Automation Model Creation in CityEngine

[GuohuiSong]

I now have a set of data (e.g. road width, road type, etc.) saved in the local disk.

Is there any possibility for me to use this data in CityEngine based on CGA rule (or Python maybe?)  to automatically generate a model (or models) in the 3D viewer?

cityengine 2019‌ 

cityengine 2019.1‌

#cityengine 2018‌

cityengine 2017

[CherylLau]

After importing your data into CityEngine (Import data overview—Help | Documentation), you can apply a cga rule to your shapes.  There are two rules for streets that come with CityEngine and can be found in ESRI.lib/rules/Streets.  David Wasserman‌ has a Complete Street rule that you can use (Complete Street Rule Update).  Or, you can write your own cga rule.

[GuohuiSong]

Hi Lau!

Thanks for answering. However, a CGA rule is not what I needed. I am trying to achieve complete automation in the 3D-Model generation. I will be appreciated if you got any potential solutions for this .

[DavidWasserman]

Are you asking about how to automatically generate models from nothing? Typically we use imported data with attributes that map to attributes we care about to generate models in semi-automated ways. Do you need complete automation in model generation?

[GuohuiSong]

Hi David!

Thanks for replying! Yes, this is exactly what I mean. I am now trying to figure out a way to use CE to generate some models from nothing completely automatically. However, I got the data prepared for the model creation (rule package, height of buildings, and etc.). Is there any way for me to complete automation in the model generation?

[CherylLau]

If you have a rule package, then you can assign the rule package to the shapes you have imported.  This is generally how CityEngine works.  You start with some initial shapes (e.g. building footprints), and then you can assign a rule or rule package to the initial shapes to generate models (e.g. 3D buildings).  The rule encodes how the geometry for the 3D building is created.  To assign a rule, drag and drop the rule onto the shape, or select the shapes and choose the rule through the Inspector.