Quick Start
- Download and unpack the archive. README.txt found within describes how to install the Generator.
- Start SketchUp. Open Generator dialogue by going to menu Extensions -> Park Generator.
- Select a rule file which describes the park generation. An example rule file can be used initially.
- Set any optional parameters. Please note that rulefule will override any parameters by “parameter_name = parameter_value” line in it (though it is a matter of discussion whether it stays that way).
- Select the faces (could be just one, of course) in the SketchUp Drawing are where the parks should be generated into. For instance:
- Press ‘r’ to select Rectangle tool and to draw a rectangular polygon.
- Press Space to deselect a tool.
- Click on the middle of the new polygon to select its face.
- Click on Generate button.
Depending on the rule parameters it might be instant or take some time, if for example the number of subdivisions and placements is great. Please not that scatter distribution radius (Scatter rule) can affect the performance – for a smaller radius will result in more samples generated.
The whole generation is recorded as one SketchUp procedure and undo can be used to revert the state of the original polygon (iregion).
Example Rulefiles
The generator comes with two sample rule files in “example_rules” folder. First one generates a Grid-like park and places trees in the middle of square regions and scatters some grass around it. The other generates a park with radial paths/junctions, places trees along the boundary and bushes in the centre regions.
Version 0.0.3 Notes
- Plugin currently works with rectangular shapes best. If an input polygons contains more than 4 vertices it will try to detect a quad and use it. If nothing is produced – the shape was not accepted. Weird input shapes may crash the plugin (this will be fixed in the next releases).
- Only two partitioning rules are supported currently (Grid and RayCast). FFregions rule currently fails for almost half of the input of rectangles of various sizes (a bug in the partitioning algorithms which is triggered when one of the edges of a partitioned polygon is small enough).
- Peel rule may result in bad shapes when applied after RayCast rule – for some inputs.