topic Re: insert obj into scene from rule? in ArcGIS CityEngine Questions

insert obj into scene from rule?

MicahTaylor — Wed, 27 May 2015 20:17:36 GMT

I have used the complete_streets rule in a model I have created. However, I want to use my own street lamps. However, they do not show up.

Here is what I have done so far.

1. Drag and dropped existing globe street lamp from the "complete_streets" rule into the scene.

2. Converted the obj into shapes

3. re-shaped the new shape into the lamp I want (with textures and size)

4. exported the new shape as an obj into the asset file where the rule is getting its lamps from. (Dir_lamps)

5. Selected the new obj in the inspector window as the lamp I want to use.

The lamps do not show up. They appear in the preview window...but not in the scene.

Any ideas?

Thanks.

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

Anonymous User — Wed, 27 May 2015 20:28:16 GMT

I think David Wasserman might know. Otherwise, could you post the OBJ you created and I could try it on my end.

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

MicahTaylor — Wed, 27 May 2015 20:48:03 GMT

Sure! Thanks. How do I attach the OBJ to a message here?...or should I just email it to you?

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

MicahTaylor — Wed, 27 May 2015 20:53:19 GMT

I loaded it into City Engine group and tagged you.

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

Anonymous User — Wed, 27 May 2015 21:25:01 GMT

"use advanced editor" is in upper right of reply form. You will get an "Attach" button there.

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

Anonymous User — Wed, 27 May 2015 22:28:46 GMT

Micah,

I can tell that the model origin is very far from the insertion point, so your model might be appearing somewhere off in the distance. This is due to modeling the light inside CityEngine. Although it is possible to edit this type of model in CE, it is not an intended workflow. If you have access to Sketchup or another modeling software (Rhino, 3DS, Mayay), then you could take the model as you did from the Complete Streets example, model it outside of CityEngine, and then put back into the project. Doing it in an "object-scale" modeler will preserve the model origin. When you exported the model after modeling in CityEngine, the model then used the origin of the CityEngine scene as the model's origin. So inserting that model using the rule probably put it in the scene, but at exactly the offset from the CE origin in the new model file. Does this explanation make sense?

Chris

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

DavidWasserman — Thu, 28 May 2015 03:12:12 GMT

Am I still needed?

The only thing I have to add is that all inserted objects that are intended to be replaced like street lamps need to have up be in the direction of the Y axis. All objects are aligned scope to axis in the y direction as part of the scope casting I did for the rule. So in software like sketchup where the model is made, the Y axis should be the vertical one.

David

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

MicahTaylor — Thu, 28 May 2015 13:17:42 GMT

Ok, that makes sense. I did create the model lamp in CE.

Thanks!

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

MicahTaylor — Thu, 28 May 2015 21:16:14 GMT

Ok, I have brought in a new lamp object that I created in Sketchup (Obj). The Complete Streets rule successfully puts the lamps on the sidewalks, but the textures don't show up. They do show up in the preview window, but not on the actual model in the scene. Is their something in the rule I need to adjust to get the textures?

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

Anonymous User — Thu, 28 May 2015 21:21:48 GMT

The material file (.MTL) must be present along with the textures alongside the OBJ. I think the textures can also be in a subfolder if the MTL file points there.

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

MicahTaylor — Thu, 28 May 2015 21:58:28 GMT

Perfect!...Sketchup didnt export but one color (white) so I thought it was not coloring the object. I added the other colors into the sub folder and then added them in correct place in MTL file.

Thanks!

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

DavidWasserman — Thu, 28 May 2015 23:30:37 GMT

Just a side note about OBJ files, they store the file paths to the MTLs with relative path from the OBJ. So if you want to organize your MTLs into a folder (Sketchup can sometimes be gross in that it may not create a folder), you should open up Notepad++ and manually enter in a few file location relative to the object.

You don't have to, but it is something you CAN do if you want.

Glad things worked out!

David

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

TessOldemeyer — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 21:47:06 GMT

I am having a similar issue loading OBJ models to point locations. I have created a quick CGA rule to apply to the points to load the .obj models I need. In my case, I am hoping to insert fire hydrants to point locations in my scene. I keep receiving an 'unknown asset' error at the point locations. If I add in a texture rule them I receive an 'unknown texture error'. I have made sure the .obj, .mtl, and any .jpg textures are included in the mapped folder.

After having the same issues loading models I had downloaded. I ended up trying to use the fire hydrant in the original Downtown Damage example folder. I have mapped to assets>streets in that folder (the .obj, .mtl, and .jpg images are in the folder) and am still receiving the 'unknown asset' error when I try to load the fire hydrants.

The CGA rule I currently have is:

version "2015.1"

attr myFireHydrantPoints = "C:/Users/gardta/Desktop/Example_Downtown_Damage__2011_2/assets/streets/hydrant.obj"

attr H = 0

@StartRule

Point-->

alignScopeToAxes(y)

s(0,H,0) center(xz)

r(0,rand(360),0)

i(myFireHydrantPoints)

I have also tried calling the asset using the const operation, using comp (f) {all: HydrantTexture} and using a separate rule for texture, and manually editing the .obj and .mtl files. Any suggestions? I am still pretty new to CGA.

Thanks,

Tess

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

DavidWasserman — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 21:58:49 GMT

Hey Tess,

Try using relative path from your assets folder rather than an absolute path.

"streets/hydrant.obj" as an example.

However, if you want to get fancy, use the @File annotation on your attribute so you could pick between different KINDS of fire hydrants if you have another obj (or other similar models).

David

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

TessOldemeyer — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 22:37:30 GMT

...hmm the relative path didn't seem to do much. I'll keep pecking away at it though. Thanks for the help!

Tess

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

DavidWasserman — Tue, 20 Oct 2015 22:47:13 GMT

Tess,

If you are having trouble, it might be worth playing around with some of asset search functions to get an idea of what the directory you are sourcing from is looking like.

See file search here: http://cehelp.esri.com/help/index.jsp?topic=/com.procedural.cityengine.help/html/cgareference/func_fileSearch.html

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

TessOldemeyer — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 16:53:05 GMT

Are the asset search functions performed within a rule? I have been working with a few (i.e. fileSearch, fileExists, and assetInfo) and am not seeing anything being printed. I do not see a CGA console...

Thanks for your help and patience...just learning CE and CGA

Tess

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

TessOldemeyer — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 21:51:55 GMT

Well still no luck with the search functions. I was able to get the hydrant shapes in (with a different .obj file and a relative path), but the textures didn't come through correctly. In order to apply the color I was looking for, I ended up using this CGA rule to apply a custom texture:

version "2015.1"

attr myFireHydrantPoints = "assets/FireHydrant/fire hydrant.obj"

attr H=0

attr Texture="assets/FireHydrant/red1.jpg"

@StartRule

Point-->

alignScopeToAxes(y)

s(0,H,0) center(xz)

r(0,rand(360),0)

i(myFireHydrantPoints)

comp (f) {all: HydrantTexture}

HydrantTexture-->

texture(Texture)

Thanks for the help!

Tess

Re: insert obj into scene from rule?

DavidWasserman — Wed, 21 Oct 2015 23:25:28 GMT

Hey Tess,

File search might be a python function, and in retrospect seems a little silly to recommend. I really just wanted to make sure CE knew where your asset was relative to the project folder.

It might be the object, and as far as the textures not coming with the object, remember that obj files are simple containers of coordinates that relate to MTL files. If you have textures make sure the MTL files are in the same relative location as when they were exported.

David