topic Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library in ArcGIS CityEngine Questions

Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Mon, 20 Nov 2017 20:22:14 GMT

Plant loader with LumenRT is a great resource for visualizing plants, but for even more extreme scientific usage, I would like to include more species to visualize. Seems there's few free 3d tree model online. The approach I'm trying now is to export 3d models from another 3d modeling software I have, but because of different texture formatting with LumenRT library, the leaves texture is not showing up correct (fig.2). Seems to require fairly amount of photoshop. Does anyone know how to adjust the texture map export setting (fig.2) or incorporate customized tree models to the LumenRT library?

fig.1

fig2

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

LR — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 09:09:16 GMT

Your leaf textures are lacking transparency, try generating an alpha map.

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 16:02:19 GMT

On that one screenshot there was no alpha map, but I did generate alpha map. Just try again, with alpha map, the leaves still don't have transparency..

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

LR — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 10:44:51 GMT

Can you post the original model?

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 15:30:45 GMT

If other people have similar question, xfrog and Turbo squid are good places to find plant models!

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

CherylLau — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 15:50:10 GMT

What is in the .mtl file? What should the tree look like? Can you post the model (eg. .obj, .mtl, and related texture files)?

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Wed, 22 Nov 2017 22:21:52 GMT

so I was able to use model that I downloaded online. However, they're too heavy. Each model is about 10-20 MB, and I have to generate hundreds of these.

When I apply the rule, there's no error at all, but I notice that CE just generated a tiny portion of trees. The LumenRT's plant library is really light, I wonder how I could reduce my model size.. I tried to use cleanupGeometry commands but seems doesn't help. Can I do this quickly in CE? Or I have to manually import/export in other 3d modeling software

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 02:52:49 GMT

I just stopped using the models that are too big, but it still stops the loop after a few loops, I have no idea why....

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

CherylLau — Thu, 23 Nov 2017 13:35:34 GMT

You could reduce the complexity of a model using the reduceGeometry() operation, or you could do this in another 3D modeling software.

reduceGeometry Operation

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 01:01:51 GMT

My generation just stops after a certain number of loops....I think it isn't related to the model size. Could you look at my code?

/**
* File: viff.cga
* Created: 7 Nov 2017 20:05:46 GMT
*/

version "2017.0"
_getMix = "Sugar_Maple;12;20.652872772912;5.554958664000001;0.2203;Sugar_Maple;10;20.683350410712;5.719611624;0.2233;Sugar_Maple;24;27.924276874728;5.884264584;0.2263;Sugar_Maple;33;32.670674562;6.048917544;0.2293;Sugar_Maple;52;41.582897113440005;6.213570504;0.2323;Sugar_Maple;6;14.862108588144002;4.91281212;0.2086;Sugar_Maple;5;13.832673407496001;4.74815916;0.2056;Sugar_Maple;5;12.996153544344;4.5835062;0.2026;Sugar_Maple;5;12.226485523104001;4.418853240000001;0.1996;White_Ash;8;22.268444504424004;6.213570504;0.2323;Red_Maple;4;14.197410260952001;4.91281212;0.2086;Sugar_Maple;18;23.319306299064003;5.554958664000001;0.2203;Sugar_Maple;17;23.611461152904;5.719611624;0.2233;"

@StartRule

PlantMix -->
Ground_Cover.GroundCover
PlantMix(_getMix)

PlantMix(mix) -->
case mix != "":

print (listFirst(mix))
print (float(listItem(mix,1)))
print (float(listItem(mix,2)))
print (float(listItem(mix,3)))
DistributePlant(listFirst(mix),float(listItem(mix,1)),float(listItem(mix,2)),float(listItem(mix,3)),float(listItem(mix,4)))
cleanupGeometry(all, 0)
reduceGeometry(0.8)

PlantMix(listRange(mix,5,100)) # recursive call until list is empty
else:
NIL

DistributePlant(plant,number,height,radius,contagion) -->
20%:scatter(surface, number, gaussian,center,contagion*5000){ TREE(plant,height,radius) }
20%:scatter(surface, number, gaussian,left,contagion*5000){ TREE(plant,height,radius) }
20%:scatter(surface, number, gaussian,right,contagion*5000){ TREE(plant,height,radius) }
20%:scatter(surface, number, gaussian,front,contagion*5000){ TREE(plant,height,radius) }
else:scatter(surface, number, gaussian,back,contagion*5000){ TREE(plant,height,radius) }

NIL

TREE(plant,height,radius) -->

case plant == "Quaking_Aspen":
33%:
alignScopeToAxes(y)
r(0,rand(0,360),0)
setPivot(yzx,0)
center(xz)
s(radius,radius,height)
i("assets/Plants/" + plant +"/"+"SH10_1.obj" )
Tree.

