Latest Contributions by MatthiasBuehler2

Hi Tim, Sorry I had login issues as I'm changing accounts currently. David has already given a few inputs, but to add some 'more behind the scenes insight'. ce.lib: - Is a low-level library with some CGA stuff that is supposed to not be changed. - If you delete this project, it will be recreated on CE startup! - [ This project can be made visible in the Navigator, but that's not needed for typical users. ] ESRI.lib: - As the name implies, it's content provided in a black box. DO NOT CHANGE IT or add your stuff to it. - Referencing files from other projects just technically works the same as referencing FROM the Esri.lib. 'By design'. - If you delete the ESRI.lib project, it will be recreated with the default values on CE startup! general: Goal: create your own libraries for all the stuff you reuse often. * * * On a separate note on this topic: @ David : It's great to have the complete streets you put your work in ( and literally mention or refer to it in every single post  ), but based on the technical discussion we've just had above, I believe you to should talk to our Esri colleagues to have your content pushed INTO the ESRI.lib. Why: - It is confusing for users to see the distinction between what Esri and what other people provide and why they have to download e.g. all the plants twice, and so on. - Streamlining the usability and proper integration in the above discussed 'LIBRARY' way of working would be helpful. Again, thanks for all the hard work you provide for the community. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ matthias buehler || dipl. arch. eth zurich ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ vrbn bühler || www.vrbn.io || winterthurerstrasse 51 || 8610 uster || switzerland +41 78 930 04 07 || matthias.buehler@vrbn.io || @vrbnio @mattb3d ... View more

Hi, 'Absolute paths' in CGA  are always absolute to the workspace root, never the windows drive (e.g. C) 'Relative paths' in CGA are always relative to the project. ==> Anything starting at the workspace root with a forward slash and the project name is an 'absolute path' within CityEngine, as CGA does not 'know' anything outside of the workspace. Examples: Referencing a rule from an other project:          "/Otherproject/rules/targetRule.cga"  (= absolute path) Referencing a rule from current project:          "rules/targetRule.cga"   (= relative path. Note it is important not to have a '/' at the beginning, as CE would search for a          project that is called 'rules'.) Notes: - I'd always avoid to reference assets from other projects with absolute paths (as project name changes force many rule changes). - If you have absolute paths for rule imports in a projects, it's implied that specific other projects need to exist in the workspace. This is ok, as it allows modular project references. - Note that CE has a heuristic that adapts the import statements if you change CGA rule names. This does not happen with project name changes. Hope this helps! Matt   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ matthias buehler || dipl. arch. eth zurich ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ vrbn bühler || www.vrbn.io || winterthurerstrasse 51 || 8610 uster || switzerland +41 78 930 04 07 || matthias.buehler@vrbn.io || @vrbnio @mattb3d ... View more

Hi all, I'm adding a few more inputs to this. The answer provided is not completely correct. CGA does support absolute paths and it is actually explicitly designed to do so. As the original post states, it's the goal to import CGA rules from OTHER PROJECTS. Library projects such as the ESRI.lib are specifically there to provide rules that can be referenced and not as a resource for copy-pasting into every single project! When doing absolute file paths, make sure you use the correct formatting: /ProjectName/... The first forward slash is the 'workspace root', short for 'workspace'. It is mandatory an absolute path starts with this slash. CGA's drag and drop functionality should automatically create the correct paths. E.g. drag and drop a plant rule file from the ESRI.lib into your own CGA source code and check the line of code that is created for the 'import' statement. Note why using this is very important: Many CityEngine projects use the same assets, such as e.g. the plants. So copy-pasting all plants and street rules into every project we work with is a waste of space and makes versioning and project download times a nightmare. Please push the 'library nature' of CityEngine, this is reason why both the ce.lib and the Esri.lib default projects are there. Cheers! Matt matthias buehler || dipl. arch. eth zurich ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ vrbn bühler || www.vrbn.io || winterthurerstrasse 51 || 8610 uster || switzerland +41 78 930 04 07 || matthias.buehler@vrbn.io || @vrbnio @mattb3d ... View more

This was fun! I'm sure I'll be involved again in an other blockbuster! Cheers! Matt B. ... View more