MAGNET Modeler: How to set up an element area rule

This article explains how to use the element area rule to create closed areas with texturized single elements, for example, forests.

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MAGNET Modeler: How to set up an element area rule

The element area rule allows you to create areas filled with certain elements, for example, trees to create a forest. This rule is useful if you want to place single elements within a closed area rather than in a line as in the element chain rule.

Typical objects for the element area rule are:

  • Humans
  • Forests
  • Bushes

For element area creation, MAGNET Modeler supports:

  • Closed strings
  • Closed polylines
  • Points and lines based on certain attributes

Strings and polylines without an elevation assigned can be easily draped onto a surface.

 

Element area rule parameters

•  Layer 

Click layer to access a list of all available layers in your current MAGNET Office project. Select one or multiple layers from the list where the rule should be applied to.

•  Materials 

Click materials to access the Material Library of MAGNET Modeler. Select an existing material, or insert a new material.

•  Description

Enter a description for the element area rule. This will change the name of the rule within the Modeler Rules window. In case you have several element area rules, this helps to easily identify them.

•  Group

Click group to choose from a list of existing groups/subgroups, or manually enter your group structure. Use the forward slash character (/) to create additional subgroups, for example, Existing/Office/Parking lot.

•  Width

Enter a value for width to control the width of the texture. If this attribute is empty, the texture is controlled by the material properties (defaultwidth).

•  Height

Enter a value for height to control the height of the texture. If this attribute is empty, the texture is controlled by the material properties (defaultheight).

•  Randomness_size

You can apply a randomness_size by applying a percentage between 1 and 100.

•  Density

Change the density attribute to set the elements' spacing along the linear entity.

•  Info text

Info text allows you to add additional information, such as material, quality requirements, manufacturer, etc. The info text information will be accessible in MAGNET Explorer via the Object Info tool.

•  Info URL

Info URL allows you to add hyperlinks, such as a link to a manufacturer's homepage or a design document. The info URL link will be accessible in MAGNET Explorer via the Object Info tool.

•  Interpolate

Selecting bottom drapes the entities to the surface. The insertion point of the texture is at its center bottom. Selecting top uses the entities' elevation as the top of the object and stretches the texture down to the surface. This overrides both the width attribute and the defaultwidth. Selecting none uses the entities' elevation as the bottom of the object and assigns either the width attribute or the defaultwidth.

•  Position_offset

Position_offset allows a relative X, Y, or Z translation.

•  Rotating

Selecting yes will automatically rotate the object to always face the viewer.

•  Rotation

You can change the direction of the object by editing the rotation value. 0 equals the X-Z plane.

•  Z_rotating

Z_rotating correlates with Z_rotation. Select yes to rotate the Z-axis.

•  Z_rotation

Z_rotation will rotate the Z-axis. Setting this to 90 will result in the picture lying on the ground.

•  Alignment

You can use the alignment option to align the object perpendicular to the surface triangles (select surface) or leave it always vertical (select normal).

•  Background_material

In case rotating is set to no, you can define a background_material, visible on the backside of the picture. If this is not set, the alpha channel of the picture is used. This means it looks the same from both sides.