33%:
alignScopeToAxes(y)
r(0,rand(0,360),0)
setPivot(yzx,0)
center(xz)
s(radius,radius,height)
i("assets/Plants/" + plant +"/"+"SH10_2.obj" )
Tree.

34%:
alignScopeToAxes(y)
r(0,rand(0,360),0)
setPivot(yzx,0)
center(xz)
s(radius,radius,height)
i("assets/Plants/" + plant +"/"+"SH10_3.obj" )
Tree.

else:
NIL

else:
alignScopeToAxes(y)
s(radius,height,radius)
r(0,rand(0,360),0)
i("assets/Plants/" + plant +"/"+plant +"_Model_0.obj" )
center(xz)
Tree.

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

CherylLau — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 13:25:24 GMT

What exactly is the problem you see when you generate? Is there an error in the log (Window -> Show Log) or problems view (Window -> Show Problems)? The recursion completes when I generate the code. I checked the Model Hierarchy (Window -> Show Model Hierarchy -> Inspect Model), and all 13 calls to DistributePlant are there, and each call to DistributePlant creates the appropriate TREE shape, so I don't see a problem.

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 16:45:36 GMT

sorry. For the sake of space I didn't put all plants in _getMix. The plant list is actually really long. If you could replace the _getMix to the following:

_getMix= "Sugar_Maple;12;20.65;5.55;0.2203;Sugar_Maple;10;20.68;5.72;0.2233;Sugar_Maple;24;27.92;5.88;0.2263;Sugar_Maple;33;32.67;6.05;0.2293;Sugar_Maple;52;41.58;6.21;0.2323;Sugar_Maple;6;14.86;4.91;0.2086;Sugar_Maple;5;13.83;4.75;0.2056;Sugar_Maple;5;13.0;4.58;0.2026;Sugar_Maple;5;12.23;4.42;0.1996;White_Ash;8;22.27;6.21;0.2323;Red_Maple;4;14.2;4.91;0.2086;Sugar_Maple;18;23.32;5.55;0.2203;Sugar_Maple;17;23.61;5.72;0.2233;Sugar_Maple;24;27.56;5.88;0.2263;Sugar_Maple;29;30.82;6.05;0.2293;Sugar_Maple;46;38.97;6.21;0.2323;Sugar_Maple;6;14.32;4.75;0.2056;Sugar_Maple;5;12.27;4.42;0.1996;White_Ash;10;23.22;6.21;0.2323;Red_Maple;5;12.12;4.42;0.1996;White_Pine;5;11.49;4.25;0.1966;Black_Cherry;18;23.53;5.55;0.2203;Black_Cherry;6;12.44;4.42;0.1996;Black_Cherry;5;11.5;4.25;0.1966;Bur_Oak;11;19.69;5.39;0.2173;Bur_Oak;5;12.11;4.42;0.1996;Paper_Birch;7;16.91;5.23;0.2143;Paper_Birch;12;20.06;5.39;0.2173;Quaking_Aspen;6;17.96;5.55;0.2203;Red_Maple;7;18.71;5.55;0.2203;Red_Maple;5;12.12;4.42;0.1996;Red_Maple;5;11.49;4.25;0.1966;Red_Pine;12;21.59;5.72;0.2233;White_Pine;18;23.39;5.55;0.2203;White_Pine;22;26.16;5.72;0.2233;White_Pine;22;26.74;5.88;0.2263;Paper_Birch;5;18.5;5.72;0.2233;Quaking_Aspen;2;17.23;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;4;17.96;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;5;19.39;5.88;0.2263;Red_Maple;12;23.08;6.05;0.2293;Northen_Red_Oak;30;30.25;5.88;0.2263;Northen_Red_Oak;44;37.57;6.05;0.2293;Northen_Red_Oak;37;35.22;6.21;0.2323;White_Pine;5;17.5;5.55;0.2203;White_Pine;6;18.79;5.72;0.2233;Sugar_Maple;6;14.76;4.91;0.2086;Sugar_Maple;5;12.21;4.42;0.1996;Paper_Birch;7;19.15;5.72;0.2233;Quaking_Aspen;3;17.37;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;6;18.81;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;7;20.26;5.88;0.2263;Red_Maple;11;22.92;6.05;0.2293;Northen_Red_Oak;27;29.17;5.88;0.2263;Northen_Red_Oak;38;34.9;6.05;0.2293;Northen_Red_Oak;30;31.96;6.21;0.2323;White_Pine;11;20.28;5.55;0.2203;White_Pine;13;22.1;5.72;0.2233;Balsam_Fir;4;18.66;5.88;0.2263;Balsam_Fir;3;19.33;6.05;0.2293;Balsam_Fir;3;19.98;6.21;0.2323;Balsam_Fir;3;20.63;6.38;0.2353;Balsam_Fir;3;21.57;6.54;0.2383;Black_Ash;4;18.15;5.72;0.2233;Black_Ash;4;18.84;5.88;0.2263;Paper_Birch;4;20.33;6.21;0.2323;Red_Maple;5;18.23;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;5;19.29;5.88;0.2263;Red_Maple;4;20.3;6.21;0.2323;Red_Maple;4;21.31;6.38;0.2353;Sugar_Maple;7;19.52;5.72;0.2233;Sugar_Maple;8;20.51;5.88;0.2263;Sugar_Maple;5;11.5;4.25;0.1966;White_Cedar;11;20.91;5.72;0.2233;White_Cedar;12;22.52;5.88;0.2263;White_Cedar;15;24.6;6.05;0.2293;White_Cedar;9;22.49;6.21;0.2323;White_Pine;10;20.54;5.72;0.2233;White_Pine;10;23.91;6.38;0.2353;White_Pine;6;13.26;4.58;0.2026;White_Spruce;4;20.52;6.21;0.2323;White_Spruce;4;23.47;6.87;0.2443;Black_Cherry;7;14.36;4.75;0.2056;Black_Cherry;6;13.23;4.58;0.2026;Northen_Red_Oak;7;13.76;4.58;0.2026;Bur_Oak;5;12.11;4.42;0.1996;White_Oak;5;11.49;4.25;0.1966;Paper_Birch;5;18.5;5.72;0.2233;Quaking_Aspen;2;17.23;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;4;17.97;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;5;19.4;5.88;0.2263;Red_Maple;12;23.13;6.05;0.2293;Northen_Red_Oak;30;30.39;5.88;0.2263;Northen_Red_Oak;45;37.85;6.05;0.2293;Northen_Red_Oak;38;35.42;6.21;0.2323;White_Pine;5;17.51;5.55;0.2203;White_Pine;6;18.8;5.72;0.2233;Black_Cherry;5;12.22;4.42;0.1996;Paper_Birch;7;19.15;5.72;0.2233;Quaking_Aspen;3;17.37;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;6;18.8;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;7;20.25;5.88;0.2263;Red_Maple;11;22.9;6.05;0.2293;Northen_Red_Oak;27;28.88;5.88;0.2263;Northen_Red_Oak;38;34.65;6.05;0.2293;Northen_Red_Oak;29;31.69;6.21;0.2323;White_Pine;11;20.24;5.55;0.2203;White_Pine;13;22.05;5.72;0.2233;Sugar_Maple;6;14.33;4.75;0.2056;Balsam_Fir;4;18.66;5.88;0.2263;Balsam_Fir;3;19.33;6.05;0.2293;Balsam_Fir;3;19.98;6.21;0.2323;Balsam_Fir;3;20.63;6.38;0.2353;Balsam_Fir;3;21.57;6.54;0.2383;Black_Ash;4;18.16;5.72;0.2233;Black_Ash;4;18.85;5.88;0.2263;Paper_Birch;4;20.33;6.21;0.2323;Red_Maple;5;18.24;5.72;0.2233;Red_Maple;5;19.3;5.88;0.2263;Red_Maple;4;20.32;6.21;0.2323;Red_Maple;4;21.33;6.38;0.2353;Sugar_Maple;8;19.66;5.72;0.2233;Sugar_Maple;8;20.67;5.88;0.2263;White_Cedar;11;21.11;5.72;0.2233;White_Cedar;13;22.74;5.88;0.2263;White_Cedar;16;24.85;6.05;0.2293;White_Cedar;9;22.66;6.21;0.2323;White_Pine;10;20.73;5.72;0.2233;White_Pine;11;24.13;6.38;0.2353;White_Spruce;4;20.52;6.21;0.2323;White_Spruce;4;23.47;6.87;0.2443;Basswood;6;14.26;4.75;0.2056;White_Oak;5;12.12;4.42;0.1996;"

Many thanks,

---Jade

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 16:48:56 GMT

There is no error message showing. But I noticed it only generated a certain amount of plants (stop after a few loops).

Re: Add more plants to LumenRT plant library

awei — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 23:29:27 GMT

found the mistake: should change PlantMix(listRange(mix,5,100)) to PlantMix(listRange(mix,5,1000))..I wish there was an option on this forum for me to delete solved comments : )