSource(shape, "/ce/rule/MyAttribute" )
        print ce.getAttribute(shape, "/ce/rule/MyAttribute" )
        
if __name__ == '__main__':
    main()

When I select the generated object, I get this output:
Shape:MyBuilding.cga:Lot
[]
None
None

When I delete the generated object, and just select the lot shape, I get this output:
Shape
['/ce/name', '/ce/rule/randomSeed', '/ce/rule/ruleFile', '/ce/rule/startRule', '0streetWidth\x00', '1streetWidth\x00', '2streetWidth\x00', '3streetWidth\x00', '4streetWidth\x00', 'shapeType']
DEFAULT
None

My questions is, within CE 2012.1, is there a way to mark certain geometry from CGA rules and access it from python?  My end goal is to mark certain geometry and then allow my python exporter to distinguish between the different geometries so it can export them into a different model file.

AndreasUlmer · Answer

print ce.getAttribute(ce.selection()[0], '/ce/rule/userModel')

This command returns the USER value of the rule attribute named userModel. (The user value is set when a rule attribute is manually set in the inspector, and is displayed bold)
It does not return the Rule value. (The rule value is suffixed with (Rule) in the Inspector.)

Rule values can not be queried with Python atm.

To figure out if a rule attribute is user-set, you can query its source
ce.getAttributeSource(ce.selection()[0],"/ce/rule/userModel")

DEFAULT -> value is set from rule
USER -> value is set by user

----------------

Object Attributes (found the Object Atttributes pane of the Inspector) are queried without prefix:
print ce.getAttribute(ce.selection()[0], 'myObjectAttribute')