topic Layer search in ArcGIS CityEngine Questions

Layer search

BrianE — Wed, 24 May 2017 18:06:40 GMT

I have a bunch of buildings as shapes and was wondering if there is a way to easily locate and select specific buildings. They are all named with their addresses. In the "Search layers, object, attributes" box I type out the name of the shape in quotes("") and I get a building. However I need to locate MORE than one building at a time.

Is there a way to do this?

I am very new to City Engine.

Re: Layer search

CherylLau — Thu, 25 May 2017 16:42:21 GMT

You can use wildcards to search for multiple items with similar names. For example, if you search for "*Broadway", you will get all the ones on Broadway. Note that *Broadway and "*Broadway" might give you different results. For example, the former will include a shape called 23 Broadway North (and all shapes with the word Broadway in it), but the latter will not. You can also use spaces to signify a logical AND. Here is the help page (look at the Search Field section at the bottom), but it's not quite up to date unfortunately. I can only advise to just experiment with the wildcards and spaces at this point in time.

The Scene Editor

Re: Layer search

BrianE — Thu, 25 May 2017 17:22:14 GMT

Thank you, this is very helpful. What about if I'd like to find two different addresses? For example, 123 Broadway and 456 Main Street? Is there a way to enter this into the Search Field so I can select both buildings at the same time?

Re: Layer search

CherylLau — Mon, 29 May 2017 17:14:14 GMT

Sorry, at this point in time, I don't think this is possible. I don't think the logical OR is available in the search field.

If you want to write a python script though, you can probably do this.

Re: Layer search

ThomasFuchs — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 13:22:36 GMT

Here is an example of how to write a basic address search with GUI in Python:

from scripting import * import org.eclipse.swt as swt import org.eclipse.swt.widgets as widgets import org.eclipse.swt.layout.RowLayout as layout # get a CityEngine instance ce = CE() if __name__ == '__main__': result = None display = widgets.Display() shell = widgets.Shell(display) shell.pack() shell.open() dialog = widgets.Shell(shell, swt.SWT.DIALOG_TRIM | swt.SWT.APPLICATION_MODAL) dialog.setLayout(layout()) dialog.setText("Address Search") names = [] OIDs = [] sceneShapes = ce.getObjectsFrom(ce.scene, ce.isShape) for s in sceneShapes: name = ce.getAttribute(s, 'name') if not (name == None) | (name == ""): names.append(name) OIDs.append(ce.getOID(s)) searchName = widgets.Combo(dialog, swt.SWT.READ_ONLY) searchName.setItems(names) ok = widgets.Button(dialog, swt.SWT.PUSH) ok.setText ("OK") cancel = widgets.Button(dialog, swt.SWT.PUSH); cancel.setText("Cancel"); class MyListener(widgets.Listener): def handleEvent(self, event): global result if event.widget == ok: result = searchName.getSelectionIndex() else: result = -1 dialog.close() listener = MyListener() ok.addListener(swt.SWT.Selection, listener) cancel.addListener(swt.SWT.Selection, listener) dialog.pack() dialog.open() while not dialog.isDisposed(): if not display.readAndDispatch(): display.sleep () display.dispose() if result>-1: print "Selection:", names[result] ce.setSelection(ce.findByOID(OIDs[result])) views = ce.getObjectsFrom(ce.get3DViews()) views[0].frame(ce.selection())

You can add this script as a shortcut to CityEngine

Re: Layer search

BrianE — Fri, 02 Jun 2017 13:21:52 GMT

Thank you Thomas. That was super helpful. I was able to add the script.
Two questions:

Is there a way to choose multiple addresses?

Is there a way to display the addresses in numerical order?

Thanks!

Re: Layer search

ThomasFuchs — Sat, 11 Dec 2021 23:33:48 GMT

Q1: Is there a way to choose multiple addresses?

A1: You could add a second combo widget and set the names again:

from scripting import *

import org.eclipse.swt as swt
import org.eclipse.swt.widgets as widgets
import org.eclipse.swt.layout as layout

# get a CityEngine instance
ce = CE()

if __name__ == '__main__':

    result = None
    
    display = widgets.Display()
    
    shell = widgets.Shell(display)
    shell.pack()
    shell.open()
    
    dialog = widgets.Shell(shell, swt.SWT.DIALOG_TRIM | swt.SWT.APPLICATION_MODAL)
    dialog.setLayout(layout.RowLayout())
    dialog.setText("Address Search")
    
    names = []
    OIDs = []
    sceneShapes = ce.getObjectsFrom(ce.scene, ce.isShape)
    for s in sceneShapes:
        name = ce.getAttribute(s, 'name')
        if not (name == None) | (name == ""):
            names.append(name)
            OIDs.append(ce.getOID(s))
    
    searchName = widgets.Combo(dialog, swt.SWT.READ_ONLY)
    searchName.setItems(names)    
    searchName2 = widgets.Combo(dialog, swt.SWT.READ_ONLY)
    searchName2.setItems(names)
    ok = widgets.Button(dialog, swt.SWT.PUSH)
    ok.setText ("OK")
    cancel = widgets.Button(dialog, swt.SWT.PUSH);
    cancel.setText("Cancel");
    
    class MyListener(widgets.Listener):
        def handleEvent(self, event):
            global result, result2
            if event.widget == ok:
                result = searchName.getSelectionIndex()
                result2 = searchName2.getSelectionIndex()
            else:
                result = -1
            dialog.close()
    
    listener = MyListener()
    ok.addListener(swt.SWT.Selection, listener)
    cancel.addListener(swt.SWT.Selection, listener)
    
    dialog.pack()
    dialog.open()
    while not dialog.isDisposed():
        if not display.readAndDispatch():
            display.sleep ()

    display.dispose()

    if result>-1:
        print "Selection:", names[result], names[result2]
        ce.setSelection(ce.findByOID(OIDs[result]))
        if result2>-1:
            ce.setSelection([ce.findByOID(OIDs[result]), ce.findByOID(OIDs[result2])])
        views = ce.getObjectsFrom(ce.get3DViews())
        views[0].frame(ce.selection())‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍‍

for more help on SWT widgets please visit: SWT Widgets

Q2: Is there a way to display the addresses in numerical order?

A2: "names" is a list of of strings please refer Python data structure sort list alphabetically - Stack Overflow on how to sort such lists. You probably also want to cut away the street numbers prior to sorting: python - How to split a string into a list? - Stack Overflow

Re: Layer search

ThomasFuchs — Fri, 26 Nov 2021 13:31:20 GMT

Updated the code snippet for creating an SWT dialog with Python in CityEngine

Re: Layer search

Giota_Zach — Thu, 16 Dec 2021 18:39:07 GMT

Hi, I using the same code above so to select different land uses. In my case, I have multiple shapes with the same name (for example buildings, gardens, etc.) but when I choose one of the names, only one shape is chosen.

Any idea? Thanks.