Window—ArcGIS CityEngine Resources

The Window component is a VCGA component available in ESRI.lib. You can use it to add a window to an Opening or a Tile node that creates an Opening component.

You can work with Window component in two ways:

Work with preconfigured windows

Preconfigured windows provide predefined window rules for common architectural use cases. You can add them as nodes and use them directly in your VCGA design. Each preconfigured window includes a set of attributes that you can adjust to customize its appearance.

Preconfigured window types include, for example:

Single windows intended for individual openings in a facade
Row windows intended for longer horizontal openings, such as ribbon windows, with repeating window frames

To explore the full set of preconfigured window types, browse the ESRI.lib/Element/Window folder.

Use a preconfigured window

To use a preconfigured window, complete the following steps:

Open the Node Browser dialog box in the VCGA Editor window.
Browse to the ESRI.lib/Element/Window folder.
A list of preconfigured window components and their thumbnails appear.
Select the window component you want to use.
Click + Add or drag the component into the graph.
Connect the window node to the Opening or Tile node where you want to place the window.
Optionally, edit the component attributes to adjust the window appearance.

Work with custom windows

Custom windows are built from window components available in the ESRI.lib/Element/Window/Subcomponents folder. Use custom windows when the preconfigured window components do not provide the design you need.

Start with Understand custom window subcomponents to learn about the available components and how they are used. After, see Create a custom window for the general workflow. For examples of selected enum values, see Visual reference for selected enum attributes.

Understand custom window subcomponents

Custom windows are assembled from several window components. Most of these components are located in the ESRI.lib/Element/Window/Subcomponents folder. Additional components can also be used to create custom windows. The Railing component is located directly in the ESRI.lib/Element folder, while the Opening component is located in the ESRI.lib/Tile folder.

Each component controls a specific part of the window. A custom window does not need to include every available component.


Component	Purpose
Opening*	Defines the initial shape of the opening.
Window _Structure	Defines the overall window structure within the opening.
Window_Frame	Adds a frame that holds the glass.
Window_Partitioning	Divides the windowpane into multiple parts.
Window_Operation	Defines how the window opens or moves.
Window_Panel	Adds final details of the element.
Window_Railing_On_Front_Space*	Adds a railing in front of the window.
Components marked with an asterisk * are stored outside the ESRI.lib/Element/Window folder in ESRI.lib: Railing is located in the ESRI.lib/Element folder, and Opening is located in the ESRI.lib/Tile folder.

Input opening

Input opening and generated window output from a custom window.

Workflow used to create the custom window shown above.

Note:

The workflow shown is one possible setup. Custom windows can be assembled in different ways depending on the required design. You can omit, repeat, or nest components. For example, a simple window may connect an opening directly to Window_Panel, while a more complex window may include nested frames with different attributes.

Create a custom window

To create a custom window, complete the following steps:

Open the Node Browser dialog box in the VCGA Editor window.
Optionally, add an Opening component to define the initial opening shape.
Add the window subcomponents required for your design.
Connect the first window subcomponent to the Opening or Tile node where you want to place the window.
Connect the remaining subcomponents in the graph.
Optionally, add a Railing component.
Edit the component attributes to adjust the window appearance.
Generate the model to preview the result .

Visual reference for selected enum attributes

Some window subcomponent attributes are enums with a fixed set of values. These attributes control parts of the generated window, such as the railing type, partitioning type, operation type, or grid pattern.

Because some enum values are easier to understand visually than from their names alone, the following sections provide visual examples for selected enum attributes